History of the Renaissance World

Susan Wise Bauer has made it her life goal to educate older students and adults fully. The third volume in her history series for older readers,The History of the Renaissance World, she continues this project with skill and insight. Supported by dozens of timelines, maps and photographs, a helpful index, and a massive bibliography, this is more than just a scholarly chronicle—it's a highly readable narrative history of Europe, Asia, and Africa at the dawn of the modern era.

Those who love straight history will be perfectly happy with this volume: there are names, dates, and battles to satisfy even the most diehard trivia hound. But those who are skeptical of the delights of history study should have no fear: Bauer has included a wealth of anecdotes that cast the human light on what can seem like an austere discipline. Once again, we're reminded that history is about human beings, and that it's about far more than their actions: it's also about their ideas and beliefs.

One of the major themes to emerge from Bauer's latest venture is the tumult wrought by ideological change. Even as learning and rational thought were on the rise, the Inquisition and the Crusades were in full swing. What are the reasons for this? why was change so long in coming? why did change even come at all? Bauer investigates these questions and more, always pointing readers to the fact that history writing is as much about commentary as about providing data.

North Africa receives some coverage, though the focus is on Europe and Asia. Partly this is because the peoples in those two continents left better records, and partly because they were the dominant military, political, and cultural forces. Regardless of who or what Bauer is describing, however, she gives us a much better look into the subject at hand than most books. Whether you're a high school student who wants a better history program, or an adult wanting to brush up,The History of the Renaissance World is highly recommended.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.