<p>I've seen a lot of threads about review books, but what about summer self-study textbooks? Preferably one that isn't too boring...</p>
<p>Also would you recommend self studying this in conjunction with taking a class in APUSH?</p>
<p>I’m going to do the same thing as you are. APUSH and APEH aren’t really related but if you have taken WHAP (lol acronymz!) that will help a bit. I heard that review books are fine for self-study, but a textbook is probably a good idea as well. I don’t know which though either.</p>
<p>Yeah I’m kind of glad for APUSH, because our school doesn’t have a formal WHAP class, so I haven’t fully learned the right ways to write an essay.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for a textbook, here’s my recommendation:</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> A History of Western Society Since 1300 for Advanced Placement* (9780312683214): John P. McKay, Bennett D. Hill, John Buckler, Clare Haru Crowston, Merry E. Wiesner-Hanks: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/History-Western-Society-Advanced-Placement/dp/0312683219/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273973666&sr=8-11]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/History-Western-Society-Advanced-Placement/dp/0312683219/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273973666&sr=8-11)</p>
<p>I used “The Western Experience”, Modern European History, barrons, and crash course. I think that I got a 4 or 5, although am leaning towards 5.</p>
<p>hands down, the best textbook for this is R.R. Palmer’s A History of the Modern World…thoroughly engaging and informative from cover to cover.</p>
<p>^^I too used Western Experience. The organization was good until it reached the chapter of the Revolutions of 1848.</p>
<p>I took AP Euro this year in a classroom setting. The standard textbook is [Amazon.com:</a> A History of the Modern World, with PowerWeb (9780073255002): R. R. Palmer, Joel Colton, Lloyd Kramer: Books<a href=“R.R.%20Palmer’s%20History%20of%20the%20Modern%20World”>/url</a>. It covers almost everything you will see on the AP test, minus one or two questions. This is THE AP Euro text.</p>
<p>If you are serious about this course, you also must have the AP Achiever: [url=<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Achiever-Advanced-Placement-Preparation-European/dp/0073256722/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277876147&sr=1-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Achiever-Advanced-Placement-Preparation-European/dp/0073256722/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277876147&sr=1-1]Amazon.com:</a> AP Achiever (Advanced Placement* Exam Preparation Guide) for European History…](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/History-Modern-World-PowerWeb/dp/0073255009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277876057&sr=8-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/History-Modern-World-PowerWeb/dp/0073255009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277876057&sr=8-1) . This text clarifies, restates, diagrams, and simplifies the information presented in History of the Modern World. It is absolutely necessary for overall reviewing, especially in the month before the AP test. Use it to solidify your knowledge after each chapter in Palmer.</p>
<p>There are many supplemental texts that you should look into in addition to these, but the above books will give you the CORE of the class. The AP test focuses increasingly on cultural information, so I would also recommend a cultural history of Europe with a focus on women, children, and minorities. Also, there will certainly be at least 5 questions on European history post-WWII: Gorbachev, the fall of the Soviet Union, the European Economic Community, Margaret Thatcher, and the like. Don’t neglect recent history in your studying.</p>
<p>If you have any questions, feel free to pm me. Good luck!</p>
<p>We used McKay (the one Jerry mentioned) in my class, it has a great balance of those six magical factors the test is based on. It is also very amusing at times. I think it’s a great textbook and it helped me get a 5 :-)</p>
<p>McKay, class lecture, and Barron’s (for a little review/practice) got me a 5 as a sophomore.</p>
<p>I highly recommend McKay.</p>
<p>I’d recommend the Palmer / Colton textbook. While I used Donald Kagan’s "Western Heritage, which got the job done and was very AP oriented, my history teacher, as well as others, have raved about the former. Whichever textbook, you use, I think that you should supplement it with Birdsall Viault’s Modern European History. It contain’s key facts and complete yet concise outlines of each relevant historical period, similar to any AP review book. I know that you didn’t ask about reviewesque books, but Modern European History (Even though it is not an AP prep book, I’d still categorize it as a review material since it contains as-concise-as-possible renderings of history and doesn’t engage in interpretations sof events in the manner of a textbook) is extremely useful. If you run out of time to finish the textbook, then you can just read the latter instead , which contains about everything you’ll need to know. That’s what I did; in March, my class was covering Napoleon, and realizing that I had 200 years of material in front of me, I eschewed the text and just read Viault. </p>
<p>As regards your second question, I took both AP US and AP EURO at the same time. I got 5’s on both tests. If your sufficiently motivated, it shouldn’t be that hard, although as AP tests approached, I had to scramble to finish the curriculum’s of both. Though, you could avoid that problem if you start studying this summer.</p>
<p>I recommend NO textbooks, just the AP barons book and this:</p>
<p>[UC</a> Berkeley Webcasts | Video and Podcasts: History 5](<a href=“Webcast and Legacy Course Capture | Research, Teaching, and Learning”>Webcast and Legacy Course Capture | Research, Teaching, and Learning)</p>
<p>If you don’t like this teacher, there are quite a few other ones at berkeley that has podcasts of all the lectures. They are AWESOME!</p>
<p>Thats basically all I did this year to get a 5.</p>
<p>O and fast writing skills is a great pre-req.</p>