Product Description

• New improved interior layout and design, redesigned covers, new reader-friendly font, new art, new tips and strategies from AP Economics experts, and a new AP progress tracker so you know what you've covered already and what's coming up.
• 2 full-length practice tests
• Diagnostic test to target areas for score improvement
• Detailed answer explanations
• Proven score-raising strategies
• Targeted review of all tested material

Preparation makes the difference, but quality preparation delivers results that can transform your life. Packed with exclusive tips you can only get from Kaplan, this is the ultimate guide for conquering jittery nerves and boosting brain power. Unlock your potential with Kaplan AP World History 2009: the unrivaled, one-stop resource.

Customer Reviews (2)

FIVE
My daughter read this book before her exam and scored a 5.Nuff said.

How to Cram
I loved this book. I started kindof looking over my world history stuff about three weeks before the exam but I wasn't putting much effort into it. I took a practice test in the Princeton Review and didn't do very well. It made me discouraged and I gave up on studying. Then the day before the test I started freaking out realizing I wasn't ready for the exam. I hadn't really looked through the Kaplan book but I knew it had the quizzes at the end of each time period. Those little quizzes really helped me. Those little bits of information gave everything clarity and a point from which to connect things. My suggestion is to start looking through the Princeton Review (highlighting and writing notes) about a month before the test, take the Kaplan quizzes, read the Kaplan sample essays (a really good part of the book), then take the Princeton practice tests which were more accurate than Kaplan's. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (71)

An Excellent Transaction!
The book was in tip-top shape. There was no noticeable damage done to the book itself, nor any marks on the pages. The delivery was speedy. All in all, an excellent transaction.

Very interesting history of society
I didn't know what to think when I received this book for Christmas.I started to read it and couldn't put it down.

Very interesting how societies have evolved around beverages and how they have shaped history.

Great Book
Tom Standage does a great job of relating to the world's history through beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola. It was very interesting, and a fun look at history. Not only does one learn about the history of these drinks from this book, but will also learn a lot about global history. Who knew that the beverages we drink today had such a huge impact on history?
For each drink, Standage tells how it relates to turning points in history (like the adoption of agriculture), trade, globalization, the birth of cities, and technology. He does a wonderful job of organizing the information and making it interesting.

A delightful read
This is a delightful book from start to finish and for anyone seeking respectability while downing the coarsest of spirits , here's a book that provides an incredible amount of trivia for the accompanying conversations. To do complete justice to the book , there are 3 non-alcoholic drinks included, which by themselves have interesting histories to back them.
The book begins with a chapter on beer and its discovery. Its role as a drink which attained a centrality largely due to its uplifting effect, but also no less because the fermentation made the drink safer than what the water sources could afford. We move on to wine and its superiority over beer being established largely in the Mesopotamian civilization. Wine took on primacy in the Roman civilization and wine connoisseurs can take pride in tracing their art way back into history. The quality of wine was known to have been the cause of the demise of at least one Roman monarch directly. Wine marks the end of the age of discovery and we move on to the age of invention. The Arabs , their invasions and trades were the source of distillation which brought to fore a bunch of spirits like Rum , whisky and brandy. Rum was and brandy were key players in the slave trade, but an interesting anecdote was the first crude cocktail (grog) was a mixture of Rum, lemon juice , water and sugar and it provided a protection against scurvy for the British sailors which was in turn an advantage against the French navy which had Brandy as its official drink. Whisky took on a significant fan following with the invention of bourbon in the American south.
The chapters on coffee and tea also offer considerable nuggets of information. Coffee with its rather humble beginnings in Yemeni Sufi society soon took over Europe, esp England by storm and coffee houses were witnesses to scientific and political debates of the highest order. Tea on the other hand though innocuous in appearance had a hand in the ruin of the Chinese civilization, with the British seeking to compensate for their huge trading deficits with the illicit Opium trade. Both coffee and tea were healthy drinks because they needed the water to be boiled before the brew was consumed.
The last chapter is reserved for Coke which coincides with the ascendancy of American civilization. There are remarkable predecessors to the carbonated drink , with Joseph Priestley being one of the first to document a carbonated drink which soon took on the nomenclature of soda. Coca cola came about from the extract of cola leaves and the Koka nut (as simple as it gets). As with other invention stories, its largely a few iterations later that the drink became the rage of the nation. The World war established a world market for Coke and there was no looking back ever since.
This is pop history at its best. The erudition is all around , and its a breeze to read. I'd raise a toast to this one

History of the World in Six Glasses
A fun read for those who are interested in how certain beverages had such a significant influence in trade, customs, health and commerce in general.It offers a unique prespective on each beverage...tea,coffee, wine, distilled spirits,beer and Coca-Cola...and its individual contributions to the above, and to the "hits and misses" by the producers and/or culture.When read in context with similar books, e.g. "Coffee", "Salt," "Cod" and the outstanding "Guns, Germs and Steel", you only wish the history courses in high school and college could have incorporated this information. For anyone with a ounce of curosity, this is a must read. ... Read more

Product Description
This book serves as a reference to world history ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Orange Bible
I teach art history and have found this book to be an invaluable resource when relating visual arts to history. World history is neatly and concisely retold, with tests after each unit that can be adapted for my own classes.
I borrowed this book from a history teacher who called it his "orange bible". It wasn't long before I ordered a copy of it for myself. It stays on top of my desk.

Great resource for AP Euro History
My daughter's AP Euro History teacher has used this book as a reference for some time. We bought her one, and it has helped many times.

Mint Condition
The book arrived in mint condition however, the delivery was extremely slow.It took almost 2 weeks for the book to arrive.

World History by Gordon
This is a concise, well-written paperback (it's also orange =P) book that's easy to carry and user-friendly. Lacks the fluff and "entertaining" anecdotes; it very straightforward... Even so, this book accomplishes what it should accomplish, tells you everything that you need to learn, from the Greeks and beyond, all in outline format. It's accesible, and comprehensive. It even has quizzes at the end of each section to test yourself on. It's an entirely worthwhile buy for anyone serious about learning history.

