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Excellent study by distinguished historian examines lives and work of American craftsmen in the years before the Revolution—cabinetmakers, silversmiths, pewterers, printers, painters, engravers, blacksmiths, button-makers, shipwrights, many more. "... a fascinating study not only of the work of the 18th-century American artisan but of his place in pre-Revolutionary society"—The New Yorker. 18 illustrations. References.
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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: History / General; ... Read more

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An introductory series to World History that is used at the highly competitive Hunter College High School in New York, as well as at other elite high schools and colleges. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (9)

Amazing book.
I was never good at History classes because the material could never keep my interest. This book is amazing-- allows me to learn all the material that I, a non-History major, need to know. I enjoy reading this book and feel that it has sparked interests within myself, that I never thought could be there.

"The Past as a Partial Guide" . . . for the Next 40,000 Years
Peter Stearns' World History in Brief provides an unbiased conceptual framework for understanding the relationships among human civilizations and evolution of culture over the past two or three millennia.The well-organized chronological tour of history explains how "Five early traditions--in the Middle East . . ., Mediterranean . . ., India, China, and Central America--ultimately were replaced by seven major patterns of government, society, and culture . . . in . . . East Asia; India and Southeast Asia; the Middle East; Eastern Europe; sub-Saharan Africa; Western Europe plus North America; and Latin America."

(Incidentally, in collecting race and ethnicity data, the U.S. Census Bureau can likely benefit from expanding and redefining its current categorization (white, Hispanic, African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American) to take into account the cultural diversity of the seven major streams of modern civilization.At the expense of increasing the number of categories from six to ten--accomplished by dividing "white" into Western European, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern; splitting "Asian" into East Asian, Indian, and Southeast Asian; and retaining the other four existing categories--this would achieve an ethnic classification that more closely parallels global cultural diversity and, therefore, should prove to be more useful in socioeconomic analysis and formulation of public policy.)

Since the author's focus is on the dynamics and interrelationships among civilizations that have carried us into the 21st century, the discussion of earlier history is limited to what is most relevant to explaining our modern world, as evidenced by the greater number of pages of text (in the 3rd edition) devoted to more recent time periods:

I. Rise of Agriculture, through 100 B.C.E. (only 30 pages);
II. Classical Period, 100 B.C.E.-500 C.E. (100 pages for ancient China, India, Greece and Rome);
III. Postclassical Period, 500-1450 C.E. (120 pages for the rise of Islam and the Arab caliphate to world dominance);
IV. New World Economy, 1450-1750 (110 pages for the rise of the West, from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment);
V. First Industrial Period, 1750-1914 (120 pages for how technological advantage fostered Western imperialism); and
VI. Contemporary World, 1914-present (180 pages for an overview of today's seven major civilizations).

A few intriguing sub-themes, embedded within the broader story of cultural change and continuity, are:

1. Role of Infectious Disease:Over the course of history, urban societies (initially, agricultural villages) acquired a biological advantage over rural peoples (nomadic hunters and gatherers) who chose to remain in the surrounding hills and valleys.Higher population densities in the villages and cities naturally brought about more rapid exposure to viruses and bacteria, in turn leading to higher immunity against disease.Consider how up to 80 or 90 percent of certain native Indian populations in North and South America were wiped out by small pox and a host of other diseases carried inadvertently by early European settlers and conquerors arriving in the Americas between the 15th and 18th centuries.Unintentional biological warfare actually played a larger role in defeating the native Indians than European guns and metal weaponry.

2. Humans Are the Most Violent Animal:Humans have killed a greater number of their own species than any animal that has ever walked on earth.By way of example:a) Around the 14th century, the Aztecs sacrificed 20,000 people (0.1% of their population of 20 million) at the dedication of one of their great pyramids.Why?To appease the gods; b) In 1898, using superior weapons (early machine guns), Britain conquered the Sudan.In the words of Winston Churchill, "soldiers were interested in the work . . . bullets were shearing through flesh, smashing and splintering bone . . . valiant men were struggling . . . suffering, despairing, dying."Resulting death count:11,000 Muslim troops, versus 48 British soldiers.Why?Simply put, that was Western imperialism at work; c) In World War II, 60 million people (about 2.5% of the world's population in 1940), including 6 million Jews in Nazi concentration camps, were killed.Why?How about just a manifestation of the inherent and ironical inhumanity of humankind?

