evans_america

September Freebie: 100 American Adventure Stories

Every month Heritage History selects one book from its online collection to give away as a free sample, so that people will see how easy it is use our e-books. Our library contains over 400 books, so it will take a while to go through them all and we’re hoping that some of you history …

View full post
wreathnew

Christmas Special for History Lovers

Do you have a History Lover on your Christmas list? If so, a Heritage Classical Library CD could be that unique gift you’ve been looking for. Each of our Classical Curriculum and Library CDs includes dozens of traditional histories, biographies, military histories, and literary classics for history lovers of all ages! From now until the …

View full post
zpage033a

October Give-away: Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare

This Book includes twenty romantic stories, each based on one of Shakespeare’s plays. These beautifully illustrated stories are retold in lively prose by an extraordinary storyteller, who makes the Bard’s greatest dramas accessible to young people. Edith Nesbit was a popular children’s writer of the early 20th century and her graceful, vivid retellings are the perfect introduction to Shakespeare’s works. The plays represented in Nesbit’s collection include Shakespeare’s most famous comedies and tragedies but only a few of his historical works.

View full post
Covered Wagon

Featured Series: Colonial Children

James Otis, author of the Colonial Children’s series has an extraordinary ability to weave complex characters and communicate vivid images with exceedingly few words. The series was written to appeal to very young readers, and features short chapters, simple sentences, and an illustration on nearly every page. The books can be read by novice readers, yet the stories are rich with character development, drama, and fascinating observations.

View full post
Rockies

Poem : The Pines

There are not many things that we enjoy as much as reading history, but hiking in the Rocky mountains is one of them. We love the lakes, rivers, and endless forests, and even the five months of winter. This weekend we took the boys up to Steven’s lake, just east of Wallace, near the Idaho/Montana border.

View full post
Achilles drags the body of Hector around the walls of Troy.

Homer’s Epic Simplified: The Iliad for Boys and Girls

Achilles answered: “I will do as you bid; for he who hears the gods is heard by them.” So he thrust back his sword into the scabbard, and Athené went back to Olympus. Then he turned to Agamemnon and cried: “Drunkard with the eyes of a dog and the heart of a deer, hear what I tell you now. See this scepter that I have in my hand. Once it was the branch of a tree; now a king carries it in his hand. As surely as it will never more shoot forth in leaves, so surely will the Greeks one day miss Achilles. And you, when you see your people falling by the swords of the Trojans, will be sorry that you have done this wrong to the bravest man in your army.” And he dashed the scepter on the ground and sat down.

View full post
front1

Featured Author: Robert Van Bergen

Robert Van Bergen was one of the first American scholars to study in Japan after its opening to foreigners in the 1860′s. In addition to mastering Japanese and other oriental languages, he taught English to the Japanese and was personally known to many of the revolutionary statesmen of Japan who transformed the country from a feudal empire, with medieval customs to one of the most advanced technological countries in the world in only a single generation.

View full post
faux_cover

Featured Author: Paul du Chaillu

Paul du Chaillu’s “Stories of the Gorilla Country” series tell the humorous and hair-raising story of the earliest American explorer of equatorial Africa. It has all of the attractions of a good Tarzan style adventure story, combined with the reflective philosophy of Robinson Crusoe. It differs from both of these however, in that it is the true account of the first American explorer to live among the interior African tribes of Equatorial Africa for an extended period of time. . .

View full post
September Freebie: 100 American Adventure StoriesChristmas Special for History LoversOctober Give-away: Beautiful Stories from ShakespeareFeatured Series: Colonial ChildrenPoem : The PinesHomer’s Epic Simplified: The Iliad for Boys and GirlsFeatured Author: Robert Van BergenFeatured Author: Paul du Chaillu

Jan 24

Why are some books “missing” from Heritage History’s CD collection?

by

If I buy the the entire collection of Heritage History’s Classical Curriculum and Library CDs, will I be getting all of the books in the Heritage Library? If not, which books are left out? I would love to see a place on your site with a list of these books, so that I could find, without a lot of searching, if we already have a book or not and if there was something that we might be interested in.

Q: Are all of the books on your website included in at least one curriculum CD? If not, why aren’t they? and are you planning to add them to your CD collection at a later time?

Some variation of this question has been asked by at least a half dozen Heritage History readers, and we apologize for taking so long to answer. There are in fact, several dozen books in the Heritage Library that are not included in any of our Curriculum or Library collections. Our most recent inventory found about 55 books out of a total of over 500 in our online library were not included on any CD. Of these, about 15 were created in the last few months and will probably be included in a later release of an existing library. About forty, however, were not included in any library collection because they relate to historical topics that we have not yet developed a complete collection for. Most of these books are histories of non-western civilizations such as Chinese, African, or Islam.

