Larry Wolff's *Inventing Eastern Europe: The Map of Civilization on the Mind of the Enlightenment* is a comprehensive interdisciplinary study examining how the concept of "Eastern Europe" was constructed during the Enlightenment. Wolff argues that "Eastern Europe" is not a geographical region but an intellectual construct shaped by Enlightenment thinkers through travel accounts, maps, and philosophical discourse. The book explores how the Enlightenment's emphasis on civilization and barbarism influenced the perception of Eastern Europe as the antithesis of Western civilization. Wolff critiques the idea of "Eastern Europe" as a fixed entity, emphasizing instead the process of its invention through ideological and political frameworks. The book begins with Winston Churchill's 1946 speech about the "iron curtain," which Wolff links to Enlightenment-era divisions of Europe into north-south and east-west axes. During the Enlightenment, Western Europe came to represent civilization, while Eastern Europe was seen as its opposite. Wolff analyzes how this ideological construction was reinforced through travel narratives, philosophical writings, and maps. He highlights the role of travelers and philosophers in shaping perceptions of Eastern Europe, often from a Western perspective, while neglecting local voices. Wolff also examines how Enlightenment thinkers, such as Voltaire and Rousseau, contributed to the invention of Eastern Europe as a cultural and political construct. He discusses the influence of maps and cartography in defining Eastern Europe, noting how political boundaries and cultural representations were intertwined. The book also addresses the racial and cultural stereotypes that emerged during the Enlightenment, linking them to the construction of Eastern Europe as a region of barbarism and savagery. Wolff critiques the concept of "core" and "periphery" in world systems theory, arguing that Eastern Europe was not a given but a product of Enlightenment thought. The book explores how Enlightenment ideas of civilization and barbarism were used to justify European expansion and control over Eastern Europe. Through a detailed analysis of travel accounts, philosophical texts, and maps, Wolff provides a nuanced understanding of how the Enlightenment shaped the intellectual and cultural landscape of Eastern Europe.Larry Wolff's *Inventing Eastern Europe: The Map of Civilization on the Mind of the Enlightenment* is a comprehensive interdisciplinary study examining how the concept of "Eastern Europe" was constructed during the Enlightenment. Wolff argues that "Eastern Europe" is not a geographical region but an intellectual construct shaped by Enlightenment thinkers through travel accounts, maps, and philosophical discourse. The book explores how the Enlightenment's emphasis on civilization and barbarism influenced the perception of Eastern Europe as the antithesis of Western civilization. Wolff critiques the idea of "Eastern Europe" as a fixed entity, emphasizing instead the process of its invention through ideological and political frameworks. The book begins with Winston Churchill's 1946 speech about the "iron curtain," which Wolff links to Enlightenment-era divisions of Europe into north-south and east-west axes. During the Enlightenment, Western Europe came to represent civilization, while Eastern Europe was seen as its opposite. Wolff analyzes how this ideological construction was reinforced through travel narratives, philosophical writings, and maps. He highlights the role of travelers and philosophers in shaping perceptions of Eastern Europe, often from a Western perspective, while neglecting local voices. Wolff also examines how Enlightenment thinkers, such as Voltaire and Rousseau, contributed to the invention of Eastern Europe as a cultural and political construct. He discusses the influence of maps and cartography in defining Eastern Europe, noting how political boundaries and cultural representations were intertwined. The book also addresses the racial and cultural stereotypes that emerged during the Enlightenment, linking them to the construction of Eastern Europe as a region of barbarism and savagery. Wolff critiques the concept of "core" and "periphery" in world systems theory, arguing that Eastern Europe was not a given but a product of Enlightenment thought. The book explores how Enlightenment ideas of civilization and barbarism were used to justify European expansion and control over Eastern Europe. Through a detailed analysis of travel accounts, philosophical texts, and maps, Wolff provides a nuanced understanding of how the Enlightenment shaped the intellectual and cultural landscape of Eastern Europe.