3. Policy Decisions Matter:Conscious, purposeful and deliberate "policy" decisions made by governments and societal leaders oftentimes produce divergent outcomes for neighboring nations facing similar opportunities.Striking comparisons are:a) British settlers in North America, who valued individual rights, liberties and self-sufficiency, versus their Spanish counterparts in South America, who chose to maintain a more colonial-style economy dependent on exports to developed Western nations; and b) China's relative economic stagnation in much of the 20th century, despite its remarkable cultural continuity and economic prominence over thousands of years, versus Japan's meteoric rise to world industrial giant, despite its tendency to look towards the Chinese Middle Kingdom and "borrow" culture, political institutions, religion and technology in prior centuries--though in recent decades the economic trend again appears to favor China.

Unique among history textbooks, World History in Brief offers a refreshing, pattern-oriented viewpoint for "getting" the "big picture" of cultural change alongside continuity through the ebb and flow of civilizations over time.The disturbing and inescapable reality, however, is that, as the author states, "despite new and important international linkages, our world is also marked by fundamental, often agonizing, divisions and diversities."Let's hope that our compassion for our own species and our understanding of our place in the world's ecosystem exceeds the characteristic brutality we (Homo sapiens sapiens) employed to exterminate our closest evolutionary competitors (Homo erectus, Neanderthals and similar early human species) following our arrival on earth some 40,000 years ago.If only our modern inclination to measure "progress" through GDP growth does not prematurely lead to our demise prior to the end of another 40,000 years of human civilization. . . .

NOT the my history lab version!
This book does not come with the my history lab student access code card as stated in the title.

Entertaining World History
This is an excellent book that manages both to inform and entertain.If you've forgotten much of what you ever learned about the subject, this book will bring you right back up to speed.Wonderful!

Pretty good for a history book!
I am not a history buff! I bought this book for a college history class.I have been dreading this class just because of the reading.Surprisingly, this book isn't too bad!It is very well organized and just seems to flow and make sense.My only complaint is that the entire book is in black & white.Absolutely none of the artwork inside of the book is in color.Although, that does help cut down on the cost of the book, which is very much appreciated! ... Read more

Product Description
The World: A Brief History gives students the whole story. Prentice Hall is proud to offer The World: A Brief History--the new brief version of The World: A History adapted by author Felipe Fernandez-Armesto himself. The use of The World: A Brief History offers added flexibility in teaching World History, allowing instructors to supplement the text with additional readers or other material of their choice. And because the brief text was written by Fernandez-Armesto himself, it continues to offer the holistic, narrative approach to history that has made the comprehensive text successful at schools across the nation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Good Deal
Cheap Price; book was in good shape; included the cd (w/ no scratches).I am happy.

not "new"
The book was in great condition when I got it, but came in awful packaging from some military school and has some writing in pencil in it.Still, the cd was unopened, and it's practically new. just not quite as promised.

excellent
bought for school & came the first day of school. the next time, in order to avoid the heart attack & anxiety I had, I will specify shipping preference.

Fabulous
I am a college instructor using this book in a ten-week history of the world course. I have never had such a positive experience with a book. Students are absorbed in the author's perspectives, in the little details, and in the sweeping historical patterns. Fernandez-Armesto focuses on human interactions with the natural world as the defining element in the evolution of civilizations, and his writing is both erudite and original.

Nice Textbook
I had to get this for a college history class. The few times I read it, it was pretty readable and didn't bore me to death like many other reading material. Overall, it's okay ... Read more