More information about Heritage History books that are not currently included in one of our collections is provided as follows. All are currently available for individual purchase:

Asian and African Histories

The British Empire collection is intended to focus on colonial history, and it includes many of our favorite books covering Asian and African history. The ten books listed below might also have been included in that volume, but they tend to cover more ancient and isolated periods of history that have little to do with the colonial period. Also, the books we have included in the collection provide a good basic overview of many foreign regions, especially those that were directly colonized by Britain, such as India, South Africa, and Australia.

Our favorite middle-school level Asian histories were written by Robert Van Bergen. They are included on in the British Empire collection and are reviewed here. The books listed below are all excellent, however, and we regret not making space for them on an existing collection. We especially enjoy Charles Morris’s Historical Tales series, and Jacob Abbott’s biography of Genghis Khan is simply fascinating.

Genghis Khan by Jacob Abbott       China’s Story by W. E. Griffis       The Story of the Buddha by Edith Holland       Historical Tales – Japanese and Chinese by Charles Morris

In terms of African history, we can’t speak too highly of the Stories of the Gorilla Country series, written by the explorer Paul du Chaillu. It is one of our all time favorites, but it is so utterly unique in style and content that it is hard to categorize. We feature the first book in his series on the British Empire CD, but did not find room for all four, although they are an exceptionally good collection. You can read more about the Gorilla Country series here.

My Apingi Kingdom by Paul du Chaillu       The Country of the Dwarfs by Paul du Chaillu       Wildlife Under the Equator by Paul du Chaillu       Lost in the Jungle by Paul du Chaillu       West African Folk Tales by William Barker       Native Fairy Tales by Ethel McPherson

Moslem Histories

We have long had an interest in Moslem history, and have been trying to track down suitable children’s histories that cover Islamic countries for almost ten years. However, there is a dearth of Moslem histories and folklore written for young people, and it has been more difficult to track down children’s histories of Moslem countries than it has been find similar Chinese, Indian, and African volumes.

The scarcity of Moslem histories is a curious challenge, especially considering that Islamic countries bordered Europe for over 1000 years, and had much interactions with Europe countries. Furthermore, much of the Mediterranean territory conquered by Moslems in the seventh century was highly civilized and prosperous. The Moslem civilizations centered in Spain, Baghdad and Turkey were also highly cultivated. One would think that such thriving societies would be a terrific source of narrative history, but such is not the case.

Nevertheless, we have assembled a diverse collection of Moslem histories. Other than Horne’s short synopsis of the Ottoman Turks, however, it there are few comprehensive Moslem histories to work from. We would love to increase our collection, but may have to rely on adult, rather than children’s histories, in order to provide a complete picture of Moslem history.

Harun al-Rashid by Gabriel Audisio       Stories of the Magicians by Alfred Church       The Crusaders by Alfred Church       The Barbary Pirates by John Finnemore       The Lance of Kanana by Harry French       The Story of Mohammed by Edith Holland       Greatest Nations – Turkey by C. F. Horne       Eothen by A. W. Kinglake       The Arabian Nights Entertainment by Andrew Lang       Haremlik by Demetra Vaka

Nordic Histories and Mythology

Heritage History has a large collection of Norse Histories and Mythology. During the late 19th and early 20th century, Nordic mythology enjoyed a terrific revival and dozens of children’s stories were written to popularize old Nordic heroes such as Odin, Thor and Siegfried. Read simply as myths, many of these stories are very moving, and have common elements, such as Dragon slayers, magic swords, and invincible heroes, with better known stories from Christian and Greek mythology.

When one reads a little more German history, however, one learns that the promotion of Nordic mythology in the late 19th century originated as part of a pan-Germanic ideology that was prominent in Northern Europe during that period. And this idealization of the Nordic race, which involved a campaign to actively “de-Christianize” German youth, led directly to the Prussian racism that fueled the Great European Wars of the twentieth century.

For this reason, we originally intended to include Norse mythology with “Modern Europe”, because the Nordic revival was wholly a product of the 19th century. Nordic legends were considered pagan during the middle ages so it would not be accurate to include them as part of the Christian Europe collection. However, we thought it better to leave them out altogether than to associate them with this unfortunate period of pro-German idolatry.

The stories of Nordic heroes themselves are quite charming and devoid of offensive pro-German propaganda, and we’re sure to find a good home for them in later editions. The fact that they were used for propaganda purposes does not diminish the stories themselves, but it should serve to warn parents that even harmless children’s stories, in the hands of a nefarious government, can be used with evil intent.

The Sampo by James Baldwin       Children of Odin by Padraic Colum       Rolf and the Viking’s Bow by Allen French       Norse Stories from the Eddas by H. W. Mabie       Heroes of Asgard by A. E. Keary       Historical Tales – Scandinavian by Charles Morris       Eric the Red by George Upton

World Histories

All of the following books are collections of historical stories taken from many different periods of World History. For this reason, they did not fit well into any one particular historical category, and so were not included in any of the Heritage collections.

Most of the following books are written for middle school or early high school reading levels. It may make sense for Heritage History is to group such books together in a “World History” collection, intended for students who want to read history stories from a wide variety of periods. We are likely to do something like this in the future, but have nothing available for 2013.

