4.0 out of 5 based on 2 reviews. – Customer review on 19/03/2008

While it took a long time to read, i had problems trying to remember who was the duke of Saxony etc etc - and - the silly use of Atlantic Isles so as not to upset the southern irish presumably, it is still an intelligent and excellently researched book on this period. Hungary and Poland are not treated lightly as so often happens with other books on this period which seem to focus on the English and Germans obviously. Great book, but not brilliant

5.0 out of 5 based on 2 reviews. – Customer review on 11/01/2008

What stands out about this book is not just the coverage of events - the Diets, the conflicts, the wars, etc - but also the fact that McCulloch covers the more mundane aspects of society not perhaps normally covered: things like the role of women, country life before and after, how the changes wrought by the various reformations affected the ordinary lives of ordinary people. So events are covered at the macro- and micro-level. This is not to denigrate the rest of the book at all - the entire tome is magnificent. Though some territories miss out on extensive treatment, this is a fascinating one volume account of one of the most turbulent and influential periods in human history.