<p>I'm planning on studying for the Ap art history but I'm not sure which book I should get
The Annotated Mona Lisa or Gardner's Art through the Ages.I'm self-studying so I'll need lots of information.And for each,what is the most current edition?Would it matter much if I use an older edition?(cuz I want to buy them used,they're quite expensive)
Thanks a lot:)</p>
<p>Annotated is like a skimming of the course really not enough to get you far.
Gardner’s is good, VERY good, but also long, VERY long. I would try to get the 12th edition, it has colored photos, older editions are almost all black and white.
Barron’s is good but it’s easy to glaze over the info because it’s mostly bulleted.
I’m also liking Art History For Dummies. It’s like a mini Gardener’s but you need a computer or Gardner’s with you when you read because it has very few photos.</p>
<p>I’m self studying too. I read Gardner’s if I have time (which I don’t), it really is great, Dummies if I’m short on time, then Barron’s for test prep. I read Annotated over the summer and it’s nice, but not really super useful in my opinion if you’re going to read something else.</p>
<p>Message me if you have any other questions, I’m learning just as you are.</p>
<p>I have Gardner’s Art through the Ages. It’s our textbook and it’s fourteen pounds LOL enough info yes?</p>
<p>I heard The Annotated Mona Lisa was excellent though, and it’s quite compact. I plan to buy it…</p>
<p>I heard REA was really useful so I’m using that along with the Mona Lisa.</p>
<p>I’m in an Art History class right now coming from zero knowledge about art. We use Gardener’s, but it can be so verbose to the point where it ceases to be useful (in art history, civilizations rise and fall sometimes within a week). I have been using Baron’s and I found it to be super useful and very easy read. I don’t know much about the Annotated Mona Lisa every one speaks about, but I feel Baron’s plus Gardner’s (simply because you don’t have an instructor) would be the best route.</p>
<p>My class uses Art Across Time. It’s a really nice textbook, and it is in full color. It’s huge, but packed with information that isn’t presented in such a dry way.</p>