Understanding World History

The Enlightenment: ISBN 978-1-60152-740-0 / eBook: 978-1-60152-741-7
The Rise of Islam: ISBN 978-1-60152-744-8 / eBook: 978-1-60152-745-5
The Rise of the Nazis: ISBN 978-1-60152-654-0 / eBook: 978-1-60152-655-7
Voya, June, 2015

Each volume in this series examines a particular time period or historical event in great depth, with sections including an overview of the subject along with causes and legacies. The Enlightenment explores advances in science, art, and medicine during the Enlightenment period as well as the Enlightenment as a cause of the American Revolution. The Rise of Islam follows the life of Muhammad and the events immediately following his death and the beginnings of the ongoing conflict between Shiite and Sunni Muslims, and briefly explains the tenets of the Muslim faith. The Rise of the Nazis examines the causes and events leading up to World War II, including the problems in the German government between the World Wars, and how Adolf Hitler’s talent for propaganda helped him rise to power. Although slim at less than one hundred pages each, these books are dense, containing solid information for report writers and anyone interested in the topics. The text is highly readable and sidebars pull out and further examine interesting tidbits. Colorful illustrations appear throughout. Extensive back matter includes resources for research, further reading, and short biographies of key players within historical events. Understanding World History is a solid purchase for middle and high school libraries as well as public libraries with large nonfiction collections.

The Rise of Islam: ISBN 978-1-60152-744-8 / eBook: 978-1-60152-745-5
Booklist, November 15, 2014

This latest addition to the Understanding World History series gives a thorough, well-researched background of Islam, from the birth and youth of Muhammad and his call from God to the religion’s golden age (750–1258 CE). The introductory time line of important events during the rise of Islam sets the stage for events discussed in the text. The straightforward prose is dense yet readable. Each chapter is separated by headings and includes two to three text boxes and a similar number of colored illustrations, all set upon an attractive parchment background. Of particular interest are the chapters on Muhammad’s personal life and his faith, though other chapters take on the expansion of Islam, its legacy, and more.

Detailed chapter source notes and an extensive list of additional books and websites give young researchers alternate access points to complete their projects on Muhammad or Islam—hot topics that show no signs of cooling down.

The Arab Spring Uprisings: ISBN 978-1-60152-630-4 eBook: 978-1-60152-631-1
Booklist, July 17, 2014

This timely book chronicles events of the Arab Spring, a wave of demonstrations and protests against traditional Arab regimes between 2010 and 2013, some ending in regime change, some in political reforms, and some put down or still festering. Like other titles in the Understanding World History series, this survey begins with a description of “defining characteristics” of the period and some background. Three chapters focus on particular countries: Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. A conclusion offers “legacies,” which are difficult to enumerate from an unfinished movement. The author’s explanations are clear; his sources are mostly American or English, often news articles from the period, but also include material from Al Jazeera and other Arab sites. One sidebar repeats an often-used quote from the Koran about beating one’s wife, though it doesn’t acknowledge the complexity of the Muslim teachings (or any religious teachings) and might be seen as supporting stereotypes. Otherwise the treatment of religion seems fair and respectful. Helpful back matter adds value for student research.
— Kathleen Isaacs

The Digital Age: ISBN 978-1-60152-482-9 eBook: 978-1-60152-483-6
Elizabethan England: ISBN 978-1-60152-484-3 eBook: 978-1-60152-485-0
Pearl Harbor: ISBN 978-1-60152-486-7 eBook: 978-1-60152-487-4
School Library Journal, May 2013

Each volume of the textbook like series begins with the same foreword, expounding bombastically on varying views of history, from the Puritans' "city upon a hill" to nihilism, before stating its intent that students understand the present by examining the past. This is followed by a pithy time line of pivotal events for the title's topic before an introduction that lays out the basic facts or defining characteristics. The first four chapters chronicle the event or era in fairly dense text using primary and secondary sources and quotes (cited in endnotes), while chapter five examines the modern-day impact and legacy. Captioned photos and paintings appear occasionally, while sidebars providing further detail on certain ideas occur more frequently. Maps and diagrams are large and colorful but many are lacking clarifying information; in Pearl Harbor, a map titled "Japanese Expansion 1895-1938" only shows which areas of East Asia were controlled by the Japanese, French, U.S., and British, but there is no illustration of how the expansion grew over the time frame. A list of important people, suggestions for further reading, and a research-worthy index are included. While this series does not cover new ground, Digital Age is worth purchasing, as it is very current; the other volumes could be considered to fill holes in middle and high school collections.
—Rebecca Dash Donsky, New York Public Library

Proving that Wikipedia is never a good substitute for real research, these titles in the Understanding World History series offer more thorough introductions to their topics. With an opening time line and guided questions, the books immediately encourage students to ponder each era's place in history. The Digital Age starts with Charles Babbage's designs for the world's first automatic computing engines and continues with the influence of WWII and the Cold War on computer development, advances in mainframe and personal computers, and lasting global connections through the World Wide Web. Elizabethan England relates Queen Elizabeth I's advance to power and considers the hardships of life in London, the rise of the arts during the Renaissance, and Elizabeth's role as "pirate queen," endorsing privateering, slave trading, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Using quotes from primary sources, Pearl Harbor addresses the long buildup of events leading up to Japan's infamous surprise assault, preparations and details of the attack itself, and the aftermath as the U.S. entered the war. Complemented with archival photos and reproductions, the books conclude with a look at each era’s legacy, from workhouses for the poor to the atomic bomb to digital media as a tool for social activism. Extensive back matter provides avenues for further research.
—Angela Leeper

