Illustrated History of Europe; A Unique Portrait of Europe's Common History

By Frédéric Delouche and Jacques Aldebert

Book Overview

Twelve historians from across Europe have collaborated to create a history of the European identity, covering topics ranging from geography, language, and culture to significant events and themes... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0760724881
• ISBN13: 9780760724880
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Barnes & Noble
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 3.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

European History ... Could a Textbook Ever Look So Good?

If one takes the time to write a review - albeit even such a brief one as this - on a book that is apparently now out of print, then this act must indeed of itself speak something of the value of the book being reviewed. And that is here truly the case, for Frédéric Delouche's beautifully executed "Illustrated History of Europe: A Unique Portrait of Europe's Common History" is a wonderful addition to the general European history genre. Yes, it appears to be "out of print." And yet here I am, writing to tell you about it. The text, which reins in at a mere 400 pages and dedicates a copious percentage of that page space to illustrations (and "copious" here means a LOT), is obviously not intended to be an extensive treatment of European history. That task that would easily take a volume three times its size, and that sans illustrations. What this book does provide, however, is a marvelous sweep of the major themes and primary events of Europe's past, and does so in a highly readable text that is engagingly supported with truly first-rate illustrations and photos. This is surely the textbook we all wish we had in school when we studied European history. If we had, we might have found this fascinating world burst open to us in a way that rarely does before we get a little older and find intrinsic motivation to learn the subject. Rarely have I seen a textbook more wonderfully executed than this. The text is clear and meaningful, the content is divided out using attractive and colorful section breaks, the photos and drawings which adorn the work are reproduced in full color and in full resolution, and the overall layout of the volume was doubtlessly designed by a team of graphic artists who very much understood how to make a printed page look visually attractive and emotionally engaging. The book was written by a panel of 12 European scholars, and covers prehistory all the way up to 1996, divided into twelve chapters: From Tundra to Temple; Rome; Byzantium and the West; Medieval Christianity in the West; Crises and Renaissance; Europe and Wider World; Reformation Europe; The Enlightenment and the Idea of Liberty; The Modernization of Europe; In Danger of Self Destruction; The End of Divided Europe?; and Towards a United Europe? As such, the book deals with European unification under the EU but will end before the events of the last decade of time had occurred. The book has been released in a number of editions, and was also printed in both hardback and paperback versions. You may still be able to find some used copies for sale, or perhaps a few new ones being sold by associate sellers. If you can find a copy, and this area of history is your interest, it is easy to recommend you pick up a copy, with a preference for the hardback edition. If you are a graphic artist, or just want to see what a textbook can really look like if someone puts some effort into it, this book is also a good choice for you. But while admiring the gorgeous art layout, don'

Excellent Volume

This is quite an interesting book, and it is too bad that it appears to be out of print. As a casual student of European history, I must say that this volume, though not intended to be an exhaustive reference (or even a comprehensive overview) of European history, is quite enjoyable and provides clear presentations of historic themes for the non-historian. The book is lavishly illustrated, and one of its real strengths is the artistic presentation of material throughout the volume (and if you sneer at such comments, think of all the hideously illustrated books you have seen over the years ... this is no small feat). At any rate, if you can get a hardcover edition of this, I would recommend it.

Must read, currently out of print

I just finished reading this book. I got it from the library, and was so impressed I was interested in purchasing a copy of my own. Unfortunately, at this time it is listed as out of print. In high school I missed out on European History due to a schedule conflict. This book did a great job of finally providing that information. It covers the whole of European history, and is a great resource to understand the world today. There are lots of maps, lots of pictures, lots of quotes. I applaud the several European authors in their successful undertaking.