European History: An Enthralling Guide to the Story of Europe, the Renaissance, and the Enlightenment (Exploring the Past) Paperback – April 5, 2024

Excellent history book

Ok

Lots of interesting info in this easy to read guide. This covers a lot of history and is great for a refresh of your knowledge and you might learn something new in the process.

This book set is an excellent addition to the Enthralling History series, especially with its fastidious research, engaging prose, and accessible format.

I’m fascinated by history and even though I read daily it was a never enough. These series are helpful in that I can get more reading of historical event in a condensed, short and engaging way. This particular series I found to be well put together particularly the beginnings of early Europeans to populate the continent. I’d never had the chance to read about it in that context. I’m moving on to another of their series Ancient African Civilizations.

In this release, Enthralling History bundles three previous releases to give a comprehensive History of Europe. The first section takes on the challenge of covering the entire history of Europe from prehistoric times to the 21st century, starting with those that the publisher considers to be the first Europeans and by the time the reader arrives in the ninth chapter, the discussion focuses on a perspective of Modern Europe. The book touches on Greece, Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and what has been called the Age of Enlightenment. Of course, a portion does discuss the World Wars of the twentieth century.The second section focuses in detail on the Renaissance which documents the European transition from medieval times to the modern era. This period from the 14th to the 17th century marked a significant cultural, artistic, intellectual, and scientific revival in European culture. It also saw the expansion and domination of that culture to parts of the world and the book offers an interesting perspective on how Europe recovered after the fall of Rome.The final section turns to the Enlightenment which recognizes a philosophical and intellectual movement that emerged in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was characterized by a strong emphasis on reason, individualism, skepticism of traditional authority, and a belief in progress and human potential. The thinkers of the Enlightenment sought to apply the principles of science and reason to all aspects of human life, including politics, economics, religion, and social issues.Enlightenment ideas spread throughout Europe and had a profound impact on various aspects of society, politics, and culture. They laid the intellectual groundwork for the American and French Revolutions, as well as other movements for political and social change. The Enlightenment also paved the way for modern secular, democratic, and liberal values that continue to influence the world today.There is some redundancy in the information with the three sections but it is still a worthwhile read.

This three-part book offers a succinct history of European history from ancient to modern times. The books offer an excellent overview of the complex roots of this continent to its evolution as a beacon of humanity's progress and pitfalls. Highly recommended to everyone wanting to enjoy an enthralling and great review of this multiethnic human conglomerate.

great book