Product Description
Noted teachers and scholars William J. Duiker and Jackson J. Spielvogel present a balanced, highly readable overview of world history that explores common challenges and experiences that unite the human past and that identify the key global patterns over time. Thorough coverage of political, economic, social, religious, intellectual, cultural, and military history in Volume 2 has been integrated into a chronologically ordered synthesis to help students gain an appreciation and understanding of the distinctive character and development of individual cultures in society. This edition of WORLD HISTORY continues to take a global approach to world history, with an emphasis on analytical comparisons between and among cultures throughout history. This approach helps students' link events together in a broad comparative and global framework, thereby placing the contemporary world in a more meaningful historical context.WORLD HISTORY is available in the following volume options: WORLD HISTORY, FIFTH EDITION (Chapters 1-29) ISBN: 0495050121; WORLD HISTORY, VOLUME I: TO 1800, FIFTH EDITION (Contains Chapters 1-17) ISBN: 0495050539; WORLD HISTORY, VOLUME II: SINCE 1500, FIFTH EDITION (Contains Chapters 13-29) ISBN: 0495050547; WORLD HISTORY TO 1500, FIFTH EDITION (Contains Chapters 1-12) ISBN: 0495050601. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great Book!
This book was ordered for a needed history class.It was easy to read and understand.The book was also well-maintained by the seller.It was great.Thanks!!

A Truely Horrible Textbook
Similar to one other reviewer, my World History class in ninth grade used this textbook to supplement the lectures in class. Before acquiring this book, I was extremely enthusiastic about the class. I have always enjoyed world history and I aspire to earn my PhD in world history, but this book made the class utterly mundane. Firstly, it is almost impossible to easily read this book. Duiker and Spielvogel attempted to put way too much information into this book than is possible. They try to cover about 250 thousand years of human culture into 505 pages. As well, their writing style is simply factual, there is no sense of flow or independent thought....just dates. I obviously realize that this is a factual book made for a classroom, but the content is way too dry for a high school or college student. It is also my opinion that the authors spend way to much time recollecting history that is not quite as prominent as other parts in the book that are given in tens of pages. For example, the two allots post-Mongolian China a whole chapter. How much does Ancient Egypt get? A mere seven pages. I want to be completely honest with you. If you are a history enthusiast like my self DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK. Check out the world history books by publishers such as Norton and Oxford. Similarly, If you are a history teacher or professor, I recommend whole-heartedly that you do not use this text for your class.

Fantastic Quality!
Couldn't have asked for a better transcation. Super fast shipping.The item purchased was in excellent condition.I would purchase from this seller again.

World History
I actually get into this textbook. I have never had a great interest in history in general, but this has woke up the latent historian in me. Even as a text, I find it easy to read and interesting.

FANTASTIC TEXTBOOK!
This book is written in a very engaging manner by a pair who clearly love history and know what they're talking about.They cover the most important material, with quite a bit of detail, but it's not overwhelming.The book is well laid out visually, making it easy to read.The source material they include is fascinating.This is the best world history textbook I've found.I would recommend it to students from high school through college, or to anyone wanting to learn history for pleasure. ... Read more

Product Description
Covering early societies, the classical, postclassical, and modern periods, and the 20th century, and blending the great advances in historical research over the past quarter century, Experiencing World History represents an important addition to the teaching of world history.

Focusing on major issues in social history in the context of world history and divided into five chronological sections that highlight the mixture of change and continuity, the volume traces key aspects of society over time, among them gender; work and leisure; state and society; culture contact and population patterns.

Truly global in scope, Experiencing World History includes deep coverage of all the major areas including Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. A brief introduction ties the social history themes to more conventional world history coverage, and an epilogue after each of the five sections suggests overarching themes and connections. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Where are the pictures?
I am a sophmore at a Catholic high school and this is my World History AP book. Unlike many History books that simply state facts, this book has a lot of opinions in it. Its not a typical History book, no vocab or glossary or pretty pictures, just world history from the author's point of view. ... Read more

Product Description
Scoring high on the AP World History Exam is very different from earning straight A's in school. We don’t try to teach you everything there is to know about World history—only the strategies and information you’ll need to get your highest score. In Cracking the AP World History Exam, we’ll teach you how to

·Use our preparation strategies and test-taking techniques to raise your score
·Focus on the topics most likely to appear on the test
·Test your knowledge with review questions for each topic covered

This book includes 2 full-length practice AP World History tests. All of our practice questions are just like those you’ll see on the actual exam, and we explain how to answer every question.

Cracking the AP World History Exam has been fully updated for the 2008 test. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Princeton Review AP World Textbook
The product is amazing but it would be better if the shipping was faster. I don't appreciate having to wait a full month before getting the product.

