Rating: 
Summary: Christian Relief Work
Review: Just a thought regarding the "New Enlightenment" addendum in the back of most, if not all, Europe 101 books, by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw. My point is concerning the third to the last paragraph in which Rick "marvels at how politically active American Christians can believe that we're all children of God-while fighting aid for the hungry and homeless." I nearly fell off my chair when I read this! Think of all the privately funded relief operations in which Americans RISK THEIR LIVES daily to feed, clothe, medically care for and educate multitudes. Think of the tens of thousands of hospitals built and hunger relief efforts developed to help "the least of these". How many of those hospitals were built in the name of atheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Allah or socialism? The record shows that the majority of these efforts were and are painstakingly envisioned and brought to fruition, I'm sorry to say, Rick, by Christian organizations, be they Methodist, Baptist, Presb. Catholic, Lutheran. If you disagree with that then you are simply and sadly mis- or un-informed. I certainly don't wish to exhalt American Christians above any other nationality's people of faith, and I am thankful for ANY medical and hunger relief done in the name of Mickey Mouse or Scooby Doo, IF IT WORKS, but it tires me to hear that particular liberal diatribe that says that "You Christians should stay out of politics!!!" Then, when a Christian seems misinformed about a topic, we are awarded the label of "bumpkin" and "why don't you get informed on the politics of the day???!!" Just had to let my view be known. By the way, I really do like Rick Steves' material, and have read most of his books. Last year I continuously phoned and emailed my local PBS station to have ETBD put back on the Saturday line-up. I tried to reason with them, asking them, "aren't TWELVE cooking shows enough for one afternoon!?" They finally agreed and began running the programs....for two months... then... no more ETBD. But, I still have access to the videos and books and the ETBD WEBSITE!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Great fun for a quick intro or brush-up
Review: Let's not even pretend this is a comprehensive book on European history, because I'm sure that wasn't its intention. It IS wonderfully entertaining reading to take along on a trip to Europe. Its light, humorous and informative style was exactly what my teenage daughters needed to enjoy and appreciate the museums and historical places in Europe. I tore out sections and read it to them on the train before arriving at destinations. By putting historic thought and events into a context they could relate to, it got them interested in art and history and made them curious to learn more. I highly recommend this as a travel aid for families or anyone needing an enjoyable brush-up on historic styles and periods.
Rating: 
Summary: For Rick Steves travel has been narrowing, not broadening
Review: Mr. Steves presents an account of the development of Western art mixed together with an ill-informed and skewed picture of the historical background. He says his book drives "art snobs nuts." ("Art snobs" apparently being those who have a genuine feeling for art.) It also drives historians nuts - in each case for good reason. Real appreciation of art comes when individuals respond to works of art in their own way, not when someone else tells them what to see in paintings, sculpture, etc.. Read a good art history book, use your own eyes and ears and mind and ignore Mr. Steves. I recommend that any prospective buyer read Mr. Steves historical chapter. It is both amazing and depressing, How could anyone be so incredibly naive and gullible? If he makes so many mistakes here and is so clearly prejudiced, how can you trust other things he has to say?
Mr. Steves believes that because the U.S. is wealthy it must have stolen what it has from other countries (and should give it back by sending still more money to third-world kleptocrats). This is simply false. The economic success of a country depends on its own culture and institutions (and, in the past, climate). Land and natural resources (and, nowadays, climate) play only a very small part -as the examples of Japan, Singapore, and some others, attest. Rather than lambaste the U.S. (which is obviously Mr. Steves' primary motive) he should ask what is holding other countries back. The answer to that question, by the way, is not that they are or were colonies or otherwise exploited. The extent to which he whitewashes communism is remarkable -he apparently is one of the few in the world who do not now see it for what it was. For example, to assert, as he does, that West Berlin was vibrant because of subsidies is nonsense. All cities are subsidized, if one wants to use the term. by the regions surrounding them. The subsidy received from the government of West Germany simply made up for the fact that West Berlin was cruelly cut off from the lands surrounding it. That subsidy couldf hardly explain the liveliness of West Berlin (or the extreme drabness of East Berlin -which was subsidized to an even greater extent by the East German government, something Mr. Steves would never point out.). Mr. Steves uses the subsidy as an excuse.
