A Short History of Europe, 1600-1815: Search for a Reasonable World

Going into the new century, we have fairly clear ideas about the 20th century we have just left; and even the lead-in of the 19th century feels like familiar territory. But for me, and I suspect for many, the period between the Renaissance and more recent times has been a horrendous muddle. This book is uncommonly successful in bringing order to that muddle. The authors do a remarkable job of portraying the tapestry of events and cultural forces that got us from there to here. Indeed, thanks to them, the "here" becomes much clearer. Although this was written as a college text, with clarity a primary value, the book succeeds as a Michelin guide to history for the interested independent reader.