Ways of the World V2 & Worlds of History 3e V2 & Pocket Guide to Writing in History 5e

by Robert W. Strayer

Ways of the World offers a genuine alternative for world history survey courses. Designed from the beginning as a brief text, Ways of the World focuses on the "big picture" of significant historical developments and is thoroughly global in its thematic and comparative approach. The accessible voice of a single author, with long experience in the classroom and in the world history movement, delivers to students an insightful new synthesis, thought provoking questions, and chapter ending sections that invite reflection on the meaning of world history. Available in full color and in combined and split volumes, Ways of the World just might be the book you’ve been waiting for.

Genres: History, World History, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published September 3, 2008

Reviews

[Hann Farmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

probably as interesting as a college textbook gets

[Reagan Lovrien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would be 1 star, but the mongols and China carried

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the text for my World History II (1500s - present day) class. I enjoyed reading it very much and appreciated the documentary and visual evidence at the end of each chapter.

[Airwrecka Wu · Rating 1 out of 5]

I HATE HISTORY

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a nice overview of modern history, but it was absolutely terrifying given current events as I was reading about the events of the last century. So depressing given that humans never seem to learn from the past.

[Sydney Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

so so so much information in here it's nauseating but history major and as also its still very well done even if its a lot. do recommend

[David Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is not only poorly written but patently offensive. It is filled with some of the most Eurocentric ideas I have ever seen in a modern history book. It introduces concepts as proven fact with out footnotes and sourcing (the “Little Ice Age,” for instance). It subtly makes a case against global warming. It is dismissive and reductive towards the indigenous cultures of the Americas. It describes the European’s spread of diseases throughout Native American cultures, and the subsequent loss of millions of lives, as a competitive advantage white people had over Native peoples. It justifies slavery and indentured servanthoodby saying their was a massive “labor shortage” in the New World due to a “loss of life” of indigenous workers. To refer to enslaved human beings as a “labor force” rather than what they actually are (unwilling forced participants in labor, captured humans, political prisoners, etc) is disgusting. What would you expect from a man who wrote another book describing communism as a “failed experiment” and another man who wrote a book in praise of religious colonization of indigenous people of Africa. I transitioned from Howard Zinn and Ronald Tataki in my last two classes to this European Propaganda. So inaccurate and offensive that it has to be on purpose. No person could be genuinely this uninformed without it being intentional. If I could give less stars I would.

[Remy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the first volume of this textbook. it was interesting, with lots of visuals to aid in concept understanding and visualization. Snapshots, Zooming In's, and excerpts of sources at the end of each chapter further helped develop understanding, and provided a glimpse into the worlds if the past. The material was easy to read (not convoluted or too much small text like some others) and variations in colors not only helped to categorize and organize material, it helped space content and make it more visually appealing.
I have just started this volume, but I assume that it will be similar in its style and presentation of content, so I will recommend this textbook for those interested in world history as well as colleges looking for a history book their students might actually read.

[Lyrissa]

This book is not at all well written. It doesn't present events in a narrative format, so many of the things it describes are completely unmemorable. It contains unnecessary jargon and convoluted sentence structures. Here's an example picked at random, not even one of the worst offenders: "In the world of third-wave civilizations, even more than during the classcial era that preceded it, China cast a long shadow. Its massive and powerful civilization, widely imitated by adjacent peoples, gave rise to a China-centered "world order" encompassing most of eastern Asia." (379)

[Willem · Rating 3 out of 5]

I use this as a lecturer. Nice and convincing composition. Well written. Great illustrations.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as history textbooks go, this one is excellent. It's easy to read and has great side notes. It doesn't jump around a lot, which I appreciate.

[Abraham Gustavson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed using this textbook in my World History II class.

[Ren]

A bit too wordy. Jumped around so much in every paragraph, hard to keep up with which country was being talked about when. Seemed repetitive and drawn out in places it didn't need to be. Did draw a lot of attention to racism and sexism, so I appreciated that. Hard to look things up though because it went from subject to subject without clarity.