Ten Boys who Lived on the Road by Jane Andrews       Historic Boys by E. S. Brooks       Historic Girls by E. S. Brooks       The Red Book of Heroes by Andrew Lang       Heroes Every Child Should Know by H. W. Mabie       Legends Every Child Should Know by H. W. Mabie       Boys’ Book of Famous Soldiers by J. W. McSpadden       Boys of the Ages by Laura Scales       Ten Boys From History by K. D. Sweetser       The Boy’s Book of Sea Fights by Chelsea Fraser       Scientific Discoveries by Charles Gibson       Twentieth Century Inventions by Charles Gibson

Recently Released Books

One of the main areas we are actively working on is on a collection of Bible histories, and histories pertaining to Egypt, Assyria and other Biblical era periods. For this reason, about half of our most recent entries, are collections of children’s Bible stories. We have reviewed most of our Children’s Bibles here.

When the King Came by George Hodges       The Story of the Bible by Hurlbut       Peeps at Ancient Assyria by James Baikie       Peeps at Ancient Egypt by James Baikie       Children’s Bible – New Testament by Kent and Sherwood       Children’s Bible – Old Testament by Kent and Sherwood       The Story of the Chosen People by Guerber

The other half of our newly released books are entirely miscellaneous. Most, however, could very well have been included in one of our existing collections if they had been completed earlier. We will probably include them in our planned 2014 update to our library and curriculum CD collection.

St. Anselm by Wilmot-Buxton       The Adventures of Buffalo Bill by William Cody       Ivanhoe Told to the Children by Ethel Lindsay       Gabriel Garcia Moreno by Scott       Isaac Jogues by Scott       Joseph Bonaparte by J. S. C. Abbott       A Book of Myths by Jean Lang       Highlights of the Mexican Revolution by McLeish       A History of Russia by Nathan Dole      

If you fail to see a pattern in our selection of recently released books (other than an obvious bias in favor of Children’s Bibles), don’t worry, we don’t see one either. If they appear to be fairly random, that is just because we’re interested in history from all periods, so almost anything can strike us as a worthy subject. The pile of books awaiting processing currently on our desk looks about the same. . .

Jan 19

The Massacre of a British Regiment

by

The battery was reached; but too late! All around it lay the dead gunners, and a goodly number of Zulus. With startling rapidity the foe had fallen upon the battery, surrounding it so that escape was impossible, and rushing upon the gunners with cruel ferocity. Hand to hand they fought, but the British were appallingly outnumbered, and at last not a man of them remained alive; rifles and assegais had done their work.

This week in History: January 1879

One Hundred and forty British soldiers hold off 4,000 Zulu warriors at Rorke’s Drift.

One of the greatest military disasters in the history of the British Empire occurred at Isandhlwana, in the Zululand region of South Africa. On the morning of January 22, a British camp of 1,400 soldiers and camp followers was over run by 20,000 Zulu warriors. After a horrific fight, the entire British army was savagely massacred and the Zulu army proceeded to Rorke’s Drift, where a small battalion, hearing of the debacle at Isandhlwana, fortified a camp and prepared to meet the Zulu’s in battle.

How did such a catastrophe come about? British over-confidence was largely to blame. In past conflicts, native armies tended to disperse when fired upon by the superior weaponry of the British, so Lord Chelmsford made no serious defensive plans for his excursion into Zulu territory. He left only about 140 men to hold the ford at Rorke’s Drift when he crossed into Zulu territory. Then, from the encampment at Isandhlwana the British commander marched against the Zulus with most of his forces, leaving 1,400 doomed men under the charge of Colonels Durnford and Pulliene.

The Zulus were well aware of the troops movements. Once the main army was gone, the camp at Isandhlwana was attacked by a band of Zulus 20,000 strong. Although they fought bravely the British were vastly outnumbered and over 1300 soldiers lay dead on the field by evening. The Zulus then moved on, taking the British supplies and equipment with them, as they headed for the ford at Rorke’s Drift, where they intended to cross into the English colony of Natal.

By mid afternoon a messenger had managed to get word to the garrison at Rorke’s Drift that the Zulu forces were approaching and they fortified their position as much as possible in the brief time they had before the Zulus were upon them. All afternoon and throughout the night, the small band of 140 men defended their position against thousands of Zulu warriors. Finally, the following morning, Chelmsford’s main body of men arrived and the Zulus dispersed.

The battles of Isandhlwana and Rorke’s Drift are only a few of the exciting episodes of British colonial history that are featured in Heritage History’s British Empire Classical Library.

It is fascinating to read about such events from the point view of the British, rather than from modern, anti-colonial writers, who rarely acknowledge the British point of view. The British justified their involvement in colonial regions because they believed that natives would benefit from improved infrastructure, education, and opportunities for trade provided by the imperial government. They also thought they could be effective in helping to end native practices that they considered inhumane, such as slavery, child-marriage, witchcraft, and tribal warfare. Even if one opposes colonialism, understanding the British perspective is instructive.