Ancient Greece: ISBN 978-1-60152-284-9 eBook: 978-1-60152-285-6
The Black Death: ISBN 978-1-60152-480-5 eBook: 978-1-60152-481-2
The Renaissance: ISBN 978-1-60152-189-7 eBook: 978-1-60152-327-3

Booklist, March 1, 2013

The Understanding World History series first lays out the sequence of events in each period of history and then explains how these events shaped what happened next. Each title begins with a time line, helping students fix the period of history in their minds while providing them with a broad overview. Titles also include an annotated list of important people in the back matter. Page designs incorporate a parchment-paper background, and many of the illustrations are by artists of the period and often include maps and boxes to highlight particular subjects, such as "The Greek Chorus," in Ancient Greece. This title combines mythology, history, and politics and provides an enlightening perspective on the treatment of women in the cultures of Athens and Sparta. Students with an appetite for the grisly will especially enjoy The Black Death, with its vivid descriptions of the disgusting living conditions and shocking medical treatments used by medieval people to combat the incredibly deadly disease. Artists and philosophers are the focus of The Renaissance, along with scientists like Newton. Also discussed is the tension between religion and humanism. These concise treatments of important historical subjects should help students get a firmer grasp on what happened when, and why we still care.
—Susan Dove Lempke

Ancient Egypt: ISBN 978-1-60152-152-1 / eBook: 978-1-60152-363-1
Ancient Rome: ISBN 978-1-60152-186-6 / eBook: 978-1-60152-324-2
The Decade of the 2000s: ISBN 978-1-60152-187-3 / eBook: 978-1-60152-325-9
The Early Middle Ages: ISBN 978-1-60152-151-4 / eBook: 978-1-60152-362-4
The Holocaust: ISBN 978-1-60152-155-2 / eBook: 978-1-60152-366-2
The Late Middle Ages: ISBN 978-1-60152-188-0 / eBook: 978-1-60152-326-6
Library Media Connection, August 1, 2012

This series surveys the political, social, and cultural trends of major periods in world history. Where appropriate, primary sources provide information that brings historical events to life. Each volume contains a timeline of important events, as well as the defining characteristics of the period. These volumes provide an excellent format for the study of world history by examining the people and ideas in history. Bibliography. Diane Coslin, Educational Reviewer, Waukesha, Wisconsin

The Decade of the 2000s: ISBN 978-1-60152-187-3 / eBook: 978-1-60152-325-9
The Early Middle Ages: ISBN 978-1-60152-151-4 / eBook: 978-1-60152-362-4
VOYA, June 1, 2012

The series features Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, The Early Middle Ages, The Late Middle Ages, The Holocaust, and The Decade of the 2000s. These titles may serve as a supplement to middle and early high school history textbooks. Each title is organized into five chapters including a discussion of the circumstances and events leading up to the era and commentary on the legacy of the time period. A time line, list of important people, and an exploration of defining characteristics are also featured. The Early Middle Ages offers an overview of Western European history from 285 AD and the split of the Roman Empire through the rule of Charlemagne to 1096 AD and the first Christian crusade. Topics covered include the rise of feudalism and the power of the Christian Church. The Islamic Empire is casually mentioned while the civilizations of Asia are completely ignored. The Decade of the 2000s highlights global terrorism, natural disasters, and the changing media landscape as key features of the early 21st century. Technological innovation and popular culture—including iPods, social networking, and the Harry Potter phenomenon—are given as much consideration as economic recession, war in Afghanistan and Iraq, and American politics. The gay rights movement is mentioned but immigration issues are not.

Gr 8 Up Each book features a somewhat off-topic foreword that does little to help introduce the series and a useful pictorial time line to show important events that are later explained in detail. The volumes on the ancient and medieval world work well as a set, delineating a single geographic region's development over a specific era. Holocaust covers a much narrower period but provides context to the events of World War II that reach back to the anti-Semitic writings of Martin Luther. Decade of the 2000s is US-centric, though it covers major events of violence and natural disaster across the globe, and does an excellent job of providing information, in brief, on politics, pop culture, and science and technology. The pair on the Middle Ages are written with enthusiasm for the time period, making a supposedly dark period of history more intriguing.

Ancient Egypt: ISBN 978-1-60152-152-1 / eBook: 978-1-60152-363-1
Booklist, October 1, 2011

This title from the Understanding World History series thoroughly examines the conditions that led to the rise of ancient Egypt and its pharaohs, as well as their legacy. Complemented by numerous maps and photographs (including several of mummies), the straightforward text explains how geography and religion influenced the culture. The most fascinating chapter highlights the building of the pyramids, their remarkable features (e.g., ball-and-socket construction that allows the structures to expand and contract with heat and cold), and the mysteries that still surround their near perfection in a time without modern technology. Other chapters look at the rise of arts and literature and the shift from a polytheistic to a monotheistic society. Sidebars on such topics as peasants' diets and the development of papyrus paper add further interest. Other features include a time line, source notes, and lists of books, websites, and "Important People." For more information on art and mythology, pair with Joann Fletcher's Exploring the Life, Myth, and Art of Ancient Egypt (2009).

Understanding World History Reviews