It is not geography that defines Eastern Europe, but rather 40 years of communist rule. The Iron Curtain was ripped down in 1989 and since then the countries of Eastern Europe have experienced rapid upheavals as they embrace democracy and join organisations such as the European Union (EU). This ‘New Europe’ has opened up for travellers, a region that ‘mingles rich cultures, wild natural beauty and incongruous post-communist quirks’ (p. 23). A comprehensive 1044 pages of information, this 10th edition includes events calendars, itineraries, directories, maps, a health section, a language section and an index. ( )