After more than a decade of reunification, it is time for a fresh update on the ever-important nation of Germany. Bernstein, a German native, judiciously surveys the German way of life in an historical context. The information on the former East Germany brings their integration and struggles into a well-rounded portrait. Highlights of the narrative chapters also include discussion of the immigrant population and its effects on the national image, little-known customs for students, the shifting roles of women, and, of course, the magnificent cultural achievements of Germans past and present.