In this entry from The Teaching Company's “Great Courses” series, viewers trace American diplomatic history from the period of the Revolution to the presidency of George W. Bush, under the able guidance of lecturer Mark A. Stoler, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Vermont, whose near-four-decade career has earned him a sterling reputation as a prolific scholar and outstanding teacher. Stoler's 24 half-hour presentations are traditional in the best sense, crisply detailing events using a clear chronology, while expertly interweaving varying interpretations of the individual facets of his wider-ranging subject with his own thoughtful analyses (with maps, textual overlays, and illustrations strategically employed throughout). My only quibble is that the course actually seems a little too short for the material (in many university curricula a class of this scope extends over two full semesters), but within the time constraints here, Stoler does an excellent job. Featuring separately available course books (with lecture outlines, transcripts, maps, a timeline, glossary, and bibliography), the timely America and the World: A Diplomatic History is definitely recommended for both high school and university collections, as well as public libraries. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)
America and the World: A Diplomatic History
(2008) 4 discs. 720 min. DVD: $109.95. The Teaching Company. PPR. ISBN: 978-1-59803-475-2. Volume 24, Issue 3
America and the World: A Diplomatic History
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