Very Fine Nutshell
I teach AP World History, and I require all of my students to purchase this book before class.No product can ever "crack" an AP examination, but as a supplemental study aide "nutshell," this one - and the one by Patrick Whelan - stand out.While not suitable for use in the classroom, it will provide students an invaluable study aide for not only the AP exam itself, but classroom examinations as well.However, since changes in this field have been coming quickly of late, I would use one that is not more than three (3) years old relative to the academic year in which the class is taken.

PLEASE NOTE:The College Board is changing the format of the AP World History class starting academic year 2011.This book, and others like it published prior to that date, will likely NOT be as helpful without major revisions.This is not to say that the practice examinations and the study nutshells will not be of use, but their usefulness in terms of exam preparation will likely be, of course, more limited.

Wanna a 5? Buy This.
I took the AP World last May. I mainly studied this book and 5 Steps to a 5. And guess what? I got a 5! Honestly, this book is good to study. It's detailed and organized well. However, the book lacks in actual AP World questions at the end of their sections. Therefore, you have to make sure you're paying attention at all times. The book has cheesy jokes to keep you alive though. Besides not having any practice questions, the tests in this book are nothing like the real thing. Princeton's tests are MUCH HARDER. I'd recommend both Princeton & 5 Steps to a 5, but if you can only choose one, go with 5 Steps to a 5. The book actually has practice questions and is closer to the real thing.

It worked!!!!
I'm a junior who took this test when I was a sophmore last year, and it helped a lot. It's almost a comical relief when my class read its titles of "Old Stuff" "Really Old Stuff" "Recent Stuff" as its titles as oppossed to those long, complicated things. And,I GOT A FOUR ON MY TEST. All thanks to this Bible.

Dissapointing
Cracking the AP World History Exam, 2008 Edition
I was expectiong a book in good condition. This book was fair because most every page had writing all over it! ... Read more

Product Description
Robert Service's critically acclaimed and compellingly readable history of world communism.

Almost two decades have passed since the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the USSR. Robert Service, one of our finest historians of modern Russia, sets out to examine the history of communism throughout the world. His uncomfortable conclusion -- and an important message for the Twenty-First Century - is that although communism in its original form is now dead or dying, the poverty and injustice that enabled its rise are still dangerously alive. Unsettling, compellingly written and brilliantly argued, this is a superb work of history and one that demands to be read.

`Bears all the hallmarks of a classic work of historical literature ... the true international legacy of communism [is] analysed to magisterial effect in this exhilarating work' - Hwyel Williams New Statesman

`One of the best-ever studies of the subject ... a remarkable accomplishment' - Economist

`An outstanding book, written with grace and style' - Daily Telegraph

`[A] brilliantly distilled world history of communism ... Confronted by Service's amazing array of evidence to show that communism could only ever have flourished under conditions of extreme and all-pervasive oppression, only the determinedly softheaded would try to argue with him' - Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Everything you didn't learn at soviet school
I bought this book in a local bookshop just before finishing Young Stalin and started reading it a few weeks ago. I must say it is a breathless read. I'm very curious about the real story of communism in Russia and other countries because I only remember official USSR communist party interpretation from my school years in 80s. In Moscow University we also had a subject called the History of Communist Party of the Soviet Union (KPSS) and the textbook was called "kirpich" (a brick).

Thanks,
Dmitry Vostokov
Founder of Literate Scientist Blog

Anti-Communist but fair history of Communism
Robert Service, well-known conservative historian of Russia, has undertaken a difficult task in attempting to write a concise and accessible history of Communism as a political reality. In "Comrades", he has succeeded remarkably well. The most important issue in any such history is of course that of the author's own political viewpoint, and this can easily lead the undertaking off the tracks by excessive zeal one way or another (I am myself a convinced Communist, which must be taken into account in this review). Service, as a conservative Briton working at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University (itself a well-known right-wing think tank), cannot be accused of having any sympathy with Communism whatsoever, and he makes this clear enough throughout the book. Not just is the general interpretation severely negative with regard to the Communist experience, and his commentary implying that it was dangerous lunacy to even attempt it anywhere in the first place, but he also regularly uses fairly strong hostile language about it, such as the repeated comparisons of Communism with an "infection" and a "virus" and so forth.

