Neil Kent is Senior Associate at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge and Professor at the St Petersburg State Academy of Art, Architecture and Culture. His previous publications include A Literary and Cultural Companion to Helsinki (2004) and The History of Trieste (2006).

"Recommended." -Choice

• 1. From the Stone Age to Viking hegemony; 2. The formation and growth of the Swedish state; 3. The territorial consolidation of Sweden; 4. Towards a centralist and military state; 5. The collapse of absolutism and the age of freedom; 6. Royal absolutism restored; 7. Constitutional Sweden; 8. The industrialisation and capitalisation of Sweden; 9. The world wars and Swedish neutrality; 10. Triumph of the Swedish welfare state; Conclusion; Chronology of important events in Swedish history; List of the monarchs and regents of Sweden; List of prime ministers; Selected further reading.

Neil Kent is Senior Associate at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge and Professor at the St Petersburg State Academy of Art, Architecture and Culture. His previous publications include A Literary and Cultural Companion to Helsinki (2004) and The History of Trieste (2006).

"Recommended." -Choice

• 1. From the Stone Age to Viking hegemony; 2. The formation and growth of the Swedish state; 3. The territorial consolidation of Sweden; 4. Towards a centralist and military state; 5. The collapse of absolutism and the age of freedom; 6. Royal absolutism restored; 7. Constitutional Sweden; 8. The industrialisation and capitalisation of Sweden; 9. The world wars and Swedish neutrality; 10. Triumph of the Swedish welfare state; Conclusion; Chronology of important events in Swedish history; List of the monarchs and regents of Sweden; List of prime ministers; Selected further reading.

Neil Kent is Senior Associate at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge and Professor at the St Petersburg State Academy of Art, Architecture and Culture. His previous publications include A Literary and Cultural Companion to Helsinki (2004) and The History of Trieste (2006).

"Recommended." -Choice

• 1. From the Stone Age to Viking hegemony; 2. The formation and growth of the Swedish state; 3. The territorial consolidation of Sweden; 4. Towards a centralist and military state; 5. The collapse of absolutism and the age of freedom; 6. Royal absolutism restored; 7. Constitutional Sweden; 8. The industrialisation and capitalisation of Sweden; 9. The world wars and Swedish neutrality; 10. Triumph of the Swedish welfare state; Conclusion; Chronology of important events in Swedish history; List of the monarchs and regents of Sweden; List of prime ministers; Selected further reading.