Last decades before Great war that will become First world. Europe on the threshold of one of global catastrophes of ХХ of century, entailing frightful victims, once again cutting again the borders of the states and fate of whole people.Slow decline of Great Britain trying to keep bits and pieces of recent victorian grandeur, - and fight of the German empire for a place under a sun. Disgraceful "matter of Дрейфуса", rocking all civilized countries, - and unprecedented getting up of international anarchist motion.An aristocracy is yet strong and mighty, people are still poor and deprived of one's share, but the first earthquake shocks - precursors of monstrous earthquake that will ruin age-old empires and forever will change motion of world history are already heard.Such is the world that opens to the reader famous authoress Barbara Такман, twice laureate Пулитцеровской of bonus and author of the "August cannons"!