Nonetheless, it must be said that Service has done a surprisingly good job of sticking to the facts and trying to be as even-handed as he can probably muster. The most important thing here is that he is not guilty of the historiographical crime of omission, in only depicting negative or dubious episodes in Communist history, like the old Cold War school used to do, but he actually also spends time detailing improvements, valid arguments and realistic motives on the part of Communist parties and leaders. This is not to say that Service is ever convinced by them, and he makes this clear enough, but the fact that he did so greatly improves the utility of the book.

What's more, despite it being a hard task to summarize Communism in just a few hundred pages without unbalancing the story or leaving out essential elements, Service has done this as well as anyone could demand. Although the focus is still heavily on the USSR and to a lesser extent China, as one could expect, there is plenty of attention also to the Communists in Western Europe, in Latin America, in other Asian countries and even in Africa. There are two chapters dealing with Cuba, and the Warsaw Pact nations are described at length. Service's background to the history in the form of his analyses of Marx&Engels and Lenin are reasonable, and he takes care to distinguish where applicable between the general viewpoints of Marx & Engels, Lenin and Stalin respectively, as well as between Stalin and Mao and their successors.

That said, not all is well. Service relies far too much on dubious and explicitly right-wing sources, some of them wholly unreliable or false (Chang & Halliday, Li Shizui, Conquest) or seriously slanted (Gaddis, Courtois etc.), while modern 'left' sources such as Fitzpatrick, Khlevniuk, Lewin and Meisner get short shrift relatively. Although he makes few real errors, there are still some discredited stories included, and especially near the end of the book his anti-Communism gets the better of him sometimes. Service also has little understanding of economics or the policy questions involved, and often just parrots Hoover Institution type viewpoints with little comprehension; he seems besides to have concluded a priori that even social-democratic policy necessarily leads to crisis and failure, despite at the same time insisting that the social-democratic road is supposedly the only way to achieve reforms as opposed to Communism. One wonders then if the people in the developing world are supposed to overthrow their elites by means of conservatism, according to the lights of Robert Service? Has liberalism or conservatism ever achieved this since 1848? Those sorts of greater questions of political and historical significance are too easily ignored, which makes Communism appear more as a stubborn aberration than it is.

Being a sympathizer with Communism in general, whether Leninist or otherwise, I can't say that reading Service's book is easy or entirely free of frustration. Nonetheless, if one takes into account what the world must look like from his point of view, Service has done a remarkably decent job in writing a history of what are essentially his enemies. Moreover, it can't hurt at all for Communists to read a history that acknowledges the same facts, as is necessary for any dialogue on the topic, but interprets them negatively where we would interpret them positively or hopefully: this can help enormously with keeping perspective, strengthening the arguments in defense, and recognizing past errors. For that reason and for its well-structured and concise writing, Service's book is useful reading, even if by no means the last word on the subject. ... Read more

Product Description

A true exploration of world history, The World's History links chronology, themes, and geography in eight units, or parts of study, each emphasizing a single theme—origins, cities, empires, religion, trade, migrations, revolutions, and technology. Geographically, each part covers the entire globe, though specific topics place greater emphasis on specific regions. Rich in primary sources—both written and visual—and in data and interpretation, the new edition addresses how historians form, debate, and revise our historical understanding of the world, shows the value of other disciplines in understanding history, and helps students begin to assess their own place in the ongoing history of the world.

Customer Reviews (3)

Glad I got it at the END of the school year for a great price
If you are looking for a copy of this book and can wait until the END of a school year - do it!Prices like I got this book for do not come along often, and it is usually during the summer.

The World's History, The, Combined Volume (3rd Edition)
This is an excellent review of world history.My high school daughter purchased this for her AP World History class, and we will keep and use it as a reference book for the home.

