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Liked It “ghost of a rose said: 4 stars |
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“ghost of a rose said: 4 stars
Play Book Tag Shelf wrote this review Wednesday, April 1 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This book is a quick and easy read that is also informative and fun. Too bad teachers in most states have to "teach to the test" nowadays, because this book would be a great way to teach (western) world history in a way that would get kids interested in the subject. Plus, it would help teach students to think, as it often presents two or more possible theories for a given subject.
The book has enough factual information to interest adults, yet is accessible enough for junior-high level students. (The chapter on Hitler's niece contains adult subject matter, though, that not everyone would consider appropriate for teens.)
Each chapter includes a photograph or illustration. Also, there is an excellent list of books "To investigate further" at the end of each chapter, which gives short but succinct descriptions of each book recommended, often including an excellent analysis of that book's strength and/or weakness.
The chapters are:
1. Were the Neandertals our ancestors?
2. Who built Stonehenge?
3. Why did the Pharaohs build the pyramids?
4. Who was Theseus?
5. Was there really a Trojan War?
6. Did Jesus die on the cross?
7. What were the Nazca lines?
8. Who was King Arthur?
9. Why did Mayan civilization collapse?
10. Who built the statues on Easter Island?
11. What was Joan of Arc's "sign"?
12. Who invented printing?
13. Did Richard III kill the Princes in the Tower?
14. Did Columbus intend to discover America?
15. Did Martin Guerre return?
16. Did Mary Queen of Scots murder her husband?
17. Who wrote Shakespeare's plays?
18. Was Captain Kidd a pirate?
19. Was Mozart poisoned?
20. Why did Freud abandon his seduction theory?
21. Could the Titanic have been saved?
22. Did any of the Romanovs survive?
23. Did Hitler murder his niece?
24. Why did Hess fly to Scotland?
25. Was Gorbachev part of the August coup?
The book does have a few flaws. The title of the Titanic chapter is misleading - it has nothing to do with saving the ship itself. The Gorbachev chapter is more confusing than enlightening. And there are some proofreading errors.
But on the whole, this is an excellent mainstream (as opposed to scholarly and academic) history book. I'm looking forward to reading Aron's other books in this series also (Unsolved Mysteries of American History, and More Unsolved Mysteries of American History.)
”
“This book is a quick and easy read that is also informative and fun. Too bad teachers in most states have to "teach to the test" nowadays, because this book would be a great way to teach (western) world history in a way that would get kids interested in the subject. Plus, it would help teach students to think, as it often presents two or more possible theories for a given subject.
ghost of a rose wrote this review Monday, March 30 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The book has enough factual information to interest adults, yet is accessible enough for junior-high level students. (The chapter on Hitler's niece contains adult subject matter, though, that not everyone would consider appropriate for teens.)
Each chapter includes a photograph or illustration. Also, there is an excellent list of books "To investigate further" at the end of each chapter, which gives short but succinct descriptions of each book recommended, often including an excellent analysis of that book's strength and/or weakness.
The chapters are:
1. Were the Neandertals our ancestors?
2. Who built Stonehenge?
3. Why did the Pharaohs build the pyramids?
4. Who was Theseus?
5. Was there really a Trojan War?
6. Did Jesus die on the cross?
7. What were the Nazca lines?
8. Who was King Arthur?
9. Why did Mayan civilization collapse?
10. Who built the statues on Easter Island?
11. What was Joan of Arc's "sign"?
12. Who invented printing?
13. Did Richard III kill the Princes in the Tower?
14. Did Columbus intend to discover America?
15. Did Martin Guerre return?
16. Did Mary Queen of Scots murder her husband?
17. Who wrote Shakespeare's plays?
18. Was Captain Kidd a pirate?
19. Was Mozart poisoned?
20. Why did Freud abandon his seduction theory?
21. Could the Titanic have been saved?
22. Did any of the Romanovs survive?
23. Did Hitler murder his niece?
24. Why did Hess fly to Scotland?
25. Was Gorbachev part of the August coup?
The book does have a few flaws. The title of the Titanic chapter is misleading - it has nothing to do with saving the ship itself. The Gorbachev chapter is more confusing than enlightening. And there are some proofreading errors.
But on the whole, this is an excellent mainstream (as opposed to scholarly and academic) history book. I'm looking forward to reading Aron's other books in this series also (Unsolved Mysteries of American History, and More Unsolved Mysteries of American History.)
(211 pages)”
“WOW! Very interesting book. ”
SouthWestZippy wrote this review Tuesday, March 4 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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