Some of the books included in the British Empire collection that feature stories of the Zulu War are Eric Wood’s Boys’ Book of Battles, H. E. Marshall’s Our Empire Story, and M. B. Synge’s The Reign of Queen Victoria. All of these books present the Zulu War in context and provide important insights into the political rivalries in the region, which were more complicated than simply native vs. British. Inter-tribal conflicts, diamond discoveries in the region, and diplomatic struggles with white settlers in the region who opposed the British government, were all complicating factors.

Modern histories that treat native rule as is it were a self-evident good, and demonize colonial powers without presenting the full complexity of the situation, distort history. There is much to be said against the British rule in Africa, but there is much to be said against unrestrained barbarism as well.

Jan 15

Targeting Civilians: A Zeppelin Attack on Britain

by

This week in History, January 1915

Lieutenant Reginald Warneford was the first British Pilot to shoot down a Zeppelin. He received the Victoria Cross, but was killed in action shortly afterward.

Before the 20th century, most of Britain’s wars were fought overseas and British civilians remained relatively safe from harm. Specifically targeting civilians in order to demoralize the enemy did not become a part of modern war strategy until World War 1, when the German Kaiser authorized nighttime bombing raids on England using Zeppelin airships.

On January 19, 1915, Zeppelins crossed into Britain over the Norfolk coast and headed towards the British towns of Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn. The initial raids used both bombs and incendiary devices intended to start fires. Unprepared to deal with such a threat, the British military scrambled to build their defenses while terrified civilians wondered where to hide.

Initial attempts at using artillery against the Zeppelins were not effective, but fighter planes armed with incendiary rounds were and the British were able to successfully deter Zeppelins, while the Germans began to look for other ways to transport bombs.

Although the Zeppelin raids did not achieve much in the way of destroying the British infrastructure they had a significant psychological effect on civilians, creating waves of terror and rioting across the nation. More importantly, they set a terrible precedent and by World War II, the aerial bombing of civilian populations in times of war was considered a legitimate military tactic.

You can read more about Germany’s aerial attacks on Britain and the response of early British pilots in Thrilling Deeds of British Airmen by Eric Wood, and learn more about the First World War by reading The Story of the Great War by Roland Usher. These are only two of about a half dozen books about World War I featured in the British Empire Classical Curriculum.

Jan 09

A Momentous January Wedding

by

In January 1486 Henry Tudor, a descendant of the Duke of Lancaster, married Elizabeth York, the eldest daughter of Edward IV, thus uniting the Lancaster and York branches of the Plantagenet Family and bringing a close to the War of the Roses, a thirty year dynastic dispute that had brought ruin to the aristocracy of England.

Neither Henry Tudor or his wife Elizabeth had an undisputed claim to the throne of England but their marriage united enough factions behind them that Henry was able to establish a stable government. The young couple founded the Tudor dynasty, which ruled England for all of the 16th century and their marriage is recognized as one of the most important in English history because it brought peace to a country torn asunder by civil war.

At Heritage History we are taking time this January to honor another wedding that by our own accounts, promises to be of enormous consequence. In a few days, our eldest daughter is getting married, bringing a happy conclusion to our family’s fifteen year experiment with home education. Marriage is not the only manner of transitioning from youth to adulthood, but it is one of the most satisfying, and we could not be more pleased.

Please join us in wishing Clint and Helena, and their whole generation of homeschooled young adults, the blessings of faith and strength of spirit for the journey ahead. Homeschooling has given us a way to pass on those gifts of faith and reason to the best of our ability and it is more than gratifying to see a new generation taking up the eternal cause. Those of us who still understand the meaning of Christian marriage understand that every such marriage is the foundation of a “little kingdom” and a bulwark of the faith that can provide security and comfort to its citizens it times of trial and difficulty as well as prosperity.

The most ancient of human institutions has an authority that may seem as wild as anarchy. Alone among all such institutions it begins with a spontaneous attraction; and may be said strictly and not sentimentally to be founded on love instead of fear. . . . Force can abolish what force can establish; self-interest can terminate a contract when self-interest has dictated the contract. But the love of man and woman is not an institution that can be abolished, or a contract that can be terminated. It is something older than all institutions or contracts, and something that is certain to outlast them all. –G. K. Chesterton

Jan 01

January 1st, the Day Roman Consuls Took Office

by

Have you ever wondered how January 1st become established as the beginning of a New Year? Among his many other achievements, Julius Caesar is responsible for reforming the Roman calendar to force it to align with the solar year. There have been minor changes since that time, but our modern calendar is very similar to that one established by Julius Caesar, over 2000 years ago.

Like most ancient peoples, the Romans originally followed a lunar calendar and inserted a “correction” whenever the months became too far out of line with the seasons. Roman magistrates held their terms of office from January 1st to year end, but corrupt priests and politicians frequently manipulated these “corrections” to their personal advantage.