A text book that teaches
I have been using this text book in my AP World History class for about a year now. The contents of the book are wonderfully organized. This is perfect for the AP exam because it demonstrates continuities from one time period to another and from one place to another. Unlike other text books, this book is organized by region, along with time periods. The chapters will be organized by a place in a certain time. For example, chapter 10 could be China and India from 1914 to 2000, while another is Russia and Japan from 1914 to 2000. Overall, it is well organized and well written. There are enrichment sections on almost all the pages, providing extra knowledge about a subject. ... Read more

Product Description
This innovative and user-friendly workbook is designed to guide students and instructors through the ideas and methods of the growing field of world history. Useful as either a supplement or a core text, this hands-on book provides all the elements necessary to conduct a full-fledged world history course, including narrative, projects, primary sources, and a glossary of terms. Within a unifying argument that world history is the history of a single humanity, David Hertzel uses the comparative method and an array of primary sources to teach critical thinking skills using primary sources. Students become active learners, not only observers but participants in and heirs to world history. ... Read more

Product Description
THE ESSENTIAL WORLD HISTORY, 6e presents a balanced picture of world history that pays respect to the richness and diversity of the tapestry of the human experience. Based on the Sixth Edition of Duiker and Spielvogel's comprehensive WORLD HISTORY, this critically and popularly acclaimed book balances a thorough global approach with attention to the unique character and development of civilization in divergent parts of the world. The text covers individual civilizations such as China, India, and Europe, with due attention paid to the rise of the West, and provides points of comparison between and among these civilizations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

great book, but there's a catch
The book is great...I'm using it in a college course and I like the layout and style.

However, I paid for a NEW copy of the book, and Amazon sent me one that was not new (writing and shelf wear inside).They did refund a portion of the price I paid, but still, I would have liked to have resell this when I'm done but what I get for it will be less due to the prior usage.Not cool.

Good, but slow shipping
Book in good condition as described but it took forever for the item to arrive. I waited 3 weeks for the book and it took me a while to catch up with my assignments at school. ... Read more

Product Description
Japan in World History ranges from Japan's prehistoric interactions with Korea and China, to the Western challenge of the late 1500s, the partial isolation under the Tokugawa family (1600-1868), and the tumultuous interactions of more recent times, when Japan modernized ferociously, turned imperialist, lost a world war, then became the world's second largest economy--and its greatest foreign aid donor. Writing in a lively fashion, Huffman makes rich use of primary sources, illustrating events with comments by the people who lived through them: tellers of ancient myths, court women who dominated the early literary world, cynical priests who damned medieval materialism, travelers who marveled at "indecent" Western ballroom dancers in the mid-1800s, and the emperor who justified Pearl Harbor. Without ignoring standard political and military events, the book illuminates economic, social, and cultural factors; it also examines issues of gender as well as the roles of commoners, samurai, business leaders, novelists, and priests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Sketchy
This book atempts to review the processes that shaped japan, withouth sinking into too many details. It ended up skipping too much and lost depth. ... Read more

Product Description
Illustrated in colour with maps and diagrams , the Usborne Book of World History Dates covers all the mos t important dates in world history from 9000 B.C. to the pre sent day. ' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great reference tool!
Excellent for children or adults to identify what was going on in the world at any point in history.The pictures and brief descriptions are informative and eyecatching! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Educational, but Boring
This reader does what it's supposed to do: it's filled with a TON of primary and secondary sources, covering nearly every topic of world history from 1400 on. However, I did not like it one bit. The documents are just incredibly dry and unenjoyable. Particularly with the older documents, it was torture to suffer through the anachronistic language and pull relevant facts and themes from it. As a student, I didn't have much of a choice which book was assigned to me, and I got stuck with Reilly. I would have much preferred a standard textbook.

I am sticking with my 4-star rating though. The documents are technically very educational, and it's probably a good thing to be forced to read the Mayflower Compact and whatnot. Also, I'm sure I'm biased against it - I had no great love for historical documents to begin with. Someone more passionate than I will probably find this book pretty decent.

The Best 'Reader' for AP World History Classes
There are half a dozen or more 'readers,' collections of primary sources and secondary articles, available for world history courses.A few are very good, but most are pretty much just collections of sources with little else to recommend them.

I've used five of these books in my classes over the past six years, and Reilly's "Worlds of History" is the one I prefer.Why?

It offers an excellent selection of useful primary sources from all eras and regions.Some are classics like the Code of Hammurabi.Others are unusual and interesting like descriptions of the court of Genghis Khan or eyewitness accounts of what Tenochtitlan (future Mexico City)looked like when the Spanish first arrived. Many of these accounts are fascinating. Equally importantly, the translations are good, modern translations unlike some sources in other readers which are older and out of date.The secondary accounts are judiciously chosen articles which add immensely useful points of view to the standard textbook story students will be reading.