History-Plain and Simple
I'm using this book for an advance placement European history class and it is great.The book covers the facts-plain and simple, from the Greeks to the present.Every sentence in this book is useful-not just boring bable as in other text books (i.e. A History of The Modern World).Great study guide for any history class-recommmended for all historians!And the best part: it's small and it's paper back. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not World History
A good sourcebook, but don't let the title dupe you. This is thinly veiled western civ. ... Read more

Product Description
Since around 1500 C.E., humans have shaped the global environment in ways that were previously unimaginable. Bringing together leading environmental historians and world historians, this book offers an overview of global environmental history throughout this remarkable 500-year period. In eleven essays, the contributors examine the connections between environmental change and other major topics of early modern and modern world history: population growth, commercialization, imperialism, industrialization, the fossil fuel revolution, and more. Rather than attributing environmental change largely to European science, technology, and capitalism, the essays illuminate a series of culturally distinctive, yet often parallel developments arising in many parts of the world, leading to intensified exploitation of land and water.
The wide range of regional studies--including some in Russia, China, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Southern Africa, and Western Europe--together with the book's broader thematic essays makes The Environment and World History ideal for courses that seek to incorporate the environment and environmental change more fully into a truly integrative understanding of world history.
CONTRIBUTORS: Michael Adas, William Beinart, Edmund Burke III, Mark Cioc, Kenneth Pomeranz, Mahesh Rangarajan, John F. Richards, Lise Sedrez, Douglas R. Weiner ... Read more

Product Description
A textbook history of the world focusing on the development of various civilizations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Solid balanced text
I taught this text to high schoolers for 2 years back in the 1990's and am now using it with my son.Beers is a solid historian who gives a balanced view of history.Not for those who are looking either for the current popular revisionism nor for those who want a no-warts portrayal of European civilizations and the US.

Nice textbook for Christians
My daughter is learning World Civilization from this book, and I am appalled to find so much information (and misinformation) about history in the inclusion of Jesus' life, and the glossy coverage of the wonderful things the church has done for people during its formative years.There are plenty of factual things to cover regarding the influence of the church in European history, without any need to make it seem like it is as true and as beneficent as this textbook does.Overall, the book is history condensed into bullet points, with very little to make it into any kind of in-depth study, but its hidden value judgments make it clear to an adult reader that it has an agenda besides teaching history.

This book is amazing.
This book is great. I learned a lot about the patterns of civilization. Now I feel civilized, and more knowledgable about the world. Now that I understand its patterns, that is. It all makes sense now. So what should I do? Pass this book on to a friend ... Read more

Product Description
World history has expanded dramatically in recent years, primarily as a teaching field, and increasingly as a research field. Growing numbers of teachers and Ph.Ds in history are required to teach the subject. They must be current on topics from human evolution to industrial development in Song-dynasty China to today's disease patterns - and then link these disparate topics into a coherent course. Numerous textbooks in print and in preparation summarize the field of world history at an introductory level. But good teaching also requires advanced training for teachers, and access to a stream of new research from scholars trained as world historians. In this book, Patrick Manning provides the first comprehensive overview of the academic field of world history. He reviews patterns of research and debate, and proposes guidelines for study by teachers and by researchers in world history.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

World Historiography
World History is a daunting field... perhaps no single discipline asks so much of its practitioners and yet provides them with so little training or such vague methodology.With _Navigating World History_ Pat Manning helps to amend this failing by providing a concise, engaging, and erudite history of the field and also an analysis of its various paradigms, pitfalls and potentials.

Researchers, teachers and students who are new to the field will find Manning's work an invaluable guide to help locate their own efforts within the often overwhelming context that is World History.

Truly and outstanding work.A doff of the cyber-cap to Prof. Manning! ... Read more

Product Description
Annual Editions is a series of over 65 volumes, each designed to provide convenient, inexpensive access to a wide range of current articles from some of the most respected magazines, newspapers, and journals published today. Annual Editions are updated on a regular basis through a continuous monitoring of over 300 periodical sources. The articles selected are authored by prominent scholars, researchers, and commentators writing for a general audience. The Annual Editions volumes have a number of common organizational features designed to make them particularly useful in the classroom: a general introduction; an annotated table of contents; a topic guide; an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites; and a brief overview for each section. Each volume also offers an online Instructor's Resource Guide with testing materials. Using Annual Editions in the Classroom is the general instructor's guide for our popular Annual Editions series and is available in print (0073301906) or online.Visit www.mhcls.com for more details. ... Read more

Product Description

The challenge to understanding history lies in the tendency to focus on single scenes instead of the big picture, akin to looking at a tapes-try by examining individual stitches instead of the entire design. The Atlas of World History undertakes a fair-minded journey through the human story by mingling close-up looks at events with broader views of what was then happening elsewhere in the world.

Each of this book's six sections, arranged chronologically, opens with a world map that shows developments at various points of the compass, along with an essay about what was happening and why.

Cross-cultural time lines run through the book like a thick thread, tying all of history together. Thus, as one reads a section on Charlemagne, for example, the time line shows selected events happening in Nubia, in India, in China, and in Cyprus.

The text by author Noel Grove, a staff writer for 25 years with the National Geographic magazine, continues with a world-wide perspective usually ignored in works of history: "By A.D. 100, when the Roman Empire was in full swing, some Maya cities were already in decline."

Events are examined for their local as well as global impact: "Great empires butted heads and power changed hands, but these episodes fed a...kinship with a wider community."

Here, then, as Daniel J. Boorstin says in his foreword, "...is an invitation to discover both the mystery and the miracle of human experience on our planet," as Grove shapes complex history into an understandable tale with a storyteller's eye for little-known details: "Russia's...Peter the Great died at the age of 53 after diving into the Neva River in winter to rescue drowning sailors." And "Vikings were not just ruthless killers; they traded as often as they raided, and their wives knew rights that other medieval women could scarcely imagine."

Artwork, maps, and photographs complement the text to tell the story of human history in a single volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Horrible mistake in regards to PERSIAN GOLF ****************
What the hell is going on... I wonder wich rich royal family in the mid-east has funded this unbeleivable mistake!!!

For your info, The Persian golf has existed for thousands of years up until your 2004 Edition.

What happened ???Are you taking advantage of the last moments in mullah history before they are overthrown to clinch a deal with the Arabs ?????

I am really disapointed, and did not think that a non-for profit organisation like yours would do such a mistake.