Ancient astronomers had long known the solar year was very close to 365.25 days, but until Caesars’ time no reformers existed with enough political clout to modify existing customs. In order to put a stop to the ongoing abuses, Julius Caesar forced the Romans to adopt a fixed calendar consisting of 365 days, with a 1 day “correction” added every four years.

Because of Caesar’s Calendar reforms, most dates in history from 45 B.C. to modern times are known with reasonable accuracy. Dates recorded before this time, however, have to be considered approximate.

To read more about Julius Caesar and his dramatic influence on Roman civilization, you can explore Ada Russell’s biography for intermediate students. Or check out Jacob Abbot’s biography of Julius Caesar, intended for older students.

These are only two out of dozens of books about the Romans contained in the Ancient Rome Classical Curriculum. The Romans were a fascinating people who affected every aspect of Western Civilization, and January’s FREE e-book will feature Stories from Roman History.

Dec 18

Which Children’s Bible is Right for Your Family?

by

These stories from the Bible, simplified for children, are a treasure trove of historical information as well as moral instruction. Many Biblical characters symbolize universal virtues, vices and moral difficulties, and their stories communicate truths about human nature that are well understood even by young children.

Eight Classical Children’s Bibles to Choose From

Stories from the Old Testament by Louey Chisholm    Stories from the Life of Christ by Janet Kelman    Nursery Book of Bible Stories by Amy Steedman   Heroes of Israel by Lawton Evans When the King Came by George Hodges    The Story of the Chosen People by Helene Guerber    The Children’s Bible by Kent and Sherman    The Story of the Bible by Jesse Hurlbut

Biblical history is more than just a record of events in the history of the nation of Israel. Read simply as historical document, the Bible is as reliable as any ancient chronicle, but for Christians, the it is a sacred text, inspired by God, that provides a “moral” as well as a chronological history of God’s chosen people.

The Judeo-Christian view of man is that he is both a spiritual and a physical creature and that material comforts can satisfy his physical needs but only obedience to the will of his creator can satisfy man’s spiritual needs. This is the core proposition that has inspired Christian culture for over 2000 years, and it is the theme of many of the stories in the Bible. This view of man’s relationship to God is easily understood by youngsters, and the stories of the Bible can be readily simplified for young children.

We recently added two new Bible histories to the Heritage library, and hope to add several more during the coming year. We believe that students benefit from reading Bibles that are age-appropriate and therefore offer short, easy-to-read versions, as well as longer, more detailed renditions. The Children’s Bibles’ listed below are presented in order of difficultly, with the simplest versions first.

Grammar School Favorites

TITLE TITLE

Stories from the Old Testament and Stories from the Life of Christ are two volumes from the Told to the Children, series of simplified classics. Both are adapted for novice readers, nicely illustrated, and can be read independently by grammar school students. Stories from the Old Testament is so short that it confines itself to just a few of the most famous stories from the Old Testament. Characters introduced in by Chisholm include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Moses.

Kelman’s Life of Christ is likewise simplified, but recounts thirty short stories parables from the Gospels from the birth of Christ to the Ascension. These books do not provide a complete introduction to Biblical history, but are perfect for younger children. They are substantial enough to relate interesting stories, but short enough for a younger child to get through on their own.

TITLE TITLE

Nursery Book of Bible Stories by Amy Steedman is a beautifully illustrated volume that retells thirty-six stories from the Bible that are especially appealing to young people. It is more detailed than the Told to the Children series, but still suitable for grammar school students, and the pictures that accompany these Bible stories are outstanding. This well organized collection is one of our favorite Children’s Bibles, because of its clear and vivid prose and beautiful illustrations. Older grammar school students can read this book on their own, but it is also an excellent choice for read-aloud to very young children.

Heroes of Israel is significantly longer than the previously listed Children’s Bibles, and covers the Old Testament thoroughly. It is a good choice for students who may already be familiar with the most famous Bible stories and are ready to read an account of the Bible that includes more stories from the period of Kings and minor Prophets. We’ve included it in the Young Readers Collection, along with the previous three volumes, because it is an exceptionally good selection for family read-aloud.

Lawton Evans, is one of our favorite authors, and Heroes of Israel is one of several of his books in our collection that we recommend to history lovers of all ages. He is an eloquent, well organized story-teller with an exceptional talent for appealing to young readers. His rendition of the Old Testament is broken up into ninety short chapters, all named in a familiar manner so it is easy to navigate. The illustrations are few, but of extraordinary quality.

Middle School Selections

TITLE TITLE

When the King Cameand The Story of the Chosen People are dissimilar in many ways, but we’re grouping them together because they are both written for a middle School audience and both provide much detailed background information that helps put the events of the Bible in historical perspective. One covers only the Old Testament and the other deals only with the Gospels, but both authors use additional sources very skillfully in order to explain contemporary events and customs. Both books are true to the spirit of the Bible, and we recommend them for intermediate students who are ready to learn about the historical context in which the events of the Bible took place.

