Europe in the Modern World: A New Narrative History Since 1500

by Edward Berenson

Europe in the Modern A New Narrative History Since 1500 is an unusually engaging narrative history of Europe since 1500. Written by an award-winning teacher and scholar, the narrative highlights the major episodes of the European past and vividly connects those episodes to major
international events. Each chapter opens with a compelling biographical sketch--from Toussaint Louverture to Leni Riefenstahl--that gives the book's ideas a vibrant, human face, while "Writing History" exercises at the end of each chapter offer students step-by-step guidance toward effective,
polished prose. Taken together, the end-of-chapter exercises constitute a powerful expository writing program unique to this book.

Europe in the Modern World pays considerably more attention to economic history than do other textbooks, demonstrating the role that economic developments--and the political, social, and cultural responses to them--play in shaping the political and social life of a given age. By taking politics and
economics seriously while doing justice to social and cultural life, Europe in the Modern World explains the key phenomena of the Western past with clarity and verve. The book reads not like a typical academic text, but more like the best narrative history.

840 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2016

About the author

Edward Berenson is professor of history, director of the Institute of French Studies, and director of the Center for International Research in Humanities and Social Sciences, New York University. His previous books include Heroes of Empire: Five Charismatic Men and the Conquest of Africa. He lives in Irvington, NY.

Reviews

[Jamie Pollard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great great book; everything you need to know about the development of the Western world in terms of national development, the use of resources, technologies and military power, and the need for machinery in nation-building and how it relates to the developing nations today; and the developed world in terms of weight (soft and hard power), expertise (scientific and commercial), alliances, and capital.

[Chloe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dr. Jeffery Lewis you will feel my wrath

[colette ⋆˙⟡]

succinct and clear in its systematic attempt to survey modern european history from 1500 to today(ish) - thank you professor berenson!!

[Michael McGuire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a very good textbook. Not at all a chore to read.