The book of the remarkable 19th century historian Sergei Solovyov includes two scientific works that examine the political processes of the 18th and 19th centuries. In one of them, the history of the disappearance of Poland from the map of Europe is analyzed in detail, in the other - the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The thoroughness of the author, the organic presentation of history, and most importantly, the relevance of the Eastern question will currently attract the attention of readers.