RECALLL All Copies or Face Legal Actions.

Sam
Vancouver Canada

Historical information in this book was manipulated
In this book, unfortunately due to powerful anti-Iranian (Persian) activities and the typical incompetence of the Islamic Republic that occupies Iran, the southern states of the Persian Gulf who have only come to existence thanks to foreign powers, have slowly become more brazen. As a result the National Geographic Society has printed at least three major erroneous statements in its Atlas of the World 2005 (Eighth Edition, ISBN: 0-7922-7543-8 & ISBN: 0-7922-7542-x) regarding Iran and the Persian Gulf.

Considering the fact that the National, Geographic is the biggest non-profit educational and scientific institution, it is hard for us to fathom how they made reference to the Persian Gulf with an unrecognized name. The United Nations, in addition to historical records and facts that date back more than thousands of years, have made it abundantly clear that the body of water in question is recognized as the Persian Gulf.

The atlas also falsely claims that several Persian Gulf Islands belong to the newly created United Arab Emirates. It would appear that the National Geographic Society has joined hands with the enemies of Iran, and is now openly helping those who seek to compromise Iran's territorial integrity. Perhaps the National Geographic Society should look back on it's own maps to see that 33 years ago no entity by the name of United Arab Emirates existed, however Iran did. Furthermore, the National Geographic itself had previously always used the formal, and legitimate name, the Persian Gulf to reference the body of water in question. The National Geographic's stance encourages conflict in an area which has experiences relative calm with the use of the official and internationally recognized name of the Persian Gulf for centuries. Iran (Persia) has existed for more then seven thousand years, and to now have a publication attempt to strip it of its historical territory will not be tolerated.

The Atlas goes further to claim that the Persian Gulf Islands are being occupied by Iran. If anything is being occupied, it would be various parts of Iran (Persia) that have been taken from us through illegal means starting 33 years ago.

We condemn the policies of the National Geographic that have made it possible for such illegitimate maps to be published. We look to hear from the National Geographic regarding the blunders they have made on their 2005 Atlas, and urge them to correct these errors, and to apologize to the nation of Iran (Persia) for damaging our national culture and heritage in addition to our territorial integrity.

The enemies of Iran should know, so long as there is one Iranian (Persian) alive with blood pumping through his or her heart, even the thought of taking one grain of Iranian (Persian) soil, will strongly be opposed and defeated.

As a result, the historical information in this book was manipulated.

D. Javidan

Fine history tome but not really an atlas....
I give this book four stars because, while it is really not an atlas, it is a wonderful overview of history.

The book features the superb photography/illustrations that folks expect from National Geographic. These graphics are used to good effect, showing the progression from early history to the late 1990's. I find it a most enjoyable "refresher course" in world history. There is a timeline at the top of each page indicating significant events for the given period.

If you wish to have a succinct world history summary/review with great aesthetics, you can't go wrong with this. However, it offers relatively few maps (around 60 or so), so don't depend on it as a true atlas.

Good but see below
I've been on an ancient history kick lately, and since it's been about 20 years since I've done a lot of reading in this area, I thought I would check out what's available in the way of good historical atlases of the ancient world, or of world history in general.

This book is one of the half-dozen big atlases out there that are available. Since I've been looking in detail at all of the current ones, I'll give brief comparisons and you can go from there and decide which one might be best for you.

Atlases are great for looking up those events, both momentous and not-so-momentous, to get a quick grasp and overview of the situation without getting bogged down in some more detailed and ponderous history. All the current ones do a decent job of that, but they very in terms of readability and the number of maps included, and the degree to which they integrate the visual maps and materials with the text. Here's the scoop on all of these.

1. For my money, John Haywood's Atlas of World History is the best combination of features and price. Haywood writes very well and has a nice, deft touch with the material, unlike many atlases, whose prose often sounds somewhat dry and technical. The book was written along with a team of graphics experts skilled at combining the written word with maps and illustrations, and it shows. Although not as large as the Hammond and Dorling-Kindersley books, it's still excellent and only a fraction of their cost. Two other nice features are the color-coded timelines which accompany each two-page spread, and the many special symbols and legends on the maps, which are used to illustrate and highlight points in the text.

2. The Oxford Atlas of World History is also well written, and has lots of maps just like the Haywood volume. I found the writing style somewhat drier than Haywood's, but it's one of the most scholarly of the atlases out there, and could be used by college students given the level of presentation of the material. These two books are otherwise very close, except that the Haywood volume is less than half the price of this one.

3. The Nat'l Geographic offering has some of the most entertaining writing by Noel Grove and Daniel Boorstin I've found in any history text. Some of the tidbits are really great, such as Grove's comment that "Russia's...Peter the Great died at the age of 53 after diving into the Neva River in winter to rescue drowning sailors." And "Vikings were not just ruthless killers; they traded as often as they raided, and their wives knew rights that other medieval women could scarcely imagine."

However, the main shortcoming of this atlas is that it contains almost no maps. Most of the illustrations are arts or crafts related, for some reason. In that sense the book hardly qualifies as an atlas, and it would be more accurate to say it's a more like a well-illustrated history of the world, instead.

4. The Hammond Atlas, along with the DK, is physically the biggest, thickest, and most comprehensive of the 6 discussed here. It's also the highest priced, and more expensive than the cheapest one here by a factor of four or five. It's still a fine atlas despite the cost, and I'd still be quite happy with this one as it's certainly a beautifully done atlas.

The book has over 600 maps and illustrations, many of which show such nice details (which not all the other atlases do) as mountain ranges, and in general are beautifully colored with a variety of symbols showing movements of peoples and armies and other important historical and cultural details, similar to the Haywood volume.

The level of presentation of the material is also high, and would be appropriate up through college level, but the prose style is a little drier and more technical sounding than the DK or Haywood, for example. However, someone who is already pretty knowledgeable about history could probably still use this atlas, compared with the DK, which, although more attractive graphically, is obviously aimed at a broader audience.

