Technology, War and Independence 1901-Present Day Student Book (KS3 History 4th Edition)

This is a really good, informative and engaging History book, focusing on the last century (1901-2000). As such, it covers a lot of the topics needed for Year 9 History: WW1, WW2, Cold War, voting reform/suffragettes, end of the British Empire, etc.It is one of the more expensive History books to cover this period, but it is excellent value. The information is presented in a magazine-style format, so it has lots of pictures and the illustrations, different texts, charts and diagrams, text boxes, etc are used to really good effect. It was the antithesis to the dry History books that were available when I was at school.The book is thick and sturdy, with a slightly shiny cover and therefore didn't suffer ill-effects when a slightly wet glass was placed on it!I will definitely be looking for other books in this series - highly recommended.

Excellent and great read

This is a gift for my niece who's just about to start her GCSEs but I decided to give it a quick once over.It's actually really informative and it follows 1901 up until present day but I do have a few issues with it.The way that it's written is so that it's easy to take in. No over complicated language and plenty of information imagery. Every few pages as it moves to a different topic, it has a test to see if you've been paying attention.The way it's structured is to give key points about a particular event in this timeframe. It will then ask the students a series of questions and sets tasks to do. The information is layed out similar to a magazine so it's not overpowering to the mind. Within these timeframes information about other things such as technology or tragedy will be blotted around the page.It follows history in a way that I guess a teenager wouldn't necessarily realise that they're learning. It not like picking up a novel for example.There's key events in history such as war, power and poverty. Differences between nations and the social and societal differences here. Wealth and poverty, class systems and so on.You have the first world war for example, political powers deciding that children being malnourished was bad but for the wrong reasons. Their worry was soldiers being too sick to fight. Then the suffering and absolute horror but the technological advances that came from it. interesting read in how medical advances came to be. The investment and boom following afterwards.There's a lot of political referencing in this which follows parties of the time. Showing the societal improvements that can come to fruition when minds are focused.There's an interesting section on dictatorships which looks at the ideas but I found this slightly propagandists and blighted. Then I realised that the government had banned anti-capitalist material from being taught in schools (true check it out).It then follows events in 1930s Germany and makes its way up to the WW2. There's plenty of information about the Second World War and different perspectives.Then we move to the creation of the UN, NHS, end of the empire (officially) and upto a United Europe. Then of course the damn referendum pops up.I have to say this book speaks more for the curriculum than anything else. It's very informative but I do wonder what's being taught in schools right now.

Our son is of KS3 level, he is very much into modern history.He has expressed that he finds this 4th edition in the series very informative compared to others he's using. The layout is age-appropriate, inviting and very colourful - unlike the drab history books I studied in my own younger age.It'a A4 in size, semi-paperback with good quality pages with texts broken down into manageable chunks to promote learning.The book starts with a very useful illustrated timeline as an overview on the chronological topics discussed within.The subjects covered are as follows:• A New Century• The First World War• Between the Wars• Power in the Early Twentieth Century• The Second World War• The Post-war World• Fom Empire to Commonwealth• Into the Modern World• The Modern World: What Has Changed?Each topic is broken into subcategories and each subcategory is followed with a little exercise to test our son's understanding.There is also a larger quiz at the end of each topic to test overall topic-based knowledge. So, there are 9 quizzes in total for the nine topics. Though there isn't an answer section to check your answers for these quizzes which is a bit frustrating for a parent who is required to mark the work in another potential lockdown when I'm pressed for time.The book is finished with ways to respond to changing history in an exam style question, followed by a glossary and an index.A book that my son has read prior to the start of the upcoming term, he says he's learnt a number of things he didn't know, the language is varies in style and welcoming and the images very evocative.5 stars