Monday, April 02, 2007
Abraham Lincoln's World
by Genevieve Foster
I really enjoyed this volume of the World of... series. I don't know if it is just an interesting period of time or its the legacy of growing up in Illinois, where Abe Lincoln is our patron saint. Like the other books, it takes the life of an influential man--in this case Abraham Lincoln--and weaves in the current events of the world. Then it's all decorated with nice little illustrations. This one also carries on the tradition of being enjoyable to read and offering a nice all around view of world history. I'm glad I checked it out. It makes me eager to get back to the States and pick up my perusal of Presidential biographies. Of course, I still have to slog through the era between Jackson and Lincoln....
LibraryThing link
I really enjoyed this volume of the World of... series. I don't know if it is just an interesting period of time or its the legacy of growing up in Illinois, where Abe Lincoln is our patron saint. Like the other books, it takes the life of an influential man--in this case Abraham Lincoln--and weaves in the current events of the world. Then it's all decorated with nice little illustrations. This one also carries on the tradition of being enjoyable to read and offering a nice all around view of world history. I'm glad I checked it out. It makes me eager to get back to the States and pick up my perusal of Presidential biographies. Of course, I still have to slog through the era between Jackson and Lincoln....
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, GenevieveFoster, WorldOf...
Sunday, January 28, 2007
George Washington's World
by Genevieve and Joanna Foster
This is the first of Genevieve Foster's World of... books, where the author not only recounts the life of a famous person, but also takes a look at what was happening around the world during their lifetime. In this case we get a peek into the world between the years of 1732 and 1799. It's an engaging book. Ms. Foster presents the information in a nice, storytelling style. I also enjoyed the illustrations, though they vaguely reminded me of the early Wonder Woman comics. The one odd thing about the copy I read is that it had been "expanded" in 1997 by Genevieve's daughter, Joanna. While the extra information, adding the contribution of non-white guys, makes for a richer book, you can sort of see the "seams" of the expansion. The flow between those sections and the older material doesn't always go smoothly. I think it becomes especially notable when slavery is mentioned. In some parts, a person's slaves are mentioned as a matter of course, in others, the notion of slavery is roundly condemned. But that's a small blemish in an otherwise excellent book. Whether it's for your kids or yourself, take time to check it out.
LibraryThing link
This is the first of Genevieve Foster's World of... books, where the author not only recounts the life of a famous person, but also takes a look at what was happening around the world during their lifetime. In this case we get a peek into the world between the years of 1732 and 1799. It's an engaging book. Ms. Foster presents the information in a nice, storytelling style. I also enjoyed the illustrations, though they vaguely reminded me of the early Wonder Woman comics. The one odd thing about the copy I read is that it had been "expanded" in 1997 by Genevieve's daughter, Joanna. While the extra information, adding the contribution of non-white guys, makes for a richer book, you can sort of see the "seams" of the expansion. The flow between those sections and the older material doesn't always go smoothly. I think it becomes especially notable when slavery is mentioned. In some parts, a person's slaves are mentioned as a matter of course, in others, the notion of slavery is roundly condemned. But that's a small blemish in an otherwise excellent book. Whether it's for your kids or yourