M.S. Anderson, a professor of International History at the London School of Economics (1972-85), was one of the most significant authors of historical textbooks of his time, both in terms of success and influence.

He was a genuine Scot. Born in Perth, he studied at Perth Academy and the University of Edinburgh. After serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II, he returned to Edinburgh, earned his degree, and began his doctoral thesis on 'British Diplomatic Relations with the Mediterranean, 1763-1778'.

One of his teachers in Edinburgh, Denys Hay, encouraged him to take on the 18th-century volume in the Longman’s History of Europe series, and thus Anderson discovered his calling.

'Europe in the Eighteenth Century, 1713-1783' (1961) became a recognized classic that was translated into French, Spanish, and Italian, with new editions in 1976, 1987, and 2000, each including substantial revisions and additions.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]