When the King Came is an engaging story that follows the life of Christ, but it is not a conventional children’s Bible. The author adopts the tone of a kindly grandfather, recounting the great events of the gospels, while taking care to explain the important points in some detail. For example, he explains the naming of Jesus, the symbolism of Frankincense and Myrrh, and the Temple rituals in a way that adds depth to the narrative. This additional information helps young people understand the events of Christ’s life in a historical context, while preserving the mystery and miracles that were central to his ministry.

Guerber’s history of the Jewish people tells many familiar stories from the Old Testament, but is written more in the tone of a history of Israel, than a Children’s Bible. The author recounts the stories of Genesis and Moses based entirely on Biblical sources, but uses independent historical sources to provide background information for later periods, especially that of the kings and minor prophets. Guerber explains the political events in regions outside Israel in order to put the conquest of Israel and exile of the Jews in context. Her history concludes with the story of the Maccabees, the dynasty of Herod, and the destruction of the Temple by the Romans, in 70 A.D.

Richly Illustrated Family Classics

The final two selections, The Children’s Bible by Kent and Sherman, and the Story of the Bible by Jesse Hurlbut are large scale and very reliable renditions of the Bible, but are more appropriate for older students than younger children. Both were written by Biblical scholars and cover many stories that are sometimes excluded in shorter volumes. Both are also richly illustrated. The Children’s Bible was over 350 pages as published, including over 50 illustrations, but we have broken it up into two separate volumes, for ease of use. Hurlbut’s Story of the Bible was even longer, over 700 pages, but including over 200 illustrations. It is currently preserved in a single large volume, but we will probably split it into two volumes in a future revision.

TITLE TITLE

The The Children’s Bible is a true classic, and was a favorite in American homes for decades. Kent and Sherman were renowned Bible scholars, and every section of the Bible is rendered with great care to preserve Biblical accuracy while retelling the most important stories in common language. This first volume contains the most famous stories of the Old Testament, all told in fascinating detail. The second volume of the Children’s Bible covers the New Testament, from the Birth of Christ, to the Acts of the Apostles, ending with stories from the Epistles of Paul, James, and John.

The Children’s Bible is richly illustrated and very faithful to the original. Our only criticism is many of the chapters were very short, and had somewhat cryptic names, so we “fixed” this, by combining common chapters and simplifying chapter titles. It is also true, that adding minor incidents from the Bible, rather than focusing only on the more famous events and characters, make the text somewhat more challenging. For this reason, we don’t recommend The Children’s Bible as a student’s first introduction to the Bible. It is an excellent transition, however, from a simplified Children’s rendition, to an adult Bible.

TITLE

Jesse Hurlburt’s classic retelling of most of the famous Stories from the Bible has been a popular favorite, in print continuously since it was first published in the early 1900′s. It is a beloved classic, just as famous for its fantastic illustrations, as for its engaging prose. It follows The Children’s Bible in difficulty because of its massive size rather than its readability. The text itself is clear and well organized. Each chapter could be easily read by an older grammar school student, but there are over 160 chapters, that cover all important events and characters in the Bible.

All of these Children’s Bibles are appealing to children, and faithfully transmit the truths of Christian scriptures. The first four of the books are included in the Young Readers Classical Curriculum, and we are currently working on a collection of Biblical and Ancient Histories that will include all eight versions, as well as several other volumes related to Ancient Civilizations.

Dec 14

James Baldwin’s Famous Stories Retold

by

Baldwin’s stories are highly anecdotal in nature, and many have a gentle moral. They do not tell complete histories or biographies, but usually only touch upon a single anecdote in a famous person’s life. For example, the stories of “Columbus and the Egg”, and “Bruce and the Spider”, tell only of a single incident in the lives of these famous characters, but at a level of great interest to a young reader. The stories are selected to lay the foundation for broader studies, since nearly all are alluded to frequently in literary, as well as historical works.

America’s Best Loved Historical Readers

“Put on your cloak, Cincinnatus, and hear the words of the Roman people.”

During the month of December, Heritage History is offering a free download of Thirty More Famous Stories Retold. This book is the third of a series of historical readers by James Baldwin, who was, perhaps, America’s most popular writer of elementary texts in the early 20th century. Baldwin’s books were loved by teachers because they taught important lessons about human nature as well as classical stories from history. But they were loved even more by students because they were written using easy to understand language and focusing on details of importance to children.

Although Baldwin wrote dozens of historical readers for students of all ages, Famous Stories, was probably his best known and most widely read series. The three books in the series, Fifty Famous Stories Retold, Fifty Famous People, and Thirty More Famous Stories Retold, were used as history “readers” in elementary grades in schools through out the United States from the time they were published in the 1890′s to the mid-fifties. They are written at a second to fourth grade level and retell dozens of true stories, about half from American history, and the rest from world history.

