New ABA book examines the failure of European legal and political institutions that led to the Brexit vote

A new ABA book, “An Island Apart: Britain, Brexit and Bonaparte’s European Dream,” takes a humorous journey across the length and breadth of Europe to better understand the failures of legal and political institutions in the years leading up to the Brexit vote, and places the historic decision into broader social contexts for American readers who were caught by surprise when Britons in 2016 voted to leave the continental super-state and chart their own course into an uncertain future.

The book is grounded in author Timothy Spangler’s more than a dozen years living and working in London. “An Island Apart” provides unique insights on international affairs that are based both on a thorough day-to-day knowledge of Europe’s many contradictions and a humorous perspective on the minutiae of modern life. Whether dissecting the international soccer scandal that almost brought FIFA to its knees or reflecting on the ongoing legacy of the First World War on this deeply scarred continent, Spangler’s analysis is personal, direct and easy for the reader to embrace.

The author focuses on the larger forces impacting Britain and the rest of Europe in the turbulent early 21st century – including uncontrolled migration, economic turmoil and threats of extremist terror – which ultimately led 17 million British voters to lose faith in Brussels and the grand European Union experiment.

Spangler is an attorney and a prolific commentator on topics related to the intersection of politics and economic. His prior book, “One Step Ahead – Private Equity and Hedge Funds After the Global Financial Crisis,” focused on an often-misunderstood corner of the financial markets.