The Best American History Book in the World: All The Information You Need To Know Without All The Stuff That Will Put You To Sleep [Hardcover]

Eric Burnett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 20, 2003

If you only have enough money to buy one book about American history, this better be that book. Whether you're a confused student, a stressed teacher or just a regular yahoo wanting to finally understand the history of the United States, your search for knowledge needs go no further. Want to know who was the true first president of the United States? Curious about what those early Jamestowners dug their teeth into when the food ran out? Wonder why Israel and the Palestinians just can't seem to get along? It's all in here. Written and edited by top students at one of the most respected high schools, The Best American History Book in the World is packed full of valuable charts, original illustrations, and clear summaries that will help you become a U.S. history expert. All royalties from the sale of this book will be given to a student chosen charity dedicated to improving the health and welfare of children.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

After working in California public schools for eight years, Eric Burnett currently teaches high school Social Studies and English at Singapore American School. He is also author of the two children's series "Kids Around the World" and "Portal to the Past." He has a wife and two cute kids that he talks about entirely too much in his classes. He and his wife plan on teaching overseas for years to come.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 388 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse.com (July 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595658164
• ISBN-13: 978-0595658169
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,213,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Worst American History Book in the World, October 2, 2005

By 

Steven Mason (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best American History Book in the World: ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW WITHOUT ALL THE STUFF THAT WILL PUT YOU TO SLEEP (Paperback)

Sorry to rain on the parade, but somebody's got to tell the truth about this book. It's written by a bunch of high school students, and it shows. The high school history teacher, Eric Burnett, did not even bother editing this book; there are countless annoying grammar and factual errors. Perhaps Mr. Burnett simply asked his students' permission to publish their history homework essays. What's next? High school music teachers selling CDs of recorded band performances, or drama teachers selling DVDs of high school Shakespeare productions? The student writers are obviously enthused about the material, which is great, but they are simply too glib to make this book of any real use to anybody, except as an example of bad history writing. Here's a sample: "His wife died in 1480 in childbirth, which was very sad and depressing for our friend Columbus so he decided to make himself rich and famous and go find the Indies." If you're looking for a fun and readable history of America aimed at younger students, take a look at Joy Hakim's "A History of US."

In fairness I should point out Mr. Burnett's claim that all royalties from the sale of this book go to charity, and I applaud him for that. But he would sell more books and raise more money if it were better written!

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read + Entertaining!!, August 2, 2003

By 

Deepti Dhir (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best American History Book in the World: All The Information You Need To Know Without All The Stuff That Will Put You To Sleep (Hardcover)

If you're going "Thomas Jefferson, who???" this would definitely be a good book to have handy. Perfect for someone who might not have much of a background in American history, this book lays out the important facts as well as adds interesting tidbits along the way, keeping the reader in tuned. In addition, the authors' simplistic writing aids in one's understanding of specific time periods, organized further into subtopics in each chapter. As a student, I feel as though I could jog my memory by quickly flipping the pages and spending hardly any time reading up on a topic that I may have forgotten or am simply confused on. Each chapter flows pretty easily and even the most obvious concepts are broken down and explained. You probably won't find yourself perusing through a dictionary or other reference book trying to figure out something this book is supposed to have made clear to you. It provides the reader with enough knowledge so you are able to discuss, make arguments and form your own opinions on events that took place in America's history.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book with a genuine voice, May 3, 2011

By 

Andrew Hallam - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best American History Book in the World: ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW WITHOUT ALL THE STUFF THAT WILL PUT YOU TO SLEEP (Paperback)

This is a clever book, created mostly by the students of a teacher who's obviously empowering and educating his students. The writing is amusing, and informative. I'm impressed.