Reviews (2)

Excellent
This book is the sixth volume in the wonderful Illustrated History of the World Series. Focusing exclusively on Europe, this volume covers the evolution of Western culture from 1500 to just before the American Revolution. Along the way, the reader is treated to many colorful maps and pictures, and interesting sidebars.

As with the other books in this series, this one is high quality, with the pictures being even more interesting than those in the earlier books. If you are interested in a book that quickly and concisely covers the development of modern Western society, then I highly recommend this book to you.

Great intro to the roots of colonialism
The Making of the European Age is volume six of a ten volume series called The Illustrated History of the World. The first volume covered the origins of the human race through the first civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. The second volume in the series reviewed the early cultures of India and China and then moved on to discuss Greek civilization. The third volume covered the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, from 800 BCE to 600 CE. The fourth volume surveyed the rise of Islam, the Arab empires, the decline of the Byzantine Empire, and the beginnings of modern Europe. The fifth volume offered a first look at Japanese, African, and American cultures and also brings the stories of India, China, and Europe up to the 18th century. This sixth volume takes a closer look at European history. It covers the forces that formed the modern face of Europe and takes a detailed look at colonialism's effects on the whole world.

This is a book filled with beautiful color illustrations. Every page has at least one and most are photographs of artifacts, art works, or scenes. The text is well written and emphasizes brief summaries rather than scholarly examination. This makes it a good basic introduction and outline, but may be less useful to someone who wants to look at these subjects in greater depth. The lack of any bibliography of further readings is also a drawback for those wanting to seek more information. A two-page time chart of the period helps to put events in perspective. The chapter contents are confusingly placed at the end of the book, but they are well done and helpful for getting an overview of the author's approach. A two page listing of all the books in the series with their section and chapter titles helps to put the material into the broader view of all world history.

A chapter on Authority and its Challengers talks about the evolving power of kings and popes. It goes on to describe the Protestant Reformation and the Counter-Reformation.The chapter ends with a discussion on consolidation of state power and civil unrest. Another chapter is devoted to the new great powers of Europe: France, the Habsburgs, Russia, and Prussia.Then the second half of the book tells the tale of imperialism and colonialism. The struggles between the colonial powers of Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and Great Britain are described. The formation of the English empire through naval success and the effects of colonialism on both Europe and the colonial countries ends this volume. All in all this is a great brief introduction to modern European history and the colonial period in world history. Although the emphasis is decidedly European, the coverage is global.

The type face is large and the lines are amply spaced. Couple this with the copious illustrations and the book is actually a very quick read for its size and length. It is a few steps above the approach of Dorling Kindersley books that are predominately illustrations with supporting text. With Roberts, the text is the major part, but the illustrations are definitely more than an after thought. This is a good introduction for the general reader. It is not going to be a lasting reference book that you will turn to again and again. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Talking Walls...Talking People
This might be the best introduction to social studies that elementary schools can get. It is a colurful, interesting book with young characters who will introduce your students to all kinds of walls and cultures around the world. An absolute must for the classroom because of its information, an absolute must for home because of its beauty and value in a home-education without too much school-like text.

Talking Walls
This is an excellent book for children of all ages. Fantastic if you are looking for a multicultural book for your child or classroom. I have in fact found several sites on the internet ( one of the sites is that of the publisher Tillbury House)which give address and phone numbers for hundreds of lessonplans for teachers. A book that no elementary classroom should be without. There is actually a sequel call "Talking Walls:The Stories Continue" which I have not gotton my hands on yet. ... Read more

Book Description

A vivid history of one of America's best-loved patriots. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Paul Revere is a young brave boy who warns his people.
When Paul was about fourteen,his farther was mad because Paul's friend Micky was getting beat by his master. Mr. Revere was going to see if Micky's master would sell him. Paul was going to tell his friend Micky in the morning but Micky wasn't there. He was gone but Paul and his father looked for months for Micky.

Pretty Good Book
Tells about famous American patriot/silversmith Paul Revere and his famous ride to Lexington and Concord. Well known story but excellent. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the tragic story of the Titanic, the biggest and most luxurious ocean liner the world had ever seen, which sank on her maiden voyage in April 1912. Beautiful, double-page illustrations with amazing cross-sections and cutaway details explain the construction and mechanical details of this gigantic ship and reveal life on board for passengers and crew. Each new illustration reveals different aspects of life in the early 20th century, and the text highlights hidden details for you to spot. As you follow the pictorial story of this world-famous liner, you will discover how she was built and equipped, what kind of passengers and crew she carried, and what facilities she offered on board. You will also find out how she struck an iceberg and met with disaster, why she sank so quickly, how many people were saved, and how many lives were lost. You can compare the differences between the Titanic's passengers -- from the first-class millionaires to the third-class emigrants -- and find out how they dressed, where they ate and slept, and what they did to amuse themselves during the voyage. You can also take a closer look at some of the passengers and crew, and follow their different fates from the exciting start of the voyage to its tragic end. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Clever Approach to the Titanic Story
If you are into wonderfully illustrated books, you need to check this one out. Noon is one of the best illustrators to paint the subject in quite a while.

