Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 28
 Bought for my kids and I can't put it down! September 14, 2009
Belly Buttons (Phoenix, AZ)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a well-written resource that I think should be a part of every collection. I find that everyone in the family (including myself) opens it to look up one thing and then ends up reading page after page for enjoyment. (Yes, we are kinda geeky like that!)
The book is well-organized and indexed. It include color coding to indicate the region of the world where the events took place and timelines on almost every page. The book also includes bits of science and a lot of culture which helps to make it both well-rounded and intriguing. Although it is intended as a reference book, it contains enough interesting information and gorgeous pictures to make it enjoyable reading.
My son who reads on a 2nd grade level is able to read much of the book and is not intimidated by it -which is partly due to a nice (comfortable) font size and the illustrations on every page.
I am THRILLED with our purchase of this book!
Best Available Home School History Book July 24, 2009
W. Bradley (PCB, FL)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
We are Christian parents homeschooling our two girls using a trivium-based curriculum of our own design. If we had to limit ourselves to one history book it would be the Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia Of World History (Hardcover).
We also use Parragon and Kingfisher World History books, Usborne Atlas of World History, Usborne History Dates, and the Mystery of History. I also use Cracking the AP World History Exam (by Princeton Review) as an aid in linking key history concepts when putting our history lessons together.
Because we are using the Well-Trained Mind to guide our homeschooling I have looked at Story of the World several times but can't bring myself to like it. I feel it (and Mystery of History) are inadequate for use as a history spine, although we occasionally use Mystery of History as a supplement. One reason Mystery of History is inadequate is that it's 50/50 religious/secular history, crowding out to much world history in the process. We do our Bible study in addition to history rather than trying to kill two birds with one stone.
The Parragon book is similar to the Usborne book and, though not as complete, it provides a very good complement. The Kingfisher was intended to be our primary history book for grades 5-8. It is more detailed and requires a higher reading level but overall doesn't flow nearly as well as the Usborne World History. I expect to lean primarily on the Usborne EWH again in grades 5-8 while still using the Kingfisher as a supplement. We'll just use it more often than in grades 1-4.
The Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia Of World History has great maps, great graphics, and well-written text. The sections are complete and it does a decent job of connecting the dots from one civilization to the next. It's also been very helpful in building a history timeline. Our Amy Pac timeline figures are really not that great and have numerous errors, so being able to download graphics from the Usborne Encylopedia has been very useful in generating our own timeline figures. The Usborne internet links provided are generally pretty good and are maintained current. Sure you can Google for similar content but it doesn't take long to realize how much time gets eaten up sorting through sites looking for something worthwhile. Using the Usborne-quicklinks is a no-brainer and time-saver.
As noted by other reviewers the first 100 pages covers creation to the dawn of man, including changes to the earth and life on it. It's well done and what we used for our daughter's Kindergarten "history" lessons. The girls always looked forward to the readings and, other than a few skipped pages, we had no trouble reconciling Usborne's pre-history with our Christian faith.
I spend a fair amout of time each week putting together history lessons using multiple resources, so I agree with the reviewer that wished for something better but wrote that it's the best history currently available. I'm also confident that if our girl's history lessons consisted of nothing more than reading from the Usborne Encyclopedia Of World History they would still love history and easily learn more about it than 98% of our country's children.
 Contains Evolution & Big Bang....100+ pages of it July 21, 2009
Mom of Two (Midwest, USA)
9 out of 20 found this review helpful
EDITED TO REMOVE MY OPINIONS ON EVOLUTION SINCE IT BOTHERS SOME OF YOU. ;-) I'LL STICK TO MY BOOK EVALUATION ONLY.
I purchased this at a used curriculum sale and should've paid a bit closer attention. The first 100 pages are based on the evolution/Big Bang theory and an earth that is over "4,000 million years old"; creation isn't discussed, nor is any other theory of origin for that matter. Be that as it may, why is evolution even being discussed in a WORLD HISTORY book? Evolution is a science, is it not?