5. The Dorling-Kindersley atlas is the most beautifully designed, graphically, of all the offerings out there, and they often set the maps at various angles or distort them in creative ways to fit all the different paragraphs of text and illustrations on a page, which sometimes looks a little weird. Because of this, the presentation consists of an introductory section in larger type, with other paragraphs in smaller type which are paired with the other maps and graphics on each two-page spread. In fact, there is almost a 1 to 1 correspondence between the illustrations and the text paragraphs. I found this made the atlas harder to use than the others, since the pages are almost so dense and busy with material that it's almost distracting, but there's no doubt it's the most visually appealing and graphically innovative of all the atlases out there. Their maps are really spectacular, and they use the glossiest paper, so their maps look more attractive.

The DK atlas also provides the best coverage of non-European history, doing a much better job of covering Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania. The other atlases are more Eurocentric in their focus. Next to the DK, the Hammond atlas provides the best coverage in this regard.

6. The last atlas I wanted to discuss is the Times Atlas of World History. Although now a little dated, having come out almost 10 years ago in 1993, it still counts as one of the mostly scholarly, well-written, and well-illustrated of these works, and it's also intermediate in terms of price. I read somewhere that the more recent Hammond atlas is actually this one updated, but they don't state specifically that the Time atlas was its predecessor, so I can't verify this.

Hope my little "Consumer Reports" comparison guide helps. Good luck and happy atlas shopping, buying, and reading!

Low on detail; few maps
I had to get this book, as I love National Geographic feature maps. Once I acquired it, however, I was shocked to discover how few maps are provided by this book. Furthermore, I am usually disappointed by this book when looking for specific events, dates, and locations. Help me recover my dignity as a consumer and buy something else! ... Read more

Product Description
The only comprehensive “bottom up” history of the world from the earliest human society to the twenty-first century.

Chris Harman describes the shape and course of human history as a narrative of ordinary people forming and re-forming complex societies in pursuit of common human goals. Interacting with the forces of technological change as well as the impact of powerful individuals and revolutionary ideas, these societies have engendered events familiar to every schoolchild—from the empires of antiquity to the world wars of the twentieth century.

In a bravura conclusion, Chris Harman exposes the reductive complacency of contemporary capitalism, and asks, in a world riven as never before by suffering and inequality, why we imagine that it can—or should—survive much longer. Ambitious, provocative and invigorating, A People's History of the World delivers a vital corrective to traditional history, as well as a powerful sense of the deep currents of humanity which surge beneath the froth of government.

Customer Reviews (12)

More than influenced, highly subjective!
Better this book's title be renamed, "A Marxist History of the World". I did give it two stars because I feel it is well written, despite the lesson in Marxism. I deleted it from my Kindle after 6% read!

A Significant Work
This is a significant history text. It's readable and engaging, and provides a definite point of view. I would recommend it as a useful adjunct to a more neutral/objective account of world history.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to kvetch briefly about the blurb for the book, probably written by the publisher, that appears on this page (above). It claims that this book has special value today in a world that's "riven as never before by suffering and inequality." This is a strikingly ahistorical comment, not worthy of the publisher of a history textbook. The idea that the world today is more beset by suffering and inequality today than ever before is, IMO, not merely laughable, but, worse, stupid. And, in fact, even though it was probably written by the publisher, maybe it generates a little bit of skepticism about the book itself.

More "riven by suffering and inequality" than in 1944 as the Nazis shoved millions of souls into gas chambers? More than in 1844 when slavery cast a dark stain across the U.S.? More than in 1744 when slavery was basically an accepted fact of life in virtually every corner of the world? More than during the long centuries when medicine was essentially incapable of alleviating any serious disease, when chronic pain was a daily companion for billions of humans? More than in the 14th century when the Bubonic Plague killed one-third of Europe? More than in the 1100s when the Mongols joyfully slaughtered millions? More than when the Assyrians scythed their region? Etc., etc., etc., etc. So, there's my kvetch, for what it's worth.

History for realist
A most humanist approach to an area which is ripe for manufacturing a platable "reality" for any author with an agenda. No reconstruction of the past is immune to this bias butthis author gets close if the result is measured by critical plausability. The pity of it all is how well it reflects the observation that if we forget history we are bound to repeat it. Unforunatly, it appears that we do not need to forget at all and progressing through this book makes that realization quite clear. We appear to repeat history because we seem compelled to do so--why? We may all ponder.

What you missed in high school
Best corrective to "history as seen from the top" yet.A great companion to Howard Zinn's PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.Introduction to historical materialism.

A People's History of The World
This is a difficult book get into, but a worthwhile read.One must keep a proper perspective in order to maintain one's equilibrium. ... Read more

Product Description
From constitutional documents, political theory, and philosophy to imaginative literature and social description, you'll find fascinating primary source material in SOURCES OF WORLD HISTORY VOLUME II. Each selection is included for its ability to raise a significant issue and includes works representative of major civilization complexes (Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Islamic world, and Western civilization). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Gets the job done
The book came in a timely manner and it was exactly what I ordered. The only complaint I have with this book is that it was a little dirty when I got it. It also looked like some of the pages had been wet, but I only need it for a semester so it'll do. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is a masterly account of the grand adventure of human history, brilliantly narrated by a distinguished historian. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Short and Sweet
I always struggled with history: grammar school, high school, and college. I wish I had this book back then. It is easy to read and makes history enjoyable instead of the slog it was back in my school daze.

An interesting, fast paced journey through the history of mankind
As Geoffrey Blainey put it himself in the introduction, this book is a sinuous long journey which had to be fast, otherwise the destination would never be reached. This is not an encyclopaedia, but a sequence of narrative images designed to catch essential historical developments. The author tried to capture the most influential technological events and evolution of skills rather than listing dates and names. Although the book has a fine literary style, Geoffrey Blainey avoids as much as possible giving interpretation to the facts, and when he does it, he usually points that out. Of course, one can have an opinion by simply selecting the convenient facts, and every history book is open to criticism produced by people with strong opposing views. This book is not about detail, but about more about analysis of trends, patterns and evolution from a historical perspective.

I liked the book because it offers a fresh perspective. This book manages to integrate quietly views that belong to many disciplines in discussing evolutionary trends that occurred over tens, hundreds or thousand of years. As an example, when Geoffrey describes Europe of 19th century he briefly flies over many wars that were fought over that period. Instead he chooses to talk about land usage, evolution of transportation, the role of wood, the impact of deforestation and the fragile balance between the cultivation of land for food and energy, the coal revolution and the nutrition value of the average meal across the continent. When you read that, you realise the environmental disaster of the wood based economy. You understand the gigantic role of oil in the modern world, and most importantly, that the change is around the corner when different form energy will transform the oil based economy. The historical impact of this type of change is incalculable.

