Complete Idiot's Guide Versus Dummies:United States History, review

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United States History was the second topic we were sent for comparison of the Complete Idiot’s Guide versus the Dummies series.

While the basic facts of our country’s history might seem pretty cut and dry, the way the material is handled does vary a bit between the two books.

I started by observing the different background of each author.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to American History (5th edition) is written by Alan Axelrod, Ph.D. (in English with an emphasis on American literature and culture. He has written other titles on American history for the Complete Idiot’s Guide series of books as well as other history titles over the past 20 years.

U.S. History for Dummies is written by Steve Wiegand, a political journalist and history writer who earned his undergraduate degree in American literature and U.S. history and a M.S. degree in Mass Communications.

So, Mr. Wiegand could appear to have strength in writing for the masses while Dr. Axelrod might be seen as a bit more academic. I’d say that they both do an excellent job in sharing both the facts and stories from our country’s past. And, neither of them write in such a way to make you snore.

The next thing I contemplated was the progression of history shared in each title. For those ‘teacher’ types, think scope and sequence

…the times and events are the books covering.

U.S. History for Dummies groups time periods under four major headings:

Getting There, Getting Settled, and Getting Free (so up through 1800)
Growing Pains (1800-1876)
Coming of Age (1877-1945)
America in Adulthood (1946- 2008)

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to American History also groups the time periods into parts:

The New World ( up through 1763)
The World Turned Upside Down (1763-1783)
Building the House (1787-1842)
The House Divided (1724-1876)
Rebuilding the House (1862-1906)
World Power (1898-1945)
Superpower (1944-1975)
Identity Crisis (1968-1980)
A New World Order? (1980-2008)

While both titles cover pretty much the same key points in history with some variation, I find that I prefer the breakdown of history into smaller chunks that the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide used. He also dedicated a chapter to early American history (pre-Columbus) compared to part of a chapter that the other author did.

Overall, this would be a tough one to call for which I’d prefer. Both authors did a good job with the material. Both titles broke up the main text with sidebars and occasional illustrations, making it easier to read. I am more partial to the cover of the Complete Idiot’s Guide title, though, with the Statue of Liberty featured. Even price is less of an issue with The Complete Idiot’s Guide to American History listed at $18.95 while U.S. History for Dummies retails for $19.99.

What I can say is that these titles will be helpful for a student wanting something for quick review or an adult who just wants to brush up on the history of our country.

Disclaimer ~ I was provided with copies of both books for the purpose of doing a comparison review. No other compensation was provided and the opinions expressed are my own.

9 Comments

Now that is a book review.. Those kind of books are great to have sitting on a bookshelf because you never no when you may need one. Great comparison also, if sitting next to each other on a shelf I would pick up the yellow background. It just looks more dynamic to me..

Laura O from AK says:

August 1, 2011 at 5:34 PM

April ~ Funny thing is that while orange is not a favorite color, I’m actually drawn more to that series’ covers. Both chose colors that jump out to grab your attention, though.

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Thanks for the comparison! Love it!

Very interesting. I honestly never heard of Complete Idiot’s Guide before now. I like the comparison of the author’s background. I am glad the the Dr’s book is just as readable as the journalist.

Good comparison! I wouldn’t have though to compare the author’s backgrounds, but it makes total sense in seeing which angle they come from. I love reading books and watching TV shows that list unique facts about the states. I bet these books would be very beneficial to students!

Laura O from AK says:

July 30, 2011 at 6:15 PM

Amanda,

We love How the States Got Their Shapes on cable. Very interesting stuff in them.

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I need to brush up on history – my daughter is going to be starting kindergarten this year and I should at least be familiar with what she’s learning 😉

Thanks for the tips about these two easy ways to reacquaint myself with history!

I’ve never been good with history, my hubs is a walking encyclopedia on most things WWII. I had concerns about teaching history to my kids when I home schooled, but I wonder if the kids would want something like this to use for study helps.

I am a fan of the the For Dummies series, I have the WP one, a little out dated tho.

Laura O from AK says:

July 30, 2011 at 8:56 AM

I think these books are great summary items for anyone. Some textbooks get a bit dry and boring whereas these series seek to impart some knowledge without becoming dull.

I was not a huge fan of history growing up, but love watching history shows and learning alongside my boys in our homeschool.

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