Customer Reviews

Germany: A New History

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This history provides only an overview of Germany's history, which is good if you only want to learn general concepts and events. The text is as you might have noticed in the product description, very short. Don't let the fact that it is 300 or so pages fool you; the typeface is very large and the lines are double-spaced. This may be exactly what readers are looking for, but I found the vague references to certain historical figures by surname only annoying, because Schulze is assuming the reader knows the name but he or she may not. I suppose it is only to be expected of a book that spends a few paragraphs on the Reformation and Counter-reformation. I'm not saying it is not a good read, in fact the narrative flows quite nicely, but it is obviously a book more dedicated to exposing Schulze's perspective to readers who already know the people and events in German history. What Schulze wants to convey is his interpretation of the events, their consequences, and lasting effects on the German people. If you want to learn about those events and people, a more detailed history is definitely a must. Readers already grounded in German history will find this perspective interesting, but will probably do like me and wonder why this book is $18.00.

It is no easy task to sum up 1,000 or more years of German history in a single volume without descending to banal generalities. Schulze, however, manages his material with great skill. Apart from the accurate and balanced text, the great virtue of the book lies in its many illustrations and photographs. A good one for the Christmas stocking of a general history reader!

I am one of those people who likes history but don't have time to read thick history books. When I searched the Internet for a one-volume-book that can cover the complete history of the Germany, I came across Dr. Schulze's book and bought it. It was a very good choice and I finished reading the entire book just in three days! The main reason might be the continuity and the pedagogic nature of the book: the entire history of the "German Nation" is divided into well-defined parts and you know where you are at this long history when reading the book. The author also does a good job by integrating the German History into the World History, drawing important lessons from the past.

The negative sides of the book may be threefold: First, as is the case for most history books, the author writes some parts like a novelist losing the main point. This approach may seem "romantic" for some readers but not for starters like me, who wants to learn rather than to be impressed by the history. Second, probably because the book is a translation, some sentences are longer than necessary and difficult to understand at first reading. Lastly, although the pictures in the book reflect the corresponding era of the history quite well, some of them are not related to the theme highlighted in the corresponding chapter.

Overall, the book is an excellent work especially for intermediate-level history learners, but some pre-requisite reading may be required for starters.

Dr. Yasin Ozcelik
www.misworld.org

Schulze willfully wrote Germany's 2,000 year history for the general reader with little or no knowledge of the country's history. His digested account starts from Charlemagne to Frederick the Great to Hitler and ends just before the dawn of the European Union.

With four maps, five charts, 56 color illustrations and 59 photos and every page printed on art-book stock, Schulze presents worthy information in this high-quality volume. Interweaving social, economic and cultural events, Schulze leads us through Germany's tumultuous, militant past, telling us about its scientists, theatrical producers and composers. Any book concerning Germany and its history would be remiss without discussing its military leaders, and Germany: A New History is no exception.

This elegant, short narrative is a great source for any reader interested in learning more about the Fatherland's Pan-Germanic identity.

This is by no means a bad book; it's well-written, even-handed and as a previous review has noted, concise. REALLY concise. An example: World War I is covered in exactly fourteen paragraphs. (You read that right: fourteen paragraphs - about two and a half pages, INCLUDING illustrations.) Germany's rich and fascinating history prior to 1400 is glossed over so lightly that it doesn't even serve as an adequate prologue. (In fact, if this book were your only historical resource, you could be forgiven for believing that Germania didn't even EXIST before the Roman Empire came along.)

If you're looking for an easy-to-read, one-volume overview of German history from the Renaissance to modern times, this is your book. If you already know something of German history, you'll be gravely disappointed by the lack of detail and depth in this work.

This is a surprisingly lively account, authoritative and scholarly but filled with insight as well. Events follow rapidly upon one another in an extremely concise narrative, and the author even found room--briefly--to consider the contributions of artists. It's quite an achievement to boil down so much history into one relatively short report without losing one's grip on major themes. And the author's American publisher has given him a beautiful presentation, filled with illustrations (some in color) that augment the narrative. Probably the best short history of Germany--certainly the best I've ever read.

The tumultuous era of Germany and its serenity epoch are well described. The author established a genealogical ascendance from Bismarck to the present day, and going through the consolidation of an effective government system. It is well-researched, despite the exaggeration in psychoanalyzing Germania's mass hysteria. Nevertheless, It could be used as a reliable reference book in universities.

Germany: A New History is a great book dealing with the complex history of Germany. Beginning with the time of the Roman empire, to the era of the German states and the Holy Roman Empire, to the German Empire and the Nazi Reich, to the division of Germany and ending with the breaking of the Berlin Wall, this compact, precise history presents the reader with a vivid and easy-to-read narrative. Tons of illustrations and charts are common throughout the book. However, even though I would highly recommend this book as a beginner's history to Germany, the only problem is that, for those scholars who enjoy a visual look at where the history is taking place, this book does not have many maps, and so an historical atlas would be recommended while reading this book.

Can't say enough about this book.I had always wondered where the name Germany came from and I was aware of Tacitus' book Germania but I wasn't aware that the book is where the name came from. From my reading of Tacitus' book that would be a real loose definition for such a vast area with hundreds of ethnic groups and dialects,some as different as night from day.Schulze starts from the work of Germania and takes Europe's "soft center",as Germany was initially labeled,right to the present in a readable manner interspersed with excellent interpretations of events and even throws in tidbits of philosophy.Excellent readable graphs and lots of pictures that go right along with the history.i can see why this book would be picked as a textbook.The book describes how this area of Europe through alot of "misadventures" finally arrived at "stability and predictibility"the 2 items necessary for effective government.The adventure of "Germany" however is still ongoing however.