The author almost avoids the most talked about events. Perhaps this is why the most boring part is about WWII. I could not read it; it was all known stuff, and after you read all the previous chapters, you feel that WWII really is just a detail, albeit an important one, in the long history. We talk a lot about it because it is closer to us in time. To be honest, I think it was a wise choice, but other readers might have a different view.

The book is divided into three parts: from dawn to the spread of the main religions (Christianity, Buddhism and Islam), the conquest of the planet during Middle Age, reformation, and European scientific revolution and finally, the third stage starting with the American Revolution until today.The book has a natural flow, a way of placing the events so that you can see how they are interrelated to each other. I liked the attention paid to technology and its role in the creation of new worlds. The writing style is at times captivating and you cannot miss the passion when used to paint significant developments, especially when they occurred in the distant past.

The author travels with you around the globe and looks at different civilisations showing differences and similarities. Some civilisations have an easier life because abundance of resources but they pay a hefty price later because they did not have an incentive to evolve. Others have lived in isolation, but somehow flourished and amazingly produced great civilisations. For instance, the Incas did not have horses and they did not know how to make iron, and yet their constructions were magnificent. You read about evolution of each great civilisation and you have this feeling that we are all equal, but with unequal chances. Time is a great leveler: no one has a permanent advantage. The religions occupy an important section in the book and it is an element that has got a long lasting influence in our evolution.

The book provides an interesting historical perspective, generates ideas and it makes you think. I cannot see how you would "speed-read" this book. You would have to stop quite frequently and let your thoughts follow different paths and re-evaluate your position in the subject of history. This is a good book and it is worth the money spent if you are looking for ideas.

A panoramic analysis of the world's people
Geoffrey Blainey's SHORT HISTORY OF THE WORLD provides a panoramic analysis of the world's people during the last four million years; from before the human race moved out of Africa to explore other continents to modern times. Getting this lengthy history into a single volume and making it accessible to ordinary readers is no mean fete: Blainey's title provides plenty of intriguing insights into not just historical facts, but the sentiments and perceptions of those who lived the times.

Facts or Fantasy?
The reader of a history book looks for a fresh perspective on history, as well as factual accuracy. Unfortunately, this award winning book fails on both accounts.

Its historical outlook is too similar to "Guns, Germs and Steel", written by Jared Diamond in 1998, but without the depth of analytical insight and original concepts. Regarding factual accuracy, there are several mistakes.

When in Mr. Blainey's book I read Teohtihuacan and Cholula described as Mayan cities I became extremely wary. Teohtihuacan and Cholula were cities belonging to completely different cultures,each to a different one. Furthermore,Teohtihuacan is 2000 miles away from the tropical jungles of the Mayas. Not only Mr. Blainey's facts are incorrect, but his geographical accuracy is misguided.

I am not a history expert, and the least I expect in a history book are the facts to be correct. The other possible merits of the book are overshadowed by this issue. One is left wondering how many more inaccuracies are in the book.

not engrossing but interesting enough
This is an odd one volume history book. Usually the best of the genre are compelling reads where the author is polemical, interested in convincing you that his new theory about why history moves in a certain direction is true. This is not such a book. The writing is best described as mediocre, predestrian, trying for variety in word order but failing. Then why did i finish it, i asked myself.

First it was an online book discussion group choice. But there was a interest that the author evoked that keep me reading, it was his choice of what to discuss. And for this reason alone it is an acceptable book to read as a small group. These things that he chooses to discuss, the topics of the sections of a few pages, these objects of interest in the overall view of history. These are what make it a readable, 3 star book and not a miss, a skip it, a bland textbook for high schoolers.

His choices are governed by 3 streams of thought. The first and most minor is geography. Physical geography plays an important role in history that DECREASES as time goes along. Earlier civilizations and cultures are more dependent on the local area for the resources that they need, likewise the rise of the river bases irrigated civilizations are by necessity and history located there. (idea of irrigation giving rise to empires due to requirement of cooperative effort to build and maintain water works). As the physical geography matters less, technology matters more, this is his second and major stream of ideas. The problem is that his linking and explanation is like a machine gun, stattaco, quick firing, without the big picture that something like _connections_ by burke is so very good at. It is as if he sees technology as the major driving force in world history but presents it as a disunifying force popping up in the world like prairie dogs popping up their heads, rather than making us aware of all the tunnels underground and out of view. This piecemeal, this disunity is noticable and greatly detracts for the overall character of the book.

The second stream is religious consciousness, not unrelated to the previous two, but he makes no real effort to unify the 3 ideas in any substantial way. More like he has a high interest level in religious consciousness and introduces it whenever appropriate in the discussion.

So i am back to my initial question of why did i finish a less than perfect book? Because it is an acceptable intro to history with enough continuity to be interesting, with an above average choice of what particulars to discuss. So now i am able to engage in the specifics of the discussion in the book club, to see how other people liked his choice of detail to illustrate the broader movement of human history. The only other recommendation would be to a interested sub-high school student who needed an easier text to be introduced to western history. ... Read more

Product Description
The ultimate work of historical referenceFrom 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 Complete History of the World is the book that has all the answers.This is the most comprehensive, authoritative and accessible work on world history available today. It has sold over 2.25million copies and has been translated into 18 other languages since its first publication in 1978. With a narrative scope covering the origins of mankind right through to the turmoil of the 21st century, this book is an unrivalled and breathtaking accomplishment.With over 600 full-colour maps and charts on a wide range of historical subjects and representing the work of a team of professional historians, this new edition continues a tradition of nearly thirty years of excellence, style, authority and cutting-edge design. This edition is also internet-linked. Readers can follow the weblinks in the book to acess the most up to date information permitting further in-depth exploration of key subjects.With fully up-to-date text, including material on Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorism, Israel and the EU, this book, edited by leading modern historian Professor Richard Overy, is broad-ranging and more visually enticing than ever.Updates for the eighth edition include: - New material on the United States - The most up-to-date research on prehistory - Reworked spreads on the Middle East, including a new spread on Iran - Current information on the global economy, the global environment, warfare and world terrorism - New introduction - Short biographies of 100 key figures in world history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Complete?
There is no acknowledgement of the Romani people's five centuries of enslavement in the book's treatment of slavery, nor any acknowledgement of the Nazis' Final Solution of the Gypsy Problem and subsequent destruction of 75% of Europe's Roma in its treatment of the Holocaust.A distressing omission when the world's 12 million Romanies outnumber several entire geographical nations such as the Swedes or Danes, and Roma constitute the largest and most widespread ethnic minority in all of Europe.Mr. Overy's World History isn't "complete" quite yet.
Ian Hancock

