Book Reviews and Notices : A Balkan Mission. BY JAMES T. SHOTWELL. (New York: Columbia University Press. 1949. Pp. 180. $2.25.)

• DOI: 10.1177/106591294900200443
• Author: Joseph S. Roucek
• Date: 01 December 1949
• Published date: 01 December 1949
• Subject Matter: Articles

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Balkan Mission. BY JAMES T. SHOTWELL. (New York: Columbia Uni-
versity Press. 1949. Pp. 180. $2.25.)
The book is the personal narrative of a journey through the Balkans
in the autumn of 1925; it is also the record of an important assignment
for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, since Shotwell, a
distinguished American historian, was making arrangements in each of
the Balkan countries for the completion of his massive Economic and
Social History of the World War.
The record of this trip, drawn from pencilled notes en route and
letters written at the time, offers a very interesting account of five coun.
tries and many valuable comments, by a trained historian, on the per,
sonalities and historical incidents of the region. In fact, the volume leaves
the reader with a definite nostalgic feeling, since the world that Shot,
well describes has nearly disappeared forever. From another point of
view, we regret that Shotwell did not see fit to evaluate the hopes and
investment returns of the Carnegie Endowment, if any, derived from the
numerous volumes published by the Endowment on behalf of interna-
tional cooperation and understanding. If anything, the course of recent
world history would seem to indicate that the cause has been lost. But
that is the story which Shotwell is yet to explain to us.
University of Bridgeport.
JOSEPH S. ROUCEK.
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