An absolute must read for serious history students.
591789
Well done with excellent research into the events and ideas that prompted the founders to design a government that rules with the consent of the governed without subjecting themselves to the tyranny of the masses.
1363948
This book is awesome and right on point with somethings that relatively makeup a true historical legacy. If you are a history major or a history teacher give this book a great read, and use it to challenge your mind with all that you may known.
2394517
Absolutely Amazing.
A Must for anyone with interest in World History of 19-20th Centuries
666245
Ms. Samantha Powers has spent countless hours and an immense amount of energy researching the issues and facts she discusses very eloquently. Her book not only discusses the various Genocides ignored by the modern world, but she also brings to light the greatest tragedy of Genocide - denial. If one is looking for a critical and substantive look at Genocide, I highly recommend this book. If one is looking for a white washed revisionist look at history, then I do not recommend this book. This book not only does justice to the millions of unrecognized Genocide victims, but also a great credit to historical writing and analysis.
2751241
This book is essential reading for the serious student of 20th century history, or for novices who simply want to understand the monstrous regimes of Hitler and Stalin.  Overy tends to focus on the similarities of the regimes to really find how these dictatorships sustained themselves for so long.  Readers will be interested to learn how the regimes of each dictator were NOT absolutely controlled by each individual dictator, but were made possible by the service of thousands of men, each with their own reasons for collaboration with the regime.

Each chapter examines a different aspect of both dictatorships: one chapter on Hitler and Stalin's rise to power, a chapter on each regimes' ideology, military, art, science, economics etc.  I agree with other reviewers that some of these chapters can get a little dry (especially the chapter on economics, partially because I am an economic ignoramus).  Regardless, this book is extremely readable overall, and I had trouble putting it down.  I cannot recommend this book highly enough.  It explains not only the defining regimes of the 20th century, how they came to power and sustained their murderous regimes, but it is also a study of power itself, and how it holds sway over otherwise good people and societies.  This is possibly the best history book I have ever read.
3989240
This book is for anyone who loves history. It is an eloquent defence of our civilisation's values, and also an impassioned and compelling argument for why the study of history is so important and is a vital discipline. It is not a matter of agreeing with every point Professor Ferguson makes, although his arguments are very convincing and it is hard indeed to see how to disagree. This book raises a question, which is how the West has achieved predominance over the rest of the world, and, by extension, how it can possibly maintain that predominance if it loses the features which made it so successful and which are being adopted by its rivals. It is a cultural analysis backed by historical evidence, and it is deliberately provocative even in terms of the question posed, not to mention the answers provided. The main value of this book is not, however, its all-encompassing sweep of world history and rich collation of stories and anecdotes, although that is what makes it so much fun to read and saves it from being boring (which many good books are). Professor Ferguson's virtue is that he does not sacrifice intellectual rigour in order to engage the interest of a non-specialist. As an economist as well as an historian his analysis is underpinned by serious scholarship that is not easily accessible to the layman, yet he vigorously challenges the established conventions that are characterised by complacency, presumed even-handedness, and relativism. Professor Ferguson is magnificent at marshalling a wide range of knowledge to support his opinions. It is what history should be all about. This book is an incisive analysis of the past which aims to stimulate debate. It is a reassessment of our assumptions that have a profound impact on the present, and of course also on the future.
2255911
While the overall size of this volume might be daunting for some, this is undoubtedly one of the best history books I've ever read.  Exhaustively researched and touching on nearly all aspects of Europe's long history, Norman Davies manages to pace and propel the story in a very readable way, while being cognizant to show history from nearly all angles ('winners' and 'losers').  This is a book I could reccomend to students and history buffs alike and each would find value and entertainment.
4583736
This volume is one in Mr. Atkinson's three part series of WW II history. The entire set is a monumental achievement. I cannot imagine how much time or effort it took to research and write these volumes. Each one is outstanding, readable, and very informative. You feel the battles as you read about them.  I've never seen a recent work of WW II history done so well or so thoroughly. The author has done his homework and presents you with a total package of knowledge and facts fresh from the past.  An incredible work--well worth your time and money. It rivals the best fiction writing today, and it's all true.
1660714
This is an excellent book.  It is an extraordinarily ambitious project to go through the entire human history--starting from the Persian Empire in 559BC to today's USA--looking at the rise and fall of hyperpowers that had/have attained global dominance.  And the author has succeeded admirably in producing a piece of work that is academically rigorous yet gripping to the general reader.

