Customer Reviews

The Western Experience, Volume 1, with Primary Source Investigator and PowerWeb

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

 

 

"The Western Experience" edited by Chambers covers a massive range of topics in a manner that is conducive to the understanding of the material. The book discusses many Social, Political and economic trends for each respective time frame. However, there are some glaring omissions as a historical text. The book will state for example, that a certain organization was established in a certain year, however, nothing further is mentioned. No explanations as to why or as to what purpose said organization ultimately served. Further, the text becomes, at times, difficult to follow, as things are not discussed in chronological order. The reader often has difficulty in distinguishing the year and what specific events where happening elsewhere at the same time. But it must be noted here that the reader most certainly does recognize parallelism within history, as the result of its interconnected, yet non-chronological, organization scheme.

If must be noted, however, that while it is at times difficult to follow, the book, especially in the more modern history parts, does a relatively good job of remaining objective.

This book covers everything I needed for my high school sophomore AP European History class. Though it is at a college freshman level, and I found the reading tedious sometimes because of the information, it is, all in all, no more and no less than the history scholar would need. The authors did a superb job of tying everything together and explaining not only the "when", but the "why" and the "how" of the events covered. No irrelevant information is presented; it is all important to the study of European History. Plus, there is a bibliography in the back of each chapter for further reading and information sources. There is a list of maps, an introduction, and an epilogue, all of which are helpful.
The book has many helpful maps, charts, and boxes with the chronology of certain important events (i.e. the "fall" of Rome and the Persian Wars.) There are also pale yellow boxes throughout containing sections of literature and poetry from or about the time period that is being covered. The text not only covers major battles and people, but a bit about the lifestyles of the people being studied.

In short, this book is a wonderful resource for all those learning about European History.

This book is very broad and does not go in great detail. Good for overviews, or a teacher who is not looking to press you for details. Is written quite simply and plainly for anyone to understand. Keep in mind the viewpoint of the authors when reading this...

I bought this textbook for a college history class. This is the worst textbook! Dates in it rarely match what you find elsewhere. You finish reading a section, thinking you're going on to the next time period, when you really just go on to a different aspect of that same period. I don't like the way it is organized at all. Even the items in the index are off. I would want to find more information about a subject, so I'd look stuff up in the index, which would not even list the page that I had just found it on. I had to resort to a LOT of internet research for the class that required this book.

This history textbook is very comprehensive and covers a great amount of material. Practically it combines everything that one could see in all of previous editions. The language is very easy to understand. The visuals and maps are very helpful in recreating a clear image of situations and trends of certain periods of time. The one that I have came with a brand new CD that I found very helpful in exploring the book. It also comes with an online helper that you can use to deepen your understanding. Usually brand new books have the serial number for that online feature at the beginning of the book. Make sure that the one you are buying has all of that. Used books are not likely to have the online feature unless the owner did not use it for whatever reasons.I am very happy with this textbook.

The book came quicker than it had posted it would. None of the pages were creased. There is some highlighting which I normally do not care for, reason why I always bought new. I took a chance and even though some highlighting I got over it for the condition and price. I will buy used again.

I received this book in excellent condition. Very glad with the transaction!
The seller has responded promptly to all my inquiries. +++++++

Lost this textbook and needed a replacement fast. This book was delivered within a week after placing the order. I would order from this seller again!

It was a fair price for the book, but the book looked like it had been dropped in a bucket of water. The pages were wrinkled and it wasn't it the best of the condition. Just hope I can resell it when I finish with it.

I ordered this book rather than other because I wanted the CD-rom study guide as well. It did not come with the book. And the book is not in good condition either. It is real tattered. The description was very misleading!