Customer Reviews

National Geographic Almanac of World History

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

 

 

As a reader I like to have quick reference books at my finger tips including a new version of the Oxford English Dictionary about 3500 pages long - that I use almost daily. So I decided to add a "history atlas". In the process of doing my research I read the other amazon.com reviewers and then made three trips to two large book stores to actually look at the books and get a better feel for which was the best. I ended up buying the Oxford Atlas of World History. Here are my picks and rankings.

Listed by My ranking, #1 is the best, #2 is a creative alternative but no substitute.

1. Atlas of World History, Oxford University Press 2002, 368 pages, (...), 13.5" x 10.3" x 1.62" ranked 46,632 on Amazon.com. Hands down winner - professional - good text descriptions, outstanding maps and drawings, covers most things from the cave man forward. Negatives: Big and heavy. If you want to save a few dollars buy the "concise" version.

2. Creative alternative: The Penguin Atlas of World History, Penguin Books 2004, (...), just a paperback sized, just published, 304 pages. Surprisingly impressive, lots of text and pictures mixed together and it is easy to carry around. A nice quick alternative but it will be printed in two volumes.

3. Timelines of World History, DK Publishing 2002, 666 pages, (...). 10.0" x 1.6" ranked 25,800 on Amazon.com. Second with lots of value but in some ways not as comprehensive.

4. National Geographic Almanac of World History, National Geographic 2003, 384 pages, (...), 9.6" x 7.8" x 1.17" ranked 24,426 on Amazon.com. Similar to but less impressive than Oxford books. More text, narrower coverage, fewer maps and drawings.

5. DK Atlas of World History, DK Publishing, 352 pages,(...), 10.96" x 14.66" x 1.28" ranked 10,716 on Amazon.com. My last place book seems like a giant comic book. I love the DK travel books but this seems like one step beyond DK's area of expertise. Superficially it is similar to the Oxford book and it is cheap, and some might like it but it tries to be politically correct and fails.

6. Oxford Dictionary of World History, Oxford University Press, 704 pages, (...), pocketbook sized, sales rank 330,000. Mainly terms, people, and dates but has a few maps also. Limited use but an alternative. I prefer the new Penguin book but this is the best history dictionary to buy.

The Almanac of World History is a pricelss resource. First of all, the book now cost half of it's original price! The book is worth the oiginal $60.00 price tag. If you're looking for a book that sums up world history AND will maintain your interest, this book is for you! I find myself referring to this book countless times. This is a book that should be in every home! The book provides pictures,timelines,short dialogues and text to bring history alive! Our culture is so confined to American history. Do yourself a favor and begin to explore the history of the world. This book is a great place to start!

This is a very useful almanac if you are interested in World History, covers all the world, well designed and well written, contains basic information about the world history as expected from an Almanac. But, I have one thing to criticize. A little confusing, as the close civilizations in character fall apart in the book. So you jump from one civilization to a totally different one that takes you away from the subject on which you have already focused. Other than that, I think it is a better idea to make it more detailed in more volumes.

The latter half of this book is clearly a "Western" History Almanac. It basically discusses other countries' involvements in western countries' affairs. Also, there was too much info on domestic issues in the U.S.-- that information should be reserved for the U.S. almanac!! I gave it 3/5 b/c the beginning was informational.

I learned more from this book than all my history classes. It compresses the history of humans from the beginning telling facts using diagrams and maps. It tells us how the human world evolved from nothing to what it is today.

Just flipped through thus far but bought on the strength of the photos and information packed in. I have a history minor, love to feed my interest now and then and this kind of book is perfect. Probably anyone who likes national geographic and history channel will enjoy.

I am using this as a homeschooling text for a 7th grader. The sections are compact yet comprehensive, giving a concise overview of an historical period in a geographical region. I like that it isn't euro-centric; it is filling in the gaps of my own early education!

National Geographic Almanac of World History is a wonderful resource. The Chronological Chapters, Maps, Time-lines and Introductory Threads are easy to use. A very nice addition to add to your library.

A bit too much of the usual pro US/politically correct bias - so "British Empire" = terrible, there is a whole section on the Atlantic slave trade but absolutely no mention of the Islamic slave trade going north and east or of the slavery of Europeans by North Africans etc - but these don't "fit" the storyline. And then this - "Fighter Command, augmented by Canadian and American volunteers held off the Luftwaffe through August (1940)". In fact 574 pilots from countries other than UK are recognised as having fought in the Battle of Britain - of which Poland 145, New Zealand 135, Canada 112, Czechoslovakia 88, Australia 32, Belgium 28, S Africa 25, France 13, Ireland 10 ....... and USA 7!!! Absolutely typical of a US publication to "over-claim" influence (and I say that without minimising or denigrating the sacrifice of those who did volunteer). And finally there is the infuriating inability of National Geographic to give the "United Kingdom" its correct name - inexcusable in a document which presumably aims at accuracy. No - "UK" is always "Britain" - presumably because no US publication would be prepared to admit that Northern Ireland is part of our country (Full title - "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland")!!

Excellent work by Patricia Daniels and Stephen Hyslop for National Geographic.
A great volume to have in your home