This timely publication focuses on the organic and gradual development of Croatia from the early Middle Ages to the present day, including the concurrent evolution of its constituent parts. Magas (historian and journalist) particularly centers on the establishment of Croatia's borders, the evolution of governance within them, and the changing nature of the sovereign, stating that each focus cannot be understood without a clear understanding of the historical framework underpinning them. This book views history from above instead of below, with a concentration on institutions and political projects and movements instead of social, economic and cultural transformations; the author also admits that a detailed account of the Yugoslavian descent into war in the late 1980s or the war itself is not covered in detail. Croatia Through History is sectioned into three chronological parts, the first from Roman Dalmatia to Habsburg Croatia; the second from Kingdom to Nation State, and the third from Croatia's inclusion in Yugoslavia to the present. Published by Saqi Books, UK; distributed in the US by Consortium. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)