A quick review of the Contents of these books provides a good insight into the historical stories selected for this series. “King Alfred and the Cakes”, “Washington and his Hatchet”, “Horatius and the Bridge”, “Damon and Pythias”, “Cornelia’s Jewels”, “Columbus and the Egg”, “King John and Arthur”, “Newton and the Apple”, and “Solomon and Croesus”, are a few of the selections. As you can see, they introduce a wide variety of characters from all of world history.

Fifty Famous Stories Retold Fifty Famous People Thirty More Famous Stories Retold

Fifty Famous Stories Retold is the simplest of the three. It employs a simple vocabulary and short paragraphs, so it is appealing to very early readers. Fifty Famous People is similar in selection but includes more personal anecdotes, such as stories from the childhood of famous heroes that gives insight into their character. Thirty More Famous Stories Retold features stories of invention and discovery and was intended for slightly more sophisticated students. The richer vocabulary and more complicated plot elements in these stories gradually accustom children to following a longer narrative. All three of Baldwin’s readers are included in Heritage History’s Young Readers Classical Library.


About the Author

James Baldwin was one of the most influential educators and authors in late nineteenth century America. Beginning as an elementary teacher, he became the superintendent of the Indiana Public Schools in its early years, and spent his career helping to produce history and literature readers used in schools throughout the United States. At one time it was estimated that almost half of the books used in public schools were written or edited by Baldwin and most of his career was spent dedicated to producing good quality classic books for use in schools.

Dec 11

Ten New Books added to the Heritage Library

by


Peeps at Ancient Egypt, Peeps at Ancient Assyria, by James Baikie
The Story of the Chosen People by Helene Guerber, The Children’s Bible by Kent and Sherman
The Adventures of Buffalo Bill by William Cody, Beethoven by George Upton
St. Anselm by E. M. Wilmot-Buxton, Gabriel Garcia Moreno by Mrs. Maxwell Scott
When I was a Boy in Russia by Vladimir De Bogory Mokrievitch
Ivanhoe Told to the Children by Ethel Lindsay

Bible Stories, Biblical Empires, and Biographies

Back in the Good Old Days, before Dave and I made the decision to try to turn our hobby of collecting classical children’s histories into a small business, I spent most of my free time digitizing and proofreading books for the Heritage Library. Preparing new histories is still my favorite activity, but now there is less time for it now than in previous years. Nevertheless, in November, we managed to release a few new titles. We’ll do more thorough reviews later, but for now, just want to introduce these fascinating new books and authors.

Biblical Empires

Peeps at Ancient EgyptPeeps at Ancient Assyria

We’re currently working on our collection of Children’s Bibles and Biblical Era histories. It is difficult to find older books that are as richly illustrated as modern ones, but the Peeps at Ancient History collection not only provides a very succinct summary of Ancient Empires, it includes beautiful color images that appeal to children.


Children’s Bibles

Story of the Chosen PeopleChildren’s Bible – Old TestamentChildren’s Bible – New Testament

Well done Children’s Bibles are a delightful addition to any family library and we’ve just added a few more to the Heritage Collection. Guerber’s Story of the Chosen People reads like a history story of the Jewish people and is easy to understand for those unfamiliar with Bible history. The Kent and Sherman’s Children’s Bible was a popular for many years do both to is its lovely illustrations, and also its scholarly integrity.

Biographies

What do a Musical Genius, a Twelve Century Monk, a South American Patriot, an American Adventurer, and a Russian Revolutionary have in common? Well, not much actually, accept they are all subjects of biographies recently released on Heritage History. This is eclectic collection of course, but each life story is a fascinating one, that provides great insights into the historical era surrounding it.

BeethovenSt. AnselmGabriel Garcia MorenoAdventures of Buffalo BillWhen I was a Boy in Russia

Adapted Literature

Ivanhoe Told to the Children

Sir Walter Scott was a master of historical fiction, and Ivanhoe, set during reign of Richard the Lionhearted, is one of his most famous novels. This much simplified version, retains a great deal of the romance of the original, but is easily enjoyed by younger children.

Nov 27

Christmas Special for History Lovers

by

Do you have a History Lover on your Christmas list? If so, a Heritage Classical Library CD could be that unique gift you’ve been looking for. Each of our Classical Curriculum and Library CDs includes dozens of traditional histories, biographies, military histories, and literary classics for history lovers of all ages! From now until the end of December, Heritage History is offering FREE shipping on all of our Classical Curriculum and Classical Library CDs, for a savings of up to 15 percent off our everyday low prices. Heritage History is not just for homeschoolers. History is a subject that everyone can enjoy, and each CD includes many selections for general-interest readers. Check out our Store page for more information

Nov 06

Abraham Lincoln’s Favorite History Series

by

“I want to thank you and your brother for Abbott’s series of Histories. I have not education enough to appreciate the profound works of voluminous historians, and if I had, I have no time to read them. But your series of Histories gives me, in brief compass, just that knowledge of past men and events which I need. I have read them with the greatest interest. To them I am indebted for about all the historical knowledge I have.” —Abraham Lincoln.


