For literally more than two decades my dad has been trying to get me to read The Intelligent American’s Guide to Europe by Erik Von Kuehnelt-Leddihn (a former NR-nik). I just never got around to it. Last Thanksgiving he brought it down and pressed it into my hands. I finally started skimming through it a couple of weeks ago and now I have to say it is one of the most interesting, wide-ranging, thoroughly engaging history books I’ve ever read. It reminds me of when I first read Modern Times by Paul Johnson. But it’s even more encyclopedic. Almost every sentence — never mind every page — has an “I didn’t know that” or “I never thought of it like that” kicker. He makes statements in parentheses it would take me a year of reading to feel confident enough to make. Alas, I see from Amazon that it’s out of print. But if you spot one in a used book store — and you’re a history buff — you must pick up a copy.