Outstanding
I picked this item up for significantly less than list off of a bargain shelf. It has turned out to be an incredible find!An historical atlas can either be too detailed or not detailed enough, and they tend to be very expensive.This one has really been remarkable.

Each page is very well laid out with several intricate but imminently readable maps, often with multiple data sets plotted on them.The text of the page is succinct but very direct in explaining what is important on the particular page, as well as appropriate caption blocks for each of the maps.

Things are not whitewashed either.In the same atlas we have a page about both the atrocities of Stalin and American misdealings with the Native Americans.Perhaps being of British origin allows a bit of political neutrality that we're not used to.

Coverage focuses on European history but not to the exclusion of the rest of the world at all. I found it to be very balanced and appropriate.Layout was also very logical as you can find the next relevant maps on a following page, not in a totally different section of the Atlas.The combination of all of these factors make it work like a visual history book, bringing you from pre-history up to the present.Coverage of the present is good too with pages devoted to understanding the current
economy, environmental trends, etc.

All in all, I was a extremely pleased with this atlas and it would be hard for me to see how to improve on it.

Biased and with an "agenda"?
This book looked really intriguing at first impression. As soon as I noticed it, I grabbed and opened it to check its contents quickly, and I was quickly disappointed & frustrated as I saw it starting with a discussion of evolution, and not even in a way that states it is only one of the theories of the origin of humans, and not necessarily the most authentic or proven. The book failed to mention any of the other historical facts or theories about the origin of humans. For instance, it could've mentioned a theory that is believed by millions of the world's population: simply creation by God, as humans are believed to have started from Adam & Eve. It could've also mentioned the theory of "intelligent design" as the origin of humans. But alas, it only covered evolution, in a clear biased way that may even make one feel as if there is a dubious "agenda" of misleading behind the book.

I am not going to argue in this review how evolution is believed by some to be a misconception propagated by a minority who want to distract us from religion & belief in God, because this is not the place to argue about that. But I would've liked to see a book published by supposedly a reputable and surely famous source like The Times, cover the other theories of the origin of humans, only to be fair to everyone and allow the readers to make their own judgements. Evolution and Intelligent Design could've appealed to the very logical & scientific among the readers, and God creating Adam & Eve could've appealed to the religious reader or believer. I believe that would've only been fair and politically correct.

And with a start like that for the book, and a glance at a few paragraphs covering some of the other events around the world, it became apparent to me that the book is lacking a lot of impartiality, or simply that it was clearly biased in several events & subjects. I felt disappointed in The Times, and was even offended...because other historical pieces of information that were believed by me, among millions of other humans around the world, were avoided & circumvented in such a book. I would've given the book just one star for being so offended, but I wanted to be more fair and give credit for at least the hard work done. I still took off all the other stars because I felt there was an intention to mislead with all this "hard work".

From A to Z indeed!
This admirable volume covers the entire span of human history from human origins circa 5 million years ago to global economy and environment in 2000. From Abbas the Great to the Zyrians, this book has it all. This is a sixth edition published in 2004.It is nearly identical to the other editions of this book. This title does not include the events of Sept.11th. 2001.The articles are concise without undue elaboration. But it's the highly informative and colorful maps that make this volume stand out. An abundance of archival photos, charts and original art accompanies each map. A glossary, bibliography and a historical place name index are provided. Highly recommended.

Excellent book, but available much cheaper from....
This volume is the successor (and the most current edition as of this date) to the "Times Atlas of World History" and "Hammond Atlas of World History" works.Since Hammond was purchased by Langenscheidt Publishing Group, the publishing of this work has been given to Harper Collins.Richard Overy has taken on sole editorship since the death of Geoffrey Barraclough.

I don't know why the odd price, but perhaps it is a straight conversion of the UK Pound Sterling price?

I am a total Amazon fanatic, but I have located this new edition at a much cheaper price than Amazon. Barnes and Noble publishes a "house version" of this exact work (with Stonehenge on the cover) priced at only $39.95 and currently available for 50% off that price ($19.97)! The content is identical to the Harper Collins version. The B&N version is also printed in Spain and the paper quality appears to be equal to that of the Harper Collins version. The binding may be of lower quality, but I cannot confirm that. The ISBN of the Barnes and Noble edition is 0760767254. You can even visit your local B&N store and read it before you buy. Note you cannot buy the B&N version from Amazon. Just search on the ISBN on their website.

As to the content of the book, it is thorough and highly interesting. If you love history as much as I do, you will spend hours with this book! I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Product Description

Now available in paperback, Mining in World History deals with the history of mining and metal-refining from the Renaissance to the present, drawing out, in an engaging and fast-paced fashion, the interplay of personalities, politics and technology that have shaped the metallurgical industries over the last 500 years.

Martin Lynch is based in Australia and has been employed in the mining industry for many years.

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent
This is one of the best books I have ever read. It should be made into a documentary.

The book is more than about who discovered gold or some other mineral here or there but about the evolution of mining and refining techniques, the evolution of finance and banking and the evolution of the industries and empires and people that use the metals and how all the players have changed each other as they evolved. It's about the larger than life personalities, the historically neglected, the cheated, the lucky and unlucky. The book is so broad in its sweep through history yet so subtle and acute and personal. The countries that are or have been major players on the world stage are duly documented and on occasion countries not recognized historically as major players in mining have a bright flash of light cast upon them by a single sentence or paragraph describing almost world domination for decades in the production of particular metals or mining of certain ores.

