Customer Reviews

Worlds of History: A Comparative Reader. Volume Two: Since 1400

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I used this book for my AP World History course. I have to say that this book is very effective for the purpose. The book offers many primary sources from many different places. To help out with the understanding, it offers some review questions at the beginning of each primary source. It may be hard to read at times, but it is worth its weight in gold for all it offers.

I purchased this book (along with its companion second volume) for my son who is a seventh-grader with a genuine interest in history. It seemed like a concise yet broad survey, which could provide a young history buff with many starting points for further exploration, and the good reviews were encouraging. Unfortunately, as I did a quick review prior to giving the set to my son, I found the books woefully lacking. The author is extremely biased in his choices of people and events covered, and manipulative in his presentation tone.

The books completely ignore many important facts and events, which one might be willing to excuse due to the breadth of the subject and the size of this survey, yet certain topics are belabored and overexposed to such an extent that the excuse falls apart. (If the author was attempting to be brief, then he should have cut some of the extra details from topics that are already heavily covered and used the space to add at least a sentence about other important events).

For example, in the last chapter of the first volume, covering science and technology, the author spends pages discussing the Judeo-Christian doctrine, yet mentions Newton and Galileo in two fleeting sentences, more as an afterthought than anything else, and without any background or context. No real information regarding the scientific revolution, taking place in Europe during the mid-Renaissance period, that would set the stage for the development of western science as we know it is provided.

In his coverage of World War I and post-war events in the second volume, the author presents a highly sanitized view of Turkey. He spends pages on Turkey, yet cannot find room for at least a brief mention of the genocide of more than a million Armenian, as well as Greek, Assyrian, Jewish civilians, which effectively provided a blueprint for ethnic cleansing that was further developed and "perfected" in the form of the Holocaust. I have great interest in World War I and early 20th century history, so I have spent a lot of time reading about and studying this era. I am not as knowledgeable about many other historical periods, nonetheless, even for someone like me, the bias and spin are very obvious.

I will be sending this two-volume set back and will keep looking for a better option for my son.

Even though I ordered it used it barely looked it. Before I got the item I sent e-mails with questions to the seller and they answered back politely and promptly. This text book is a great buy full of both secondary and primary sources.

Make sure that you are into Pre 1500 history before buying this book. It is laborious reading and easy to lose interest. Alot of information and good reading, if that era is your thing.

Had to have this book for a college course. It is well written, if a little dry, and very informative. Worth a look for anyone with any interest in early history.

I read this for a history course. It provides an acceptable overview of historical events. It is a collection of primary and secondary source materials from different sources so the narration lacks flow.