The article is a reflection on Olga Butorina’s book “The economic history of the euro” published in 2020. The book provides a thorough in-depth analysis of the prerequisites for the European Economic and Monetary Union formation, describes the chronology of its integration, and makes forecasts about the future of the bloc. Some historical events presented in the book can be used as a base for independent cases for lecture courses, including those referred not only to international currency relations topics. The author’s search for answers to the fundamental question of why Europeans needed currency integration is of particular interest to readers. Of course, such a large-scale pamphlet cannot avoid discussable as well as controversial statements.