Rating: 
Summary: Comprehensive
Review: "The Best Test Preparation for AP European History with software," that is what the front cover of the REA AP European History book reads. However, "The most comprehensive test preparation," would be a more appropriate heading for this book. Having looked at several AP European History books, I have concluded that the REA AP European History book is am extremely long and comprehensive review book that, while it does aid in review, may not be practical by itself.
In judging the value of a test preparation book, the judgement depends on who uses it and what they are looking for in it. This book would be best suited for someone who is looking for an additional source and point-of-view besides their textbook. It would be good for someone who plans to refer to it for the duration of the entire course. It would not be good for the last minute "crammer". In evaluating my use of the book, I fell somewhere between the two extremes and it is from the point-of-view with which I will evaluate this book.
The book is very long. It has more than 300 pages of pure review and information. Some of the information overlaps and is presented more than once. However, it is very comprehensive and contains a lot of information. This is how I used it: I created a list of topics I felt were important to know and then used it as an additional reference source and wrote down the major points for the topic from several sources.
There are six full-length exams in this book (and on the cd). I took multiple practice exams and the actual test, and I'd say that the multiple choice questions tended to be on the hard side, but the essay questions were very similar to the real thing.
The area I felt the book was lacking in was strategies for taking the test. The book really didn't address this aspect at all. I ended up borrowing a book from my teacher that addressed this to supplement my studying. (I think it was the Princeton Review.) These tips were very useful and I'd say that it would've improved the quality and resourcefulness of the book had those tips been in there.
I did very well on the test and I tried to be as objective as possible on this review. I remember trying to choose a review book and I hope that by sharing my opinion of the book, it will help someone else determine which book is best suited to them. If it were possible I would give it 3.5 stars, but I chose to round up to four for its comprehensiveness. However, if you are looking for a general review, I would choose a different book. Good luck!
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible, just terrible
Review: Book crams 400000000000000000 facts into 1 line. 99% of the book will never show up on the test. Like having 10 text books in one. Not a good way to review. Get Princeton Review instead
Rating:
Summary: Worst book for review
Review: do not use this book...it goes into so much detail it can't cram more details aobut the topics that you really need to know...do you think you'll ever have to know the Kornilov affair or the Clarendon Code??? you certainly don't because i took the test yesterday and there was absolutely nothing on 99.9% of what the book wrote, REA should have just saved all that ink and make something useful. i personally think if you had a good teacher like i had, just study your notes from class and the text. if you desperately need a review book, go get princeton.
Rating:
Summary: ALL YOU NEED
Review: For AP European History exam preparation, I used three review books: ARCO, PRINCETON and REA. Each of these
books had something unique that made studying productive...and definetely got me higher than a three (I don't know for sure, I
just got back from the test an hour ago). I'll give you the basic information about each one:ARCO-this book has a short historical review, but the writing style and page format are IDEAL FOR HIGHLIGHTING and
putting in sidenotes. The tests were relatively easy and the "how to take the test" parts are worthless, But this book is
PERFECT FOR GETTING THE BIG PICTURE. The practice essay questions at the end of each chapter had an enormous
impact on my success, but lacked explanations and sample essays; what I did was write the essays and then I had my teacher
look at them. PRINCETON-this review book has a COMPREHENSIVE SECTION ON HOW TO TAKE THE TEST. The historical
review is more INTRICATE than the ARCO book, but sentences are wordy and is NOT IDEAL FOR HIGHLIGHTING OR
NOTE TAKING. The tests were harder than in the ARCO, and contained detailed explanations. The book helps put together
the pieces of the puzzle, but not as well as ARCO. In addition, a helpful index appears in the back of the book. REA-This book goes into WAY TOO MUCH DETAIL. I would highly recommend it to those students with die hard teachers
though. For the regular joe, THIS BOOK CONTAINS SIX PRACTICE TESTS. Some questions will make you scared, but
for the most part, the questions are general and straightfoward, just like the real test. The essay questions are great too; sample
essays appear with the answer keys after each test. I recommend the ARCO book in order to get the BIG PICTURE.
I recommend the PRINCETON book for it's HOW TO SECTION and SEMI-DETAILED HISTORICAL REVIEW.
I recommend the REA book for it's TESTS. Other than that, its your choice. Oh yeah, if anyone tells you that the test is hard, tell them that they didn't work hard enough. As long as you put the time and
effort in, you don't screw around in class, and you realize that YOUR GRADE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, you'll do fine. I
had a lazy teacher, but I managed to pull it off. ;-)
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent, despite what you might think at first glance
Review: Hated the book while using it. Midway through, I put my face into my palms and muttered to myself, three days from the exam, "why didn't I get another book when there was still time..." At this point, I believe I was only on page 150 or so... However, I perserversed through the book and ended up earning a 5 on the 1999 Exam. This book, when used in conjunction with the far more readable Princeton Review book, guarantees a 5. Read the PR book on the night right before the exam.
Rating: 
Summary: Too detailed ---
Review: History is my worst subject. But I had a really good teacher and I studied like crazy for the AP EH exam.
I never really used this book. It's far too detailed for the AP EH exam and the practice tests are not like the AP EH questions.
The Princeton Review book helped me more.
Rating:
Summary: ANNOYING
Review: I bought this book at the start of the year for my AP Euro exam. This book is by far one of the worst aids to cracking the Placement exam. Its WAY to detailed, totally unrealistic, and will just have u fretting more then you really need to.
Rating:
Summary: waste of time
Review: I bought this book, all 600 pages of it and found it to be a complete waste of my time. There are 6 long, too specific practice tests with a very long time-wasting history reivew which 99% of will NEVER be on any AP exam because its too specific. A waste of time and money.
Rating:
Summary: Exhaustive work required - will be worth it
Review: I read the whole review and did all the practice tests. Sometimes I felt smart, sometimes not at all . . . but in the end I'm glad I got this book. Best way to use it - browse the 250 pg. review, it's long and at times repetitive so if you have notes from a school textbook you may be better off using this as a refresher (also it doesn't have much birthrate/deathrate/structure of family stuff). Take the practice tests, READ the explanations (even if the questions seem really minute) - the tests are harder than the actual thing so if you're doing only OK on them you're doing good. This is a great book if you don't take it too seriously - it helped me feel like I was overprepared!
Rating:
Summary: A nice study aid, but far too detailed
Review: I recently learned that I got a 5 on the AP Exam and I have no doubt that part of the reason for this is that I used this book to study. With that being said, the book does have its problems. The information in the book is exhaustive in detail and attempts to teach the reader everything there is to know about European History; a noble attempt, but wholely unecessary! "Big Purple", as my friends and I referred to the book, is excellent when combined with a shorter, more concise review book (I split my study time between it and "Cracking the AP Euro Exam") but is far too dense to stand on its own...it'll drive you nuts if you try to prepare studying from it alone!
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