A History of the Modern World (9th Edition)

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Summary: Overall it get's the job done.
Review: True this is a tough book to finnish reading. It's rather dry but is packed with a vast amount of wonderful information. As a primary textbook for an AP European History class it benifited me greatly, after I re-read each page at least twice. For you teachers of the class out there, I'd make it a supplement, not the primary source for information at the high school level. College professors well you can make your students suffer through it. It's not too bad!

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Summary: A huge book - in every way!
Review: This classic is a must for everyone who appreciates well-written history books. Palmer and Colton's gargantuan "History of the Modern World" conveys a vast amount of knowledge in an interesting manner (although at times close to unbearably dense)and its ideas and perspectives are always relevant, new and enlightening. This is a great supplementary text for every European history course you may be taking or teaching. It is also a treasure chest of historic personalities, events and a panoply of culure through the ages. And a look at the enormous Bibliography will convince you that this book was indeed written by two first-rate scholars. Don't let the price scare you, it is a tremendous read, wonderfully presented, perfectly readable, and it's about as much fun as 800 pages of history can be!

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Summary: Interesting, but WRONG
Review: I am a scholar of Hungarian history, and almost every single mention of the Hungarians or "Magyars" is linked with information that is either plain wrong or shows an immense bias and at the very least a very superficial understanding of the subject material. This is how Kossuth Lajos becomes a racist, there is no mention of Petofi Sandor or Ferenc Deak who were integral in the 1848 revolution and Ausgleich, and a sharp distinction drawn between "Hungarians" and "Magyars." If the author is this wrong about so many subjects that I noticed, how many of his supposed "facts" can really be trusted?

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but WRONG
Review: I am a scholar of Hungarian history, and almost every single mention of the Hungarians or "Magyars" is linked with information that is either plain wrong or shows an immense bias and at the very least a very superficial understanding of the subject material. This is how Kossuth Lajos becomes a racist, there is no mention of Petofi Sandor or Ferenc Deak who were integral in the 1848 revolution and Ausgleich, and a sharp distinction drawn between "Hungarians" and "Magyars." If the author is this wrong about so many subjects that I noticed, how many of his supposed "facts" can really be trusted?

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Summary: An interesting look at history.
Review: Ok. I read this for my AP European History class. The book goes in to detail good about topics, but can be lengthy and at times boring. But for a course like I am taking, it's a good book to read if you're studying for a college class or to advance your knowledge. It goes into depth so that readers can really understand the history it covers. Overall it's a good history book, but not a good one for leisurely reading.

Rating:
Summary: Great even for personal use
Review: I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history or has a class they need the book for. It provides any information you need, and sometimes information you don't really NEED, but it's interesting the same. It can be a little hard to read at times, and the index isn't very helpful most of the time, but it does what it tells you it will, teaches you about history.

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Summary: Go Palmer & Colton!! You are my heroes...
Review: I, like many of you precocious high school students who fancied yourselves a cut above the average pupil, took AP European History. I must say that I enjoyed the class, but it was a whole lot more complex than I originally thought. Part of the reason was "A History of the Modern World," a massive, philosophical tome that I thought would be a lot easier to understand than it proved to be. That said, I am so glad our teacher (my personal hero, btw, not even kidding- Scheidler is the man) used this text. I believe that without it, I would have done very poorly. As a result of this book (and my amazing teacher, who could demystify its complexity for us with a lower learning curve), I was confident going into the test. Beyond its academic value, it is simply a well-written book, very interesting and filled with salacious tidbits about various historical figures and institutions. ( Holy Roman Empire, anyone?) Well worth the time and energy required- I think I'm gonna buy a copy to have at my disposal!! Thanks for reading-

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Summary: Helpful Book
Review: As a result of taking AP World History(formerly AP European History) I am working with this book for the first half of the year, then changing to the Stearns book. I found that this book is not only challenging, but one of the best history books i've ever read. It has depth and is complicated, but still is written better than just a regular Global Studies book. I applaud the authors.

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Summary: a brilliant telling of history
Review: This book tell the glorious tale from the middle ages through to the present. R.R. Palmer has a sparkling sence of not only these years but a true understanding and gift with the english languague. Palmer's style though it may unorigional at times takes a new approach to the history of a modern world and the reprocussions that this so called modern world is to face. With Palmers true optimism for man always pertinent A HISTORY OF THE MODERN WORLD is truly a glorious read whether for pleasure or as an assignment

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Summary: This isn't a paperback version!
Review: The "paperback" version of this book, listed as being by Joel Colton, is not the book at all, its a study guide! It is listed as the same title, has the same product description, and shares a review list with the real book, but it is not it! I ordered and eagerly awaited this book as much needed preparation for a history class, but when it arrived, I found its just a little pamphlet of study questions.