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Rating: 
Summary: Fun to read, and very helpful in prep for AP test
Review: History is one of my favorite subjects, and I have read quite a few textbooks in the area, and I have never found one with the perfect combination of being readable yet comprehensive.I must admit, I found the chapters covering 1200-1800 to be much more interesting than the last few chapters, but even the last chapters had all the characters and events that you need to know. One point that recommends this book is that it acknowledges point of view, something very important on the APEH exam or in any history analysis. Most textbooks force you to extrapolate their point of view and shift your interpretation. I found that McKay and his co-authors present a very neutral account of history, rarely passing judgment on history's actors. The organization worked for me also. It is loosely chronological, but bends for continuity. It adequately covers almost all areas, from the Renaissance to the Thirty Years' War to the Industrial Revolution. Something about the style of writing and the organization helped my memory retention magnificently. I took Euro sophomore year, US junior year, and as a senior I remember about twice as many things from Euro as I remember from US. I largely owe that to this book. Remember to give yourself enough time to read the chapters, which are long and moderately dense. They take a few hours to read them really well, and you wouldn't want to read any of this book too fast or without your full attention. Anyway, buy it, read it, enjoy it! = deeper understanding of Euro History and a 5 on the AP test.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I don't know what you kids are talking about; this book rocks. Yes, it's somewhat general, some events are drawn in broadstrokes, there are simplificatios etc. etc., but how else would you manage to go from antiquity through the modern era in such short space? I defy anyone to name a better survey of Western history. Honestly, if there is one, one that isn't overly specialized and jargonistic, I'd be glad to hear of it. I used this book nearly 10 years ago and I still remember what it said about the defenestration of Prague, the development of "real Politik", and the Treaty of Versailles, among other things.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I don't know what you kids are talking about; this book rocks. Yes, it's somewhat general, some events are drawn in broadstrokes, there are simplificatios etc. etc., but how else would you manage to go from antiquity through the modern era in such short space? I defy anyone to name a better survey of Western history. Honestly, if there is one, one that isn't overly specialized and jargonistic, I'd be glad to hear of it. I used this book nearly 10 years ago and I still remember what it said about the defenestration of Prague, the development of "real Politik", and the Treaty of Versailles, among other things.
Rating:
Summary: JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!
Review: I have been searching for a book that generally covers the events that occurred from ancient times up to now. I have not been so much interested in "substance" because I wanted to read about what happened and be able to form my own opinions and thoughts (create my own substance). I enjoyed having the facts listed precisely, to where I can view things at different angles from my own perceptions of the facts. Perhaps I can come up with another veiwpoint that will change the way I see the past, in effect, changing the past in my mind to a more positive one. Maybe the negatives parts of the past were not actually quite so negative, perhaps they accomplished a great deal more than what people now believe. Maybe by changing our perceptions of parts of history, we empower ourselves to change our present perceptions and attitudes, resulting in changing of the future. Perhaps?
Rating: 
Summary: literary review
Review: i was given this text book as the literature accompanying my AP European History course and although i must admit that the author's writing style is engaging and easily understood, i was deeply disappointed by his profound lack of understanding of some of the more controversial historical events and his tendency to consistently avoid any break with the status quo as far as historical analysis. for example, in a passage discussing the political philosophies of Lenin and the Bolsheviks he wrote "They believed in willpower, preached conflict, and worshiped violence." i dont think that one needs to be a communist to realize that this is a gross distortion of historical reality. as a history student being taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District, i wasnt expecting much, especially concidering America's record as far as distortion of history, but i must say that this passage and others like it shattered any hope i had of anything close to an objective or fair presentation. it is my personal opinion that if you're going to take the time to sit down and write a history book which you hope will be used to educate future generations, either present an objective view of what happened or, if you must use the book to expouse your own opinions, at least avoid these sort of gross generalizations. anyway, i realize that at 16 i probably don't have as much background in european history as Mr. McKay here, but i think sometimes even 16 year olds have valid points and i'm afraid that this is one of those situations.