You come away from this book feeling you can understand where we came from and what drives our society and has driven our society for hundreds of years. Here in Australia a financial journalist recently said that the fortunes of the Australian share market is defined by our biggest bank and our biggest mining company. I can now see why. These two industries, mining and finance, underpin all industrial societies of all political persuasions around the globe, and have a vast impact on societies not dependent on manufactured goods when minerals are discovered on their soil.

The book is not judgemental or political in any way and is not an advertisement for mining, doesn't gloss over, doesn't exaggerate, and doesn't bore with dry detail. I found the book entertaining and extremely well written and researched... not that I knew anything much about mining in world history before reading this book. There are some maps provided in the book but a good atlas or globe may come in handy to locate some of the locations mentioned that aren't mapped as I find seeing on a map where something is or something happened makes it somewhat more fulfilling. The only trouble is having to interrupt you reading to look up the location!

Not all mining has been covered such as the scarcer or obscure metals or minerals or the more recent but vast impact of the oil industry... considering oil reserves were the prizes at stake in two world wars... but I think the oversight of the oil industry was probably deliberate as oil in world history would be another book in itself... you get the feeling the author would be able to write another 20 or 30 volumes... I'd certainly have a go at reading them if he wrote them!
... Read more

Product Description
From the author of The Real History Behind the Templars--the origins and stories behind end-of-the-world predictions throughout history, from Revelations to 2012.

In entertaining and sharp prose, historian Sharan Newman explores theories of world destruction from ancient times up to the present day- theories which reveal as much about human nature as they do about the predominant historical, scientific, and religious beliefs of the time. Readers will find answers to the following end-of-times questions:

- Did the Mayans really say the world will end in December 2012?
- How have the signs in the New Testament Book of Revelations been interpreted over the years?
- How did ancient Egyptians, Norse, and Chinese think the world would end?
- When did Nostradamus predict that the last days would come?
- Does the I Ching reference 2012?
- Why didn't the world end in Y2K?
- Are meteors, global warming, super-volcanoes, and the threat of nuclear war signs that the end is near? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Interesting insight into the eternal wait for .... the end
This is rather a difficult book to classify, as I haven't read it as a history as such, but rather an interesting overview of how we human beings apparently have, throughout time, been patiently (or impatiently as the case may be) waiting for the end of time.

I confess to being a keen devourer of apocolypse and post-apocolypse fiction, so it has been very interesting to read how different societies have considered that perhaps all that we have will soon enough come to an end, usually based upon the cumulative evils of loose living and disrespect for one's deity.Indeed, much has been said in recent times of our modern world's moral and economic collapse, and some people genuinely believe that we are living in "end times".

If you believe this and think that this will give you further insight, this is NOT the book for you.Sharan Newman has a rather wicked sense of humour, which I appreciate immensely (for example when discussing horned beasts which are prevalent in many texts she comments that there must be a nest somewhere, probably in the bottomless pit), but I can see that this might not be the case for all.She does not labour on the beliefs of any particular faith, though The Bible is regularly mentioned as it is so well studied; and she does address the beliefs of the monoethist religions, as well as those brave individual souls who have, over time, announced that the world will end on such and such a date, only to be disappointed and forced to recalculate their stance. Even Nostadamus gets a chapter, as does the hype and hysteria that surrounds the Y2K bug.

This is a really unusual, interesting and entertaining book, and which offers one final interesting insight - people who strongly believe that the end of the world is nigh, usually believe that they will be saved.I think this quite a telling point.

Disappointing
Unlike Newman, I will admit my bias: I am an evangelical Christian. I am a pastor and a professor at a Bible college. I have studied the genre of apocalyptic literature at the post graduate level and write on the subject often. I am not an expert on all of the various end times scenarios Newman explores in this book, but her treatment of the Christian rapture left me wanting. In space that Newman could have devoted to exegesis of substance, she instead uses it to mock Christians saying, for instance, people who believe the rapture shouldn't have driver's licenses. Her research skills in relation to the Bible are dwarfed by the freshman and sophomore undergraduates who turn in papers to me several times a semester. Knowing this has made me distrust other section of this book, because even though I'm not as knowledgable about those subject areas, I know the quality - or lack thereof - of research she has put into the area where I am knowledgable. I wasn't expecting Newman to agree with the biblical position, but I was expecting a fair and honest approach to the subject matter. I'm disappointed. I had this book pre-ordered for a few months. ... Read more

Product Description
This debate-style reader is designed to introduce students to controversies in world history. The readings, which represent the arguments of leading historians and educators, reflect a variety of viewpoints, and have been selected for their liveliness and substance, their relevance to the topics included in college-level study of world history, and because of their value in a debate framework. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Early History and How to do History
These topics are charged though a bit distance for many students; but more importantly the articles which argue two sides of each topic demonstrate some of the historical approaches to any subject.The articles are relatively easy to understand but instructors may wish to use multiple pairs to explore various steps in the historical process.I use it in my "Learning Strategies of College History" course at Indiana University. ... Read more

Product Description
Taking a global view of history, a carefully arranged, heavily illustrated chronology opens each chapter with a world map and time chart that give readers a sense of what happened where at any given time.Amazon.com Review
The publication of this book in 1994 was a milestone in thefield of publishing for children and young adults. Working with aninternational team of historians, the renowned nonfiction publisherDorling Kindersley used their extensive image library to create avisual chronology of world history, laden with photographs of realartifacts, tools, and art from around the globe, as well asillustrations and photographs of the people who lived in each era.

Summarizing the entire history of civilization seems a daunting task,but the organizational work here is exemplary. Each chapter covers ahistorical period from several centuries in the earliest times to a25-year span in recent times. Beginning with a world map, each chapteroffers a time line and a double-page spread identifying the majorevents and developments within five geographic areas: Africa, Asia,Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. More specific discussions for thesegeographic areas follow, along with additional illustrations, maps,and small, specific time lines. Because of the organizational schemeusing five world divisions, all areas of the world receive equaltreatment. An additional 115-page reference section includes aglossary of terms and a comprehensive index. The Dorling KindersleyHistory of the World is a welcome addition to the family referenceshelf for students from fourth grade through high school. (Ages 9and older) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Beautiful book
More of a time line with illustrations and brief bits of information than a verbose treatment of history. In fact, many important people (Caesar Augustus, Ronald Reagan, The Medici Family, and more...) are barely mentioned or not mentioned at all, to my disappointment. More is said about Hitler than George Washington.

