Italy emerged from the Second World War in ruins. Divided, invaded and economically broken, it was a nation that some claimed had ceased to exist. By the 1960s, Italy could boast the fastest-growing economy in the world, as rural society disappeared almost overnight. In The Archipelago, acclaimed historian John Foot chronicles Italy's tumultuous history from the post-war period to the present. From the silent assimilation of fascists into society after 1945 to the troubling reign of Silvio Berlusconi, and from the artistic peak of neorealist cinema to the celebration of Italy's 150th birthday in 2011, he examines both the corrupt and celebrated sides of the country. “This deft history book guides readers through Italy's turbulent, complicated (and corrupt) postwar history” -The Times “An enjoyable, highly readable history that manages to bring murky, often fiendishly complex events into the light, providing insight and clarity. That is no small achievement” -Sunday Times