Each new edition has removed a few readings (Not always poor ones and some I wish had remained), but those added have been excellent.

Reilly avoids the endlessly detailed introductory material of a few other readers which I've found detracts from the sources themselves.Often, a brief (half-page) introduction is all a student needs to a document.Reilly does include brief chapter introductions and chapter-ending thoughts which are useful.But, for the most part, the focus is clearly on the documents and articles themselves and not on the editor (Reilly) constantly "interrupting," which is refreshing, I find.

This two-volume reader is also attractive because it is smaller and more portable than most.The typeface is highly readable unlike in some other readers.All readings are numbered consecutively so they are easy to assign to students.There are one or two other readers which are good, but Reilly's "Worlds of History" is my clear favorite.And my students like it which says a lot. ... Read more

Product Description
Discover the scope of the world's history* With exclusive article by Richard Overy * Beginning with the story of early man, and culminating in the rise of global terrorism and environmental issues, the text is a breathtaking and unrivalled narrative which includes voyages of discovery, revolutions and wars, dynasties and empires.Richard Overy, with a team of historians, presents a factual chronological narrative as well as his own opinion-led piece in an extended article 'The State of the World' in which he gives his views on the primary factors which shape the world we live in.With fully-up-to-date content including material on Iraq, Afghanistan, terrorism and the environment, as well as the latest research into prehistory, this is the most complete and readable record of our world yet.From cavemen to the Cold War, from Alexander the Great to global warming, from warfare through the ages to the great voyages of exploration, The Times History of the World is the book that has all the answers, the detail and the authoritative text in one breathtaking single historical source.Also contains a 16-page section of photographs of the most important and iconic images of our world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best book on teaching world history in world history
This is the one book to get if you are given the task of teaching a world history class, especially a World History Advanced Placement (WHAP) class.

This has ideas for everything for the first day of class to bringing people from the community to how to use current events.
Instead of detailing all of the wonders of the book, go to the table of contents on the M.E. Sharpe publisher website.

All brought to you by actual teachers and Heidi Roupp, editor, who came up with the idea of the WHAP lesson jamboree (send a lesson to Heidi and a few bucks and she sends you back the collected lessons - genius!).

Overall, does for high school world history teaching what Ross Dunn's _The New World History_ did for the college survey.The best until there is something better (don't hold your breath). ... Read more

Product Description

This comprehensive, mainstream text takes a social approach to history, using political history as its basic framework. It is known for its readability, its attention to recent scholarship, and its new historical interpretations.

The new edition features increased coverage of global topics. Material on the Middle Ages has been consolidated to allow more room for non-Western coverage. Chapter 27 from the previous edition, which covered both Africa and Asia, has been split into separate chapters on each region. Chapter 11 from the previous edition—on Asia and the Mongols—has been divided into separate chapters on East and South Asia.

• New! Two-page "Global Trade" boxed features investigate a variety of important products and commodities, including pottery, tea, slaves, and oil. The feature presents historical background on the commodity, traces its trade throughout the world, and shows its impact on other cultures.
• New! New pedagogy in the Sixth Edition includes key terms, chapter outlines, and chronologies.
• New! About one-third of the maps, illustrations, "Listening to the Past" primary source features, and "Individuals in Society" biographical features in this edition are new.

Customer Reviews (5)

Very pleased
Product was received quickly and in great condition, better that expected at a good price.

good
i'm not a history major, but this book seemed like it had lots of good stuff in it

Decent Introductory Text
This is by far not the best World history book out there, but as a text attempts to cover other parts of the world better than many. Still heavily slanted toward the western world, and still refuses to give the Great Muslim Empire the credit it's due, still relatively readable.

A History of World Societies: Complete
This book was purchased for use with History 100 and History 101 at Miramar College, part of the San Diego City College system.The instructor for these two sections is Mr. Garrett Booker.If you intend to take both classes which together encompass roughly 10,000 B.C. up to modern society, this is the book to buy rather than two seperate books that will cost more.