Rating:
Summary: Best book i think i have read in High school
Review: Mckay's way is the best way. I loved this book i read it nightly ... perhaps i may have only got a 3 on the APEH exam, but that was my fault i read the book in one weekend and was confused (do not do the weekend before the test).... i love this book, my book is old, no cover.... most read book i have... its very clean cut...Mckays ties up everything very nicely... the book is set up themematicly, not evently, so it gets kind of jumbled but in the end it makes things seem more clear (especially using if you know your themes!....Intellectual Culture ... Political and diplomatic... social and economic ) ... it goes French Rev, IR Then ideology, seems odd while reading it but made more sense in the end.... . i really enjoyed this book...Mckay Buckler Hill have a very relaxing writing style that keeps you going and wanting to indulge your self into a more indepth view of European History. Only flaw is that i though the Ren/Ref era was kind of short lacking something.. Best chapter is chapter 18-THE ENLIGHTENMENT
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Summary: Three Weeks to CLEP Success
Review: This book is blah in all its meanings. As in, "this book is blah," and "blah blah blah blah." Maybe I was just spoiled after my wonderful APUSH class and text, but this book has taught me so little that I didn't already know. I almost NEVER read the text in that class (please don't read this, Mr. Hardy), and I still do fabulously on the multiple choice and essays. Why? Because I read the handouts and I pay attention during discussions, both of which do me much, much more good than Mr. McKay ever has, or ever will. I did like the primary source bits, but I'd much prefer a book of straight primary sources to this terribly uninteresting book.
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Summary: Superb refresher and quick reference
Review: This tome, actually intended to be a textbook (thus the very substantial price), is a wonderful read and great for refreshing one's "Western civ" knowledge after being out of school over 30 years. I've always enjoyed history and it helps to have such a reference as this which presents a cogent overview of events. Certainly the book can't be all things to all people. For those areas of special interest, e.g., the Celts, one desires to obtain more in-depth sources. However, this work accomplishes what it sets out to do, to present in a mentally-digestible chronology the flow of the most significant events in Western society and to make it interesting and fun in the process. The fact that the book makes a fine general reference for home or library is an added benefit, i.e., it is not a publication to be perused just the one time. This is one of the very best history books of its kind!
Rating:
Summary: Superb refresher and quick reference
Review: Uh-oh...It's finals week and my history exam is tomorrow...AND I HAVEN'T STUDIED!!! Oh wait, no problem, I'll just use the STUDY GUIDE. Very good for reviewing (I can't see myself learning something new out of it), and for my final it was imperative in my being prepared. It is soooo much easier than looking for the important points in the textbook, as they're all there for you! It's a little expensive, but most textbooks are and it is definitely worth it. Buy and ace those history exams!
Rating:
Summary: The dictionary of history
Review: Yeah, okay. So it deals with ALL of the history of Western society. So what? Here is a book so lacking in actual substance I would recommend only warding it away with burning torches. Would you study Thomas Hardy with only the Oxford English Dictionary and selected cliff notes? No. And neither should you study history with this. The earlier sections take make a brave attempt, but by the time they reach the 17th century the holes start to show. The writing is mind numbingly dull, the facts skip about like smoke particles, the maps are incomplete and the graphs are simplistic. I found myself bristling with rage at the ridiculously inaccurate depiction of the 1919-20 Paris Peace Treaties and the whole description of the 20s and 30s. I simply doubled over with laughter at the attempts to find SOMETHING to say about women in the middle ages. Women were oppressed and did little, but listen to them and women were the entire lynchpin of order. The only true stroke of brilliance is their focus on individuals of each era and excerpts from primary sources. These truly round off each chapter and save this book from the scrap heap. For the record, I am an 18 year old male studying for the AP European History test with this book. Thank the heavens that I knew something before wading into this book, and thank heavens for my teacher Ms Boyer. Otherwise I may have actually taken this to be about history rather than a stripped down factiod reel to designed for multiple choice essays.
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