Over 16years, theorbitsof28starsin the Milky Way’s central region have beenmeticulously tracked by astronomers, allowing them to studythe hidden black hole that influencestheirmovements.
Mr Lieven's impressively broad sweep is well complemented by a more tightly focused study of Russian imperialism at work: an excellent, meticulously researched biography of Prince Gregory Potemkin, who in the late 18th century was the most powerful man in Russia.