The comprehensiveness and depth of the author's research over the entire span of recorded human history is impressive.  She shows us how history has repeated itself time and again.  More importantly, she offers excellent insight in identifying a thread--the most important single factor--that connects the rise and fall of all the hyperpowers throughout human history.  With the eloquence of the Yale Professor that she is, the author presents a convincing case that tolerance has been a most important and necessary condition in the rise of a hyperpower in each and every case, and the lack of tolerance an evident contributing factor to decline.

I would recommend this book highly to anyone who is interested in learning from history.  This is particularly true in today's context when the United States dominates the world militarily and economically.  The lesson in history is too important to be ignored.
1616926
This story is very well written.and is a must read for any student of history!!
4683401
This is a totally absorbing book. There are many reviews so it is not necessary to rehash what it is about.  There are a few lessons that will stay with me.  The first is that history can be easily distorted.  This shows something is not true just because it is documented.  Second it follows the obsession of two extraordinary men. They are not trained historians but their commitment is beyond what we would usually associate with people.  Their motives are not clear but their commitment is all consuming.  I believe this book should be required reading for any serious historian.
2109652
Amazing book.  I have never learned so much history with such passion and journalistic narrative as I did reading this book.  I only wish the author were still alive so his brilliant investigative mind could have continued breathing life into such heavy and important phenomena.
1602191
Excellent! This book should be issued in schools as a must read for history's sake.
4341997
This book is very special.  It is completely engaging and even though one knows the outcome as Cynthia, Claire's daughter is around to write/edit this, one gets completely caught up and lost in the most amazing personal account of history through Claire's letters. I couldn't put this down.  Together, with Cynthia's summaries of history along the way, it is a must read for anyone interested in history.  Not to be missed.
3909822
This was such an eloquent novel. One must read these books to understand the anguish of history's mistakes if we are to never again repeat them. The author did a truly thorough job of incorporating various sources into this book to illustrate and narrate the full story of what was occurring during the occupation. Please read this book, it was fascinating!
4853439
Every serious student of the Civil war and U.S. history in general must read this book.  The book is absolutely critical to an understanding of the myths of the Lost Cause and Lee as "the Marble Man" that dominated all Civil War scholarship, North and South, until the last few decades.  This is not a book that can really be taken seriously as a work of history or biography.  The comments by other reviewers that it is not objective and that there is an agenda at work here are polite understatements.  In the world Dr. Freeman grew up and lived in -- late 19th and early 20th century southern U.S. -- "the War Between the States" had nothing to do with slavery and everything to do with the noble Confederates fighting a holy war, literally sanctified by God almighty, against a literal evil Empire in the North.  The rhetoric in this book, unabashedly presented as fact, embodies and promotes that viewpoint.  Robert E. Lee is, as presented by Freeman, no less a divine, infallible utterly good being than Christ himself.  (Those, by the way, are not overstatements).  It is difficult not to chuckle sometimes when reading Freeman's gushing prose.  I stifle the laughter by remembering the dark side of this idolatry and worship for the Lost Cause: the racism, segregation and murder of African-Americans (and sympathetic whites) in the American South that until relatively recently was sanctioned by laws passed under the shade of the Confederate flag.  This book is an historical artifact, a reminder of a point of view that still exists, albeit in a mercifully less widespread way.  If that is known going in, reading it is a must.
2447603
I couldn't recommend a book more highly than I do this one. This book is a milestone work that navigates the story of history back to where it should be.