Cyrus the Great, Darius the Great, Xerxes, Alexander the Great, Pyrrhus,
Romulus, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Nero, Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror,
Richard I, Richard II, Richard III, Margaret of Anjou, Mary Queen of Scots, Charles I, Charles II,
Peter the Great, Genghis Khan, Henry IV, Louis XIV, Madame Roland, Joseph Bonaparte, Josephine,
Louis Philippe, Miles Standish, King Philip, Chevalier de La Salle, Kit Carson, and more . . . .

Makers of History Series: by Jacob and John S. C. Abbott

Lincoln reading with his son Tad.

As the quote from above shows, even Abraham Lincoln was a fan of the Abbott brothers’ Histories. Their famous series of historical biographies was so well known and widely read that they were staples of virtually every American library from the time they were published, in the mid-1800′s, until after the World Wars.

Both informative and terrifically entertaining, the Abbott brothers had an enormous talent for writing biographies, and selecting those stories and anecdotal episodes from histories that are of most interest to the general reader. What is just as important, however, was their skill and accuracy as histories. They relied on original sources and sought to provide fair and objective accounts of events; free from either political bias or over-sentimentality. Would that modern historians were so fair-minded.

Jacob Abbott (1803-1879) was possibly the most prolific American writer of juvenile literature of the nineteenth century. He was born in Maine, the second of seven children. He and each of his four brothers graduated from Bowdoin College, studied theology, and became teachers or ministers. Three of the five boys became authors, and with his brother John, Jacob authored the famous and widely read Makers of History series of biographies.

It was not until about 1848 that he and his brother embarked on the idea of doing a series of biography aimed at young people. His target audience was age “15 to 25″, and the Abbott brothers eventually produced a set of biographies that were critically acclaimed and widely read. Within a few years of their publication the Abbott biographies became standard reference works of juvenile history, and were available in libraries throughout America. They were originally published as an ‘Illustrated History’ series, but were republished many times during the next sixty years in various collections, entitled ‘Famous Characters of History’, ‘Famous Queens of History’, and others. They were most recently republished in the early 1900’s as the ‘Makers of History’ series.

Jacob Abbott, 1803-1879

The Abbotts had a terrific gift for narrative, and their books all read as if they were high suspense novels. Although the vocabulary level is relatively high—more appropriate for high school or college than elementary schools—the writing style is not difficult, and the stories move along at a fast pace. The Abbott biographies have a delightful combination of action and adventure, along with truly interesting personality portraits, intriguing subplots, and fascinating secondary characters which should be appealing to both young men and young women.

Most of the books in the Makers of History series deal with five different historical periods, namely: Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, England, France, and American colonial history, and there are nearly three dozen biographies in the complete collection. The reason the series doesn’t deal with many well-known heroes of the United States is because they were written in the 1840′s and 1850′s, well before the Civil War. Instead of writing about the lives of important American leaders of the 19th century, John and Jacob Abbott’s biographies actually influenced the men themselves.

One more notable thing about the Abbot Biographies is that many of them have female subjects or feature important female secondary characters. This emphasis on the point of view of women does much to enhance the dramatic value of these biographies since feminine insights, as great writers of all ages have long recognized, add much depth and personal interest to almost all stories. Even the biographies of such martial heroes as Pyrrhus and Peter the Great feature many subplots with women that add considerable drama.

In this post it is only possible to provide a list of the major subjects of the Abbott biographies rather than a synopsis of the books themselves. However, a brief summary of each of these books can be found here. In the following list I have indicated some of the most outstanding in the collection with asterisks and provided information on which Heritage Classical Library each book is featured in.

  • Cyrus the Great*, Darius the Great, Xerxes, Alexander the Great, and Pyrrhus* are featured in the Ancient Greece Curriculum.
  • Romulus, Hannibal*, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Nero* are featured in the Ancient Rome Curriculum.
  • William the Conqueror, Richard I*, Richard II, Richard III, Margaret of Anjou*, Mary Queen of Scots, Charles I, and Charles II are featured in the British Middle Ages Curriculum.
  • Henry IV and Louis XIV are featured in the Christian Europe Library
  • Peter the Great, Madame Roland*, Josephine, Hortense, and Louis Philippe are featured in the Modern Europe Library.
  • Miles Standish, King Philip*, Kit Carson, and Chevalier de La Salle are featured in the Early America Library.

Many of these books are so exceptional they deserve their own blog post, but it will take time to review them individually. However, you can expected to see reviews of Abbott biographies featured on this blog on a regular basis in the future.

If this wonderful series of biographies is not impressive enough the Makers of History series listed above was only one of dozens of series produced by the Abbott brothers. They wrote many more works that we have yet to include on our website. Their breadth of knowledge and skill as writers is no less that stunning, even after one hundred and fifty years.

Older posts «

» Newer posts