C. A. Macartney (1895-1978) was one of the foremost authorities on Central Europe. If The Habsburg Monarchy can be seen as the summation of his scholarship other works like National States and National Minorities (still the classic treatment of the Nationalities problem) and October Fifteenth: A History of Modern Hungary, 1929-1945 testify to his extraordinary erudition and commanding grasp of complex issues. He was an impressive and inspiring historian