Further, this book states that Homo Erectus evolved into Homo Sapien, which we know is false based on DNA samples taken from each species. There is no way one evolved from the other; DNA is unique to a species and can never "evolve" into something else no matter how much time passes (scientifically proven by an evolution scientist, btw.) Perhaps this book was printed before that information was made available?? I should certainly hope so, otherwise the authors are woefully negligent in keeping up-to-date.
That aside, the other 250 or so pages are at least usable with colorful art and photos, information isn't overwhelming, but not terribly in-depth either (perfect for up to 5th grade maybe.) I checked into some of the links, and they are "average". It's nice to have the work all done and the links in one spot, but some of them are nothing more than an enlarged picture of something in the book.
Usborne World History July 9, 2009
Melissa Arman
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is comprehensive, accurate, and amazing!!! The kids are actually loving learning history. Phenomenal product
EXCELLENT HISTORY BOOK FOR ALL AGES & RACES/NATIONS. May 3, 2009
Yung Man Chuen (HONG KONG,CHINA)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
I have purchased more than 35 BOOKS recently from AMAZON.COM.Since I am
a PETROLEUM GEOSCIENTIST, I am more interested with Petro-technical books,
and normally I spent lots of times to do my own research for my projects.
I read a lot of PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, GEOPHYSICS, PETROLEUM ENGINEERING BOOKS for OILFIELDS RESEARCH.
I seldom pay much attention on other things particularly on unnecessary
entertainments. I am very well aware that other people or friends of
other professions are also very busy & occupied with their own jobs.
History seems to be only for a leisure thing to read. Or else for the
BRITISH might be interested with HISTORY of ENGLAND or the CHINESE, we are
only interested with our 4600 years of DYNASTIES, likewise other RACES
might be interested with their own country or own races' histories.
In this sense, most of us are very narrow & shallow with very limited
knowledge of what really happened in the past:HISTORY, unless you are
a college major in HISTORY.
When I flipped open this excellent book:Encyclopedia of WORLD HISTORY by
THE USBORNE, I was amazed with such a complete comprehensive coverage of
so much knowledge of WORLD HISTORY in a very simple interesting way with
very good pictures of what really happened in the PAST!!
From 4,550 million years ago when the EARTH was formed to PRESENT 2,000 years of the
NEW MILLENIUM. This book is so wonderful, it covered a very well documented portion of HISTORICAL GEOLOGY for the geology majors and moving onwards to the Development of MANKINDS & WORLD EVENTS.
I am impressed indeed that this history book is for all RACES & NATIONS in a very
concise(condensed) history of the world events.
For these reasons, it offered the readers to have a very broad horizon
about the affairs & events of MANKIND since the EARTH's FORMATION.
In this case, it will not restrict me from only knowing the HISTORY of my
own country: CHINA!! It gives me the opportunity to know about ENGLAND,
RUSSIA, IRAN, INDIA etc. Even the details were very condensed, it served
as a primer for anyone who are interested to know more and will start digging
into more detailed histories of the world on the condition that they have
more time!!
I am very impressed by the Authors: JANE BINGHAM, FIONA CHANDLER, SAM
TAPLIN and the complete RESEARCH TEAM & CONSULTANTS. OBVIOUSLY this TEAM
is composed of A TOP-NOTCH TEAM of BRITISH HISTORICAL SCHOLARS!! I thank you for
your efforts and a fine job done!!
If more people will read this comprehensive HISTORY BOOK of THE WORLD, I am sure there will be less prejudice in this world and there will be more understandings
and cooperations for a better future of the WORLD!!
I would like to meet
the AUTHORS: Ms.JANE BINGHAM, Ms.FIONA CHANDLER and Mr.SAM TAPLIN if possible in the future.
I strongly recommend EVERY PUBLIC LIBRARY must keep a copy of this BOOK!!
I hope CHINA will translate this book into CHINESE for the young people to
learn what really happened in the PAST of the WORLD!!
It is indeed a very GOOD BOOK!!ENCYCLOPEDIA of WORLD HISTORY!!
THANK YOU AMAZON for letting me to share my humble opinion!!
BEST REGARDS,
STEPHEN M. YUNG,
HONG KONG,CHINA.
TEL:(852) 97541382 Email:steveyung8@gmail.com
Showing reviews 1-5 of 28
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