Story of the Titanic is a slender, but oversized 11 by 14 volume. Through out most of the book every two pages open out to a great double page painting; that's (for the mathematically challenged) 11 by 28! These illustrations tell the story with wonderful cutaway drawings of the interior of the ship. The result is a strong sense of what was happening where during the Titanic's fateful voyage. The amount of detail in each image is amazing, so much so that your eyes can just wander over the page, spotting one neat little artistic touch after another.

There is a minor downside to the book, in that the artist's renditions of the ship's interiors are not as accurate as they should be. Not that Noon has placed rooms on the wrong deck, or anything like that, but he has taken liberties with how many of the cabins looked. Apparently this is most extensive in the first class cabins depicted.

I am not an expert on the ship interiors, but an acquaintance of mine who has made this area his specialty stated that Noon makes it look like every first class cabin was a period suite, while in reality only some of the cabins on B and C decks were this elaborate.

There are some other minor transgressions with how the ship is depicted, but none of these glitches are a fatal flaw. Another issue to consider is that the amount of text is very limited. You are definitely buying this book for the art, not the words. Still, I think most kids (and adults, for that matter) would get a kick out of how the story is depicted in these cutaway paintings. Noon's book has catapulted right onto the list of my five favorite children's books on the subject. ... Read more

Book Description

Created by Steve Noon, illustrator of the award-winning A Street Through Time, this stunning picture book vividly brings to life the history and growth of a city. Beginning with the birth of a fictional Greek colony and ending with a modern metropolis, A City Through Time is a captivating journey through 2,500 years. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Poor book
(...)In a nutshell... This book compares very poorly to the Usborne
history books covering earlier periods (my daughter and I love
those books). This book is only suitable for older children, since
they squeeze in a lot of text. What I really don't like is the
artibrary, idiosyncratic and often idiotic selection of what
events of the 20th century are "notable". ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The worst
This book is to put it plainly, horrible. It lightly brushes over topics with out going even slightly deeper in to them, and seems to be a collection of texts from old history/geography text books. You don't learn much about culture here.

What's worse is the teacher resource kits and the worksheets/tests provided. They don't get students to "think", and instead seem to emphasize on memorizing information.

Definately NOT recommended, especially not for high school.

Doesn't belong in a high school
I am currently a junior in an advanced placement history class, and my freshman year this book was my text for a supposedly accelerated class. The book is incomprehensive and the analysis of important historical concepts is poor. The book spends a paragraph on covering communism. The entire textbook only has one paragraph on communism! It is a wonderful text for middle school students; however, it does not belong in my high school, or any other for that matter.

Great Reference!
This is an amazing text on the culture and geography of the world! There is an introductory unit, Africa unit (which I am on), South Asia, Southeast Asia; Australia; and Oceania, and many others. It really helps you understand it clearly. It is a great text to refer to if you have any questions about culture and geography. In each unit there is a section on the geography and early histry, a seciton on the heritage, and a section about the place in transitition, and it in the world today, if I remember correctly. Wow! ... Read more

Book Description

Take a boat trip down ancient Egypt"s crocodile-infested Nile river or a chariot ride through ancient Rome, circa. a.d. 128, and don"t forget to make the customary sacrifice at the altar outside the door before entering the Parthenon in ancient Greece. And, above all, try to avoid becoming a human sacrifice yourself if you dare visit the Aztec temple in Tenochtitlan! Written and organized in the style of a travel guide, this book takes the reader on an amazing tour of the greatest empires of the past and explores what it was really like to be a citizen of these intriguing civilizations. Packed full of useful information for would-be tourists as well as quirky sightseers" tips, this is a stimulating way for children to learn about history. ... Read more

Book Description

A biography of Mahatma Gandhi, whose mission in life was to help the 350 million people of India free themselves from British rule. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

written like a boring text book
My daughter will be eight next month and she was bored with this book. It has some interesting facts, but it did not keep her interest at all.

Love it!
As a teacher, I found this book not only inspiring but educational too. Children will learn about the history of China while listening to a realistic story of ancient China. This is a must for educators, students, and parents! ... Read more