Nice reference nonetheless.

A fine Place to begin a thorough review of world history
This is the perfect synopsis of 10,000 years of the history of man's existence. Superbly organized by regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania) and interspersed with museum quality pictures, maps, key developments, and divided into 20 chapters representing time periods from pre-historic times to the present.

The quality of the presentation alone makes this format a difficult one to beat. Although it is light on substantive details, it is carefully indexed making collations and cross-references painless. A general introduction sets the stage of the book by summarizing the main political, social, and cultural themes of each period. The text gives equal prominence to each continent and the artwork shows typical scenes from key events ofeach period. In addition, labels enable the reader to locate the important empires, countries, and cities of the time.

Rounding out a perfect presentation, each chapter is opened with a world map providing a
visual overview of the period. And overlay map so that present cities and countries could be mapped back into the past would have been an unexpected bonus. But all things considered, for those of us who have not studied world history for more than 60 years, this is a fine place to start. Five stars.

fantastic
I absolutely love this book.Every page is packed with fascinating information and color photos of real artifacts.I really like the way he ties it all together, giving an overview of the history of the entire world and which events occurred at the same time period.I bought it so I could teach my kids world history.I do think the reading level would be appropriate for a 3rd grader, but unfortunately the print is so small it makes it intimidating for younger kids.

IS THERE A BETTER BOOK THAN THIS ?!
Absolutely beautiful,comprehensive world history book - should be in EVERY classroom and home! A record of conflict of course, but chock full of the best that people have done on this planet(art,architecture,science, etc.)- inspiring and exciting. If anyone knows of a better illustrated world history book, please write me! Thank you DK - once again an incredible book.

Absolutely superb.
This is a simply marvelous book, good for all ages.(After all, I am a single adult with no children!)DK publishes a lot of "children's" books which I, as a mature, educated adult, findvery useful and fascinating.This one, though, is probably the best of thelot. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Don't Be Fooled
_100 Events_ turns out to be, sadly, a pretty shallow overview of world events. Readers anticipating a companion to, say, _The 100 Most Influential People_, will find themselves disappointed.

To its credit, _100 Events_ does include a few events outside the canon of Western history -- the rule of Asoka, the destablization of Iran, and two or three others. Buteach of the top events that shaped our world is treated so lightly -- asingle page, most of which is taken up by an illustration -- that one maywell wonder what notice, if any, the author would give to the next 100. ... Read more

Product Description
A completely revised and updated edition of the reference work originally compiled and edited by William L. Langer, now packaged together with a fully searchable CD-ROM, covering all of world history.Amazon.com Review
The "Langer Encyclopedia," as the professional academics call The Encyclopedia of World History originally edited by the late William L. Langer, is basically a history of everything--and an outstanding reference volume. Want to know why the English called their 10th-century king Ethelred "the Unready"? See page 181. Or what the Ottoman Empire's constitution of 1876 said? See page 531. Or when women in Honduras got the vote? See page 955. This sixth edition, completely updated and revised by a team of scholars led by George Mason University's Peter N. Stearns, packs all it can into a year-by-year and region-by-region chronicle of human life on planet Earth. The book is big, the type is small, and the maps and genealogical tables are excellent. Stearns has added more material on women, leisure activities, and demographics to this edition, and the sections on Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Latin America are much different from the previous version. As if this weren't enough, the book comes with a CD-ROM featuring the complete text and fantastic search capabilities. The Encyclopedia of World History is highly recommended for serious history buffs. --John Miller ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Just what we needed
One of the best, reliable and ample references you can get, because sometimes you really need the facts

The Encylopedia of World History
This is a great book and will help me get a good grade in my current course of study.

Not Easy to Read
There is a lot of information in this encyclopedia, but it is not easy to read. If you need an immediate answer at a glance it is helpful but I think it is not fluent in language and idea.

First rate quick reference
Not for reading, but for looking up details while reading other materials or quick confirmation of background information that comes up in discussion or newspaper/magazine articles or even historical details encountered in literature. There is very little detail, but almost everything gets a mention and can be put in context of other world events. I am on my third edition and would not be without it on my reference shelf.

Great Teaching Resource
I teach a 100 level art history at a univeristy and this is an excellent resource to accompany my lectures. My only complaint is not with the book but with whoever shipped it. Apparently this newer edition comes with a CD-ROM BUT mine had already been ripped out when I received it. I don't normally care about that sort of thing but I did pay for it and would have liked to have had the option of looking at it. Seemed too much trouble to send it back, plus I needed to have the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Its not all that good
The good part of the book is that after each chapter/unit they give you a very helpful 6 things to remember guide, which actually seems like its going to help. Besides of that, the book has many flaws. Its too short for each aspect of the unit. Does not focus on many of the hardest ones so if your a overachiever this book is not for you. Try the 5 steps to a 5 or Barrons.

Best for essays, but terrible history review.
I took the 2008 AP World History exam. To prepare for this exam, I read Kaplan's, Barron's, and Princeton Review's AP World History prep books. Of the three, Kaplan's AP World History review is by far the worst. The review is skimpy and lacks information. It merely summarizes topics, which may be useful if you are a really good history student. Despite the skimpy review, I feel that this book was really useful for the essays. It contains three essay topics for each time period, and also includes a sample essay response, which most other prep books neglected to include. In this book, you'll find at least 21 sample essay responses, 3 per time period, and 3 for each practice test it includes. The abundance of essays really gives you an idea of what may be expected of you on test day. If you're looking for review, this book isn't right for you (unless you start reviewing the night before the test, in which case, this may be the only history review you may be able to read from cover to cover). If you're looking for essays, definitely get this one. I just got my grade, a 5.

AMAZING!!!!
My 10th grader used it for her review on the AP test...through the whole year she has been expressing how much she hated the class; after she used this book for her review and took her AP test, she came back like I have never seen her before. She said she felt pretty confident she passed the test with a good score, and she told me that after this review she understood the class better than the whole year sitting in the classroom.

AMAZING!!!!! ... Read more