A History of Modern Europe: From the Renaissance to the Present

by John M. Merriman

Book Overview

This history of Europe since the Renaissance emphasizes not only cultural and social history, but also examines important political and diplomatic events. Major themes covered include the social bases of politics, the rise of the modern state, and relations between the different social classes.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393968855
• ISBN13: 9780393968859
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 1515 Pages
• Weight: 3.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.0" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

History as it should be

My initial contact with Merriman was with the 2nd volume of his 1st edition of "History of Modern Europe" for a class in college. As a self-professed "history nerd", I find some works to be more engrossing than the lay historian might. Upon reading Merriman's work, however, I was completely drawn into the journey through the history of Europe. Merriman brilliantly weaves vast quanitites of information from all genres into a relatively concise history. He has balanced his narrative with interesting anecdotes and snippets of the human quirks that give flavor to any history. Even more, however, is his crackling prose. Make no mistake, I am not placing him alongside Dickens or Henry James when it comes to masterful prose. Merriman does offer a fluid text that engages the reader, unlike the all-too-often crippling effect of Kalahari-dry writing. Merriman provokes thought about issues that molded and wound Europe into what it is today. The reader can jump into this work with both feet and be immersed in a vivid world of kingdoms, religion-dominated realms, and, eventually, the nation-state. I recommend this text for anyone who is looking for an in-depth, yet not suffocating history of Europe.

An excellent condensation of 500 years

I bought this book for my second semester freshman year as a required textbook. My professor used it as a background to the primary sources we were reading, and it does indeed give excellent background reading into the period. However, I discovered that it comes in handy more than that. Now a junior studying abroad, I dragged this rather heavy volume along with me to Europe, and use it as a basis for further research into the field. Although it isn't going to get indepth like some books can do with a specific focus (one example: it's not going to tell you the population density and makeup of 18th century Bologne) it does give a broad scope of history, and is therefore a perfect place from which to jump into deeper topics.

Redressing a balance

Modern historiography has a tendency to be highly abstract. Events themselves take a back seat to trends; themes replace actual motivations of living, breathing people. It is seen as more scientific (whether reasonably or not) to view movements of peoples and states in statistical terms. The oldest form of history -- the narrative -- has fallen into some amount of discredit.There are some of us who deplore this development, since we see in the story itself -- the whole snarled skein of the events, the characters, the people -- a kind of richness and complexity that cannot ever be present in any pure distillation of that story along abstract lines. Accordingly I welcome Prof. Merriman's new modern European history. It is suitably analytical where it needs to be, but unlike some other classic standards (Palmer and Colton, for example, comes to mind), it tends not to depart from the story of the events or to fragment that story excessively. For long stretches he is content to let that story tell itself. This puts it in a rare cluster of modern historical textbooks that presents at least the ingredient of narrative while still being written with a mature and discerning reader in mind.

Outstanding Text

Don't pay any attention to the bored high school brats and their negative "reviews." Anything more complicated than the menu at McDonald's would put them to sleep. This is a lucid, engaging text that transcends the bounds of conventional historiography to borrow from literature and art to adorn a lively narrative. Merriman is a professor of history at Yale who can explain complex developments (such as the French Revolution and the rise of revolutionary nationalism) in accessible terms. It is by far the best introductory textbook on Europe sicne 1300.

A Comprehensive Textbook

This textbook is excellent. It provides an in-peth analysis of European History, without being too in depth. It provides information on many subjects, including culture, art, politics, and religion. The book is a worthy investment for all who are studying European History.