Henrik Meinander captures the fascinating contours of Finnish history, culture, and society in this brisk and bold portrait. He begins with the country"s early history as a member of the Swedish kingdom and follows through to its later years as an autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian empire. He concludes with Finland"s gradual transformation into a conscious nation and its current flourishing as an independent, modernized state. Meinander"s research concentrates on the Baltic region, connecting the trajectory of Finnish history to major moments in Europe"s social, political, and structural development. He merges politics, economics, and culture to illuminate the use of Finland"s natural resources by other countries and their absorption of Finland"s heritage and technological innovations. Meinander devotes a significant portion of his study to Finland"s contemporary history as well, exploring the country"s prominent involvement in recent Baltic and European events and assessing their likely effect on Finland"s future development.