A Colorado History [Paperback]

Carl Ubbelohde (Author), Maxine Benson (Author), Duane A. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2003

In print for more than thirty-five years and now in its the eighth edition, A Colorado History provides a comprehensive and accessible panoramic history of the Centennial State. From the arrival of the Paleo-Indians in the Mesa Verde region to contemporary times, A Colorado History examines political, economic, cultural, and environmental issues and the fascinating events and characters that have shaped this dynamic state. Experience Colorado with this latest enlarged edition as it leads readers on an extraordinary exploration of a remarkable place.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A Colorado History has been, since its first appearance in 1965, widely recognized as an exemplary work of its kind. -- Colorado Magazine

A crisp, well-drawn moving account. -- Montana Magazine

A well documented story of the state. -- Rocky Mountain News

About the Author

Carl Ubbelohde is the Henry Eldridge Bourne Professor of History Emeritus at Case Western Reserve University.

Maxine Benson is a Colorado native and an independent historian who has served as state historian with the Colorado Historical Society.

Duane Smith is a professor of history and southwest studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.

Product Details

• Paperback: 461 pages
• Publisher: Pruett Publishing Company; 8th edition (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871089238
• ISBN-13: 978-0871089236
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #565,009 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Introduction to Colorado's History, October 15, 2001

By 

Steve Thompson (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Colorado History (Paperback)

This is a great book if you are looking for a fairly thorough introduction to Colorado's history. My only complaint is that it is primarily a history of white civilization in Colorado, and it largely ignores the history of the Native Americans prior to the arrival of the white settlers. Also, this is a fairly long book and it is probably best suited for history buffs. If you are looking for a good introduction to Colorado history, but one with less text and more photographs, I strongly recommend Colorado: Yesterday & Today.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, comprehensive text for history buffs., June 26, 2006

By 

LeBrid Camshron "Wisdom before knowledge" (Rocky Mt. States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Colorado History (Paperback)

Ubbelohde's text is a thorough review of Colorado history, from Paleo-Indians to the Gold Rush to the War Years to the new Millennium, and everything in between. Obviously, many books focus on more specific information relative to specific themes or people, but this text is the best overview of Colorado. It works well in either a high school or college setting (I have used various editions in both), with the instructor using this text as a platform for more intensive research. As in any single book, it is not the "all and everything," but still masterfully covers the general history of a truly beautiful, fascinating state.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction., December 19, 2008

A Kid's Review

This review is from: A Colorado History (Paperback)

If you are interested in Colorado history, this is the place to start. It is an overview of all topics in Colorado history, and provides recommended readings in the back if you are interested in further research.
A couple of previous reviewers had complaints which are without merit (at least for this edition, I haven't read the previous four editions.) One complains about the writing. While the authors won't win any Pulitzers for their prose, it is a competently written, clear book without any academic jargon.
As for the criticism of the pre-Columbian coverage, they summarize what is known from the archaeological record. They don't engage in speculative flights of fancy, as some recent authors do, about all the details of those societies. The Pueblo civilizations in particular are difficult, as they abandoned their homes in Colorado well before the Europeans came into the area.