Aspects of European History 1494-1789

by Stephen J. Lee

Book Overview

First published in 1984. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0415027845
• ISBN13: 9780415027847
• Release Date: July 1984
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 324 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Helpful introduction to the main topics of early modern Europe

The author attempts to provide succinct yet scholarly introductions to thirty-seven topics in early modern European history, on such topics as Calvinism and the Jesuits and The Reforms of the Great Elector. The focus is mostly political so one will look elsewhere for social, intellectual, or cultural issues, but in the political history Lee does very well. It is quite readable (despite some typographical mistakes). However, the encyclopedia-type entries are selective in what is covered, so one may not get the best introduction to a topic at times, as on the causes of the French Revolution (although historians debate these causes continuously). But still, the causes he gives are worth reading. The second problem is the bibliography, which is usually dated scholarship and only lists English-language works. So one will have to turn elsewhere for more sources to go beyond these brief entries. Nevertheless, if we accept that Lee didn't want to do lengthy synopses and found enough value in the books he consulted, then this book achieves its goal and is valuable to a student who is starting out in early modern European history. Still, most students will head to answers.com or wikipedia first for this type of content.