Customer Reviews

Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History: Five Volume Set

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An impressive and exhaustive collaboration of authors and editors William H. McNeill, David Christian, Jerry Bentley, and Jerry H. Bentley, the "Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History" is a five volume, 2220 page compendium offering 538 informed and informative articles descriptively laying out the high points of human history from traceable human origins down to the present day. Replete with sidebars. Of special note is the 'Reader's Guide' showcasing 34 subject categories. Backgrounded with meticulous research and insightful commentaries, the "Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History" is enthusiastically recommended as a core library reference for both academic and community library World History reference collections.

This bloated and grotesquely overpriced set is woefully incomplete, failing to cover subjects that any student or teacher of world history would naturally expect to find therein! For instance, there is NO coverage of the Punic Wars, the pivotal conflicts that led to the hegemony of Rome (not to mention that Hannibal, arguably the most brilliant general in history, is ignored). Caveat emptor! For the money a much better option is the 7-volume Encyclopedia of World History edited by Ackerman et al. and released in 2008 by Facts on File.