In contrast with conventional wisdom that perceives Germany as a tenacious nation with a long history, the land of Beethoven and Goethe is actually a young country that rose out of the unification of a myriad of princedoms and small states that shared a common linguistic heritage. First unified in 1871, it was divided into two nations between 1945 and 1989.

This volume takes readers on an insider's tour of the unified, and, in many ways, completely new country of Germany. The text and photographs evoke the infinite variety of Germany's architectural, artistic, and literary achievements, its traditions and cultural events, and its natural scenery, while paying tribute to aspects of the nation's collective identity, such as the music of Handel, Bach, and Wagner and the inspired verse of Schiller.

Traveling through small villages and sophisticated cities, exploring the country's natural history and folklore, Germany provides a fresh look at a country still relatively unknown in its entirety. Readers are transported to the well-known attractions of the country, such as the vineyards and castles of the Rhine Valley and cities steeped in tradition such as Hamburg and Bremen. They are also given a fascinating glimpse of locations such as Leipzig and Potsdam, the Thuringian Forest and Vogtland with its idyllic countryside, which had been hidden behind the Iron Curtain for many years. What emerges is a complex weaving of the many facets of Germany today that combine to create a richly varied country.