Book Description

Model T's, woodframe airplanes, radios, Prohibition, the Roaring Twenties, jazz, flappers, Babe Ruth, the Depression, and the two World Wars--all in a thirty-year span. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I loved it!
I loved this book and all of Joy Hakim's books. She makes history interesting, not just interesting, but FASINATING! I would recomend this book to anyone. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Ancient Greece for Young and Old
The cover of this book has a dynamic picture of the famous ancient Greek temple, the Parthenon, in Athens. The contents of this book are divided into two parts. Part one of the book focuses mostly on the history of ancient Greece from around 1600 B.C. in the late Bronze Age to about 100 B.C. when the Romans conquered the Greek civilization. Part two concentrates on Greek culture and society. Some of ancient Greece's most famous sites are reviewed as well as other aspects of Greek culture such as art, architecture, myths, everyday life, entertainment, and housing. A nice aspect of the book is the inclusion of two pages solely devoted to the world of Greek women, discussing their daily life, their roles in society, and influential Greek women. There are many beautiful photographs and illustrations (all with informative captions), a few diagrams, a table of dates, and numerous maps. And because Greece was divided into many small, independently ruled communities or city-states, the abundant use of maps is very important and helpful to readers. The atlas contains a lot of excellent information, but as a whole, the information did not flow from one topic to the next. It is best suited as a resource for studying special topics of interest rather than a book to read from cover to cover. It is also more appropriate for more advanced readers. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Lesser Quality for the Average Reader
The Human Experience is an experience on how a text can totally lack depth and new ideas. Firstly, the book is good for a standard World History class with a concentration on Europe. The text is also accompanied by a wonderful array of technology from laserdiscs to CD-ROMs that can be implemented as reinforcement for teaching the basic concepts. It's blatantly obvious that where the text is week, the immense multimedia activities were planned to compensate. More time should have been allocated to perfecting the text, rather than tackling the latest technological advance.

This current edition contains text that has not been significantly altered since the 1992 edition, if not earlier. If you are looking for a text with easy to follow chronological format--move on. This book provides the reader with diluted and out of order history which does nothing except grace a classroom with twenty-five confused faces. For students to easily grasp the events of the past and the time periods between them, chronological order is vital. For example, Farah and Karls have created units that overlap significant periods of time where the "Royal Power and Conflict" chapter covers 1500-1750 and then the next chapter "Empires of Asia" covers 1350-1850. The subjects are completely different, yet they cannot be easily compared as being in the same time period because of the arrangement of the text.

Asides from giving a total Eurocentric view (this book is really a basic Western Civilization text that was made for the standard high school student), what is mentioned about Asia is minor with major points of history being left out. If the history of Africa, Asia, or Latin American is part of your lesson plan, I would recommend an outside source.

Finally, this text lacks the depth that I have encountered with others (i.e. West Educational Publishing's World History: The Human Odyssey). It is truly a sad day when students complain about the heaviness of the book and the teacher responds it's all the pictures. When comparing the past editions, one can see that the book was obviously enlarged to have more pictures and the "extra stuff" mentioned above.

Overall, for the average reader, World History: The Human Experience's reading experience is a bearable one. But, if you're looking for depth or enrichment--go elsewhere. I give the work 2 of 5 because it meets the expectations for a standard reader, yet falls far short of its potential.

GREAT BOOK ABOUT HISTORY
I THOUGHT THIS BOOK WAS A STEP ABOVE THE REST OF THE BOOKS THAT WE'VE READ IN WORLD HISTORY OVER THE YEARS, AND I FIND THIS BOOK THE BEST HISTORY BOOK EVER! I LIKE HOW INTERESTING IT CAN BE. SOMETIMES I READ PARTS OF IT JUST FOR FUN. BRAVO!

A Great Book for Learning World History
I ussually a student from ninth grade. I like this book because it focuses in all cultures of the world and is a very interesting. It taughts you how to be a better human being by talking of the decissions of all the leaders and rulers. I recomend it for all schools, teachers and students.

This book is an excelent guide to learning world history
I am a sophmore and I am taking world history. We currently are using this book and i find that it is informative and very helpful in the learning of other cultures. This book contains many interesting facts about world history and holds my attention.

where the past comes alive...
I particularly like the sidebars featured in the book and the lots of background information that may be implemented in class. I don't think history can be presented much better than done in Farah's book. ... Read more

Book Description

Beginning with the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, this book traces the phenomenon that came to be called the Gold Rush.Readers learn what the phrase "gold fever" means, and who the "forty-niners" were. Various ways of traveling to the gold fields are described, as are various ways of mining and panning for gold. Mining towns sprang up overnight, with businesses that addressed the miners' every need.When the Gold Rush faded, the history of California had been changed forever. ... Read more

Book Description

Exciting collection chronicles over 100 years of motorcycle history with illustrations of 45 accurately detailed models, including Gottlieb Daimler Motor Bicycle (1885), 1913 Royal Enfield, 1947 Indian "Chief," 1966 BSA A65 Lightning and the Honda ES21 Future Motorcycle Concept Prototype, among others. Detailed captions.
... Read more

Reviews (2)

I <3 ThiS BOOK
Okay, liseten up ladys...this book tot me how to ski!!! My friends are very proud of me and my mom says, "Dude, your one coolest kid and your my favorite kid ever!!!!" Best book ever go out and get it!!!

Motorcylcles Coloring Book
My Daughter wanted to buy this book for my husbands birthday. He is the Service Manager at the local motorcycle dealer in town. My husband and the owner of the store were astounded by the details of not just the bikes in general, but in which the drawings portrayed for each paticular make of bike. My husband very much liked the idea of the briefs under the drawing about the particular bike displayed. Infact my husband likes this book so much he is keeping it as a collectors item. He made perfectly clear that he had no intentions of making one mark in such a beautiful work of art. Thankyou so much for such a wonderful gift for a very special person. Sincerely, Eileen A. Caprio ... Read more

Book Description