Although Mr. Steves happily attacks the Europeans' past throughout this book, when he turns to the United States' present he goes enthusiastically into overdrive. Chic as it may be, anti-Americanism is an intellectual trap into which many, including Mr. Steves, have fallen. Not only does Mr. Steves have no understanding of the past, he also has no understanding of the present. He has failed to do what he urges others to do, that is, to see what Europe, the United States and the rest of the world are really like. Instead he has bought a propoganda line. A final note: The claim that 90% of Algerians were literate before the French came is preposterous and doesn't stand up to any scrutiny at all. Since almost no women would have been literate at that time in Algeria, Mr. Steves must believe that 180% of the men were literate. Doesn't he think before writing things which are obviously wrong? Perhaps he does and is simply trying to fool his readers. (Anyone want to bet that Mr. Steves will not change this claim in the next edition?) Anyone with a knowledge of art will howl at many of the things Mr. Steves wants his readers to believe; likewise for historians and economists. It is a very sad comment that Mr. Steves has become a guru for so many people in this country. It is also highly ironical that someone who rebukes his fellow Americans for being ignorant of other cultures is himself so ignorant, gullible and prejudiced.
Rating:
Summary: For Experiential Travelers Only
Review: Normally I'm a big fan of Rick Steves' works, but this is probably the weak link in the series. It is well written and very funny in parts as it roars through all of Western Civilization at supersonic speeds. My idea of preparing for a vacation is to read 20-30 books regarding the history, art, and literature of my vacation destination. In a way, it prolongs the pleasure of the trip. At the same time, I am aware that even a greater percentage of travelers are purely experiential: They like to plop themselves into the middle of a foreign culture and just wonder as they wander. For this type of traveler, EUROPE 101 is ideal: It gives you the bare essentials so that you don't come across like a total yahoo. If you are this type of traveller, then the book gets five stars.
Rating:
Summary: Stick to Travel
Review: Rick Steves provides excellent advice in his travel books. Unfortunately, the history and economics presented in this book leave much to be desired. Time does not permit a detailed description of this book's errors and misleading information. The best example of its faulty history is in an essay in the back entitled "Whose Story Is History?" Its general thesis is that everything wrong with the world is the fault of colonization by Europe and America. The West is held to a standard of perfection no society can be expected to meet while third world nations have no responsibility for their situation. An example of a serious historical omission is the book's discussion of Spain's conquest of Mexico. While Cortez was ruthless and Aztec society had its virtues, Europe 101 doesn't mention that the Aztec's built their civilization by colonizing other Mexican tribes. Human sacrifice was common; .... It was the assistance of other Mexican tribes that helped Cortez win. Some claims are flat out ludicrous. The authors state that Algeria's population was 90 percent literate prior to colonization by Europe. This is doubtful considering that prior to French colonization Algiers was a pirate city whose principal trades were hostage taking and slavery. The historian Hugh Thomas stated "That Algeria before the French arrived in the 1830s was 'uncivilized' by any reasonable definition is certain." And if French colonization was wrong why not complain about Arab conquest of the Berbers? The explanation for the west's military success is equally ludicrous: "In our culture, 'all is fair in love and war.' The first president of the United States won fame and a decisive victory by attacking on a Christmas Eve when his enemy was drunk and unprepared." Surely the authors are aware that surprise attacks are not unique to any culture (see December 7, 1941). It's important to for the authors to point out that the Portuguese ships used by de Gama were smaller than those used by Indians, Chinese, Africans, and Arabs. This is true as far as it goes. What isn't mentioned is that the Portuguese decided not to use their largest cargo ships for exploration. They intentionally selected smaller caravels for exploration. No where is Europe 101's history more inadequate than its discussion of the slave trade. "Only with European aggressiveness did slavery become big business." Actually the slave trade had ended in Europe by the 15th century. The Portuguese relearned the slave trade from local African rulers and Arab traders. Contrary to the book's assertions, Africa received significant profits from the slave trade. Almost all slaves shipped to the Western Hemisphere were captured and sold by Africans. The book says that slavery "fueled Europe's Industrial Revolution . . . During this period, the industrial basis of European/American economic power in the 20th century was established." The Industrial Revolution started in Britain. Britain's profits from slavery in the slave-trading period were less than 2 percent of its domestic investments. In the United States it's questionable that the profits from slavery exceeded the cost of the Civil War. The Atlantic slave trade was reprehensible, but it was the West that ended slavery. Saudi Arabia did not abolish slavery until 1962. Slavery still exists in the Sudan. Why doesn't slavery fuel an industrial revolution there? The authors completely ignore the benefits provided to Africa and Asia by Western colonization. For example, it was the British who ended thugee and suttee practices in India and instituted democratic institutions. Nirad Chaudhuri wrote that "No Indian with any education and some regard for historical truth, ever denied that, with all its shortcomings, British rule had, in the balance, promoted both the welfare and the happiness of the Indian people." Recent history discussed elsewhere in the book is equally unreliable. Lenin did not "overthrow Russian monarchy" in 1917. He was in Switzerland when the Czar abdicated. Later in 1917 his Bolsheviks overthrew Russia's provisional government. Lenin did have the royal family executed. Europe 101's discussion of economics is as weak as its history. Prosperity is not a "pie" that is sliced and re-sliced. Income and wealth have to be earned. By now the authors should know that socialism doesn't work and that communism, as Gorbachev put it, was "pure propaganda." In answer to the question "Whose Story Is History?" the reason the West writes most history is that it is in the West that the notion of independent history flourishes. In too much of Africa and Asia it is dangerous to write a history that the rulers dislike. What the third world needs is more capitalism and democracy. You're better off doing your own research on the history of Europe.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad History, Good Art
Review: This book is not an in-depth history lesson, thank God. That would be boring. Instead, it's a very readable, lively short coverage of how Europe got to where it is today. If you're going to Europe to see a whirlwind of cities and museums, then reading this book will help you understand how and why something ended up in the museum or was built to look that way. I used to think art galleries in Europe were like visits to the dentist, necessary but painful. After reading 101, I have a much better understanding of the paintings and can trace the development and subject matter, making it fun and informative. Also, the book has the best descriptive chart of history I have ever seen, laying out the different architecture periods (so you can see what came when) along with who lived when (Michaelangelo, Bach, Mozart, etc.) and other important historical events. This alone really helped me sort out the big jumbled mess of history. If you're looking for in-depth, detailed coverage, this is not the book for you. If you're looking for that historical overview to help put everything in perspective without having to dig through volumes of dry material, then this is what you've been hoping for. Good travels!
Rating:
Summary: Best one volume, comprehensive work for the average tourist
Review: This book is not an in-depth history lesson, thank God. That would be boring. Instead, it's a very readable, lively short coverage of how Europe got to where it is today. If you're going to Europe to see a whirlwind of cities and museums, then reading this book will help you understand how and why something ended up in the museum or was built to look that way. I used to think art galleries in Europe were like visits to the dentist, necessary but painful. After reading 101, I have a much better understanding of the paintings and can trace the development and subject matter, making it fun and informative. Also, the book has the best descriptive chart of history I have ever seen, laying out the different architecture periods (so you can see what came when) along with who lived when (Michaelangelo, Bach, Mozart, etc.) and other important historical events. This alone really helped me sort out the big jumbled mess of history. If you're looking for in-depth, detailed coverage, this is not the book for you. If you're looking for that historical overview to help put everything in perspective without having to dig through volumes of dry material, then this is what you've been hoping for. Good travels!
Rating:
Summary: The more I learn, the more excited I get!
Review: What a fabulous preview to our trip... I never thought I'd say this, but I can't WAIT to spend time in the museums in Europe!! We will be in Spain, France and Italy... and you can bet the history and museums will be at the top of our list. Rick's writing style is superb and humor much appreciated!
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