Teacher disappointed in this book
Our school adopted this text, hoping it would give greater context to history reading, but the context provided is sometimes so random and the core information so hard to access that I am very sorry we are using it. History texts for high school students should have attention-grabbing context but very organized essential content. This is a big disappointment. ... Read more

Product Description
This second volume covers key events from the  French Revolution to the American Bicentennial. It  chronicles the discoveries, battles, inventions,  political movements, treaties, elections, births,  assassinations, coups, and coronations that have  shaped our modern world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Brilliant.
Never has a book so small, so inexpensive, and so unimposing offered so much in my history of reading books, especially on history. Although slightly Eurocentric, and rarely using derogatory language when discussing Islamic movements, it's slights are forgivable in light of it's overall superb level of accuracy and clarity of presentation. The second volume is a little better developed than the first and less compact.

Essential Reference for All Non-Fiction readers
'The Anchor Atlas of World History, Volumes I and II' are two references evey intelligent reader should have, as soon as they have gotten their unabridged dictionary. I am a real wonk for maps, and for me these volumes are like a free pass to the candy store.

This piece may really be more of an argument for why you really need these books than any critique, primarily because that for the average book buyer, there is very little with which to compare these books.

It should be no surprise that these volumes are translated from the German, as our continental cousins, especially the Germans, French, and Italians are ever so much better at compiling useful references to scholarly subjects. For some reason, the English and, by example, the Americans seem to have little talent or inclination to take on this kind of work. Although the English, especially the Oxford and Cambridge publishing arms do a very good job at some subjects, especially history.

One of the best things about these volumes is that they are 'pocket sized'. One of the worst things about these volumes is that they are pocket sized. While I really appreciate the freedom they give me from quarto-sized pages which catch on my clothing as I balance them on my stomach while trying to read them, they do have very small maps which, I suspect, were a lot bigger in the original German editions. These picture make the Roman Empire fit in a space not much bigger than my palm. Hispania and Jeruselam were never closer!

History is such a rich subject that it really cries out for some good guide to help you find your way, especially in those periods and lands which seem to be left out of my grammar school curriculum.

To take just two very unhistorical fields as examples, I am listening to music of 15th century from Arab Andalusia. A check of the spread of Islamic expansion up to the time of Columbus shows that it was not so much the Arabs (residents of the Arabian Peninsula), but Islamic northern Africans who probably colonized the Ibearean peninsula, so their music has a lot more in common with Morocco than it does with the Levant. Not that I can really tell the difference between 14th century Moroccan from 14th century Lebanese music, but If I were to explore this further, I would have been spared a few dead ends. Another example is the food of modern Spain which owes almost as much to the Berbers of North Africa as it does to its original Roman colonists or later colonial influences from the Americas and the far east.

In general, there is simply no way one can appreciate the complexities of, for example, the political divisions of central Europe from Charlamagne to Napoleon without a map as you will find in these volumes. And, there is much more here than political history, but I feel the authors have wisely concentrated on political history.

One does not even need the text, and I rarely read it, unless I happen to be looking at a time and place which is totally beyond my ken.

If you read any kind of nonfiction or historical fiction, do yourself a favor and buy these volumes!

Fortunately, an updated version is available...
This excellent resource is no longer out of print. Penguin is publishing soon in Britain an updated two-volume, paperback version (see the Amazon.co.uk site). A one-volume, hardback French version is already available in Canada and France (cheaper in the Amazon.ca site). In both cases, search for the authors, Kinder & Hilgemann.

Should be republished
These enjoyable little pocket books take a Cliff Notes approach to history. In a highly abbreviated text, the authors summarize everything from the Cambrian explosion to the Stamp Act of 1763. No important detail is left out.

Now this level of historical detail is available in many formats.What really sets the Anchor Atlases apart is the superb maps and diagrams. The power structure of Byzantine Rome, the campaigns of Alexander and Hannibal, 16th century Indian internecine warfare, etc., are all finely laid out in easy-to-understand, surprisingly comprehensive, illustrations.

The book's major limitation is it's 1975 publishing date, leaving out not just the past 3 decades of history, but also the significant advances in historical learning that have been made in that time as well.

Nonetheless, wonderfully informative and enjoyable.

WHY IS THIS OUT OF PRINT??????
You can't read a history book without these two volumes.You get not only maps but a terse narrative (nearsighted people without their glasses only, please) of everything pivotal that ever happened.How could they take these (in paperback form, very portable, as someone else pointed out) out of print????? ... Read more