Histoire de L'Europe [French]

This French edition of the History of Europe was written and published by members of the National Education System of France.Most of the contributors are professors from French universities.The book is a very sketchy survey of European History from prehistoric times to the present. The authors review most of the major themes but in a very sparse manner. There might be two pages about the Nazi Holocaust and several more about the period of World War Two. Obviously it would be impossible to give a detailed account of European History in five hundred pages. If you are looking for a general survey or review of the histoy of Europe this volume is ideal. You will have to find the detail elsewhere. There is an impressive glossary of terms but only a few maps and charts. The most interesting and useful feature in each chapter is the inclusion of several "primary" documents about the period in question. For example , there are included in the text a french translation of the Nazi "Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor", an excerpt from Diderot's Encyclopedia and a description by Mehmet II of the sack of Constantinople in 1453. These historical documents are the redeeming virtue of this volume.