Although this book is out of date, it is interesing to see how an Advanced Placement English teacher would write an aptitude placement book. John D. Kelly currently teaches at the specialized Bronx High School of Science in New York.

As an A-level student I found this book exceptionally helpful with my studies of British History. The book is written so that it directly coincides with the information I need to fulfill the curriculum. Most importantly the chapters on the statesmen are readable. Similar books I have encountered during the course are dull and dry, necessary to read but not a pleasure. The chapters on the statesmen in this book are fluid, informative, and more importantly easy and pleasureable to read. The chapters are helpful in that they contain not only detailed information on each statesman, but a general background on the period and politics of the time, which I found an extremely useful base for my further studies. Almost as significant as the chapters on each statesman is the appendix. The appendix contains factual information on every topic I needed during the period, general election results, economic details. Even after reading the book I found this a priceless reference, certainly no other history text book I have read has such a wealth of factual information on hand. Overall I would say that for someone such as I, studying A-level history or politics, this book is the most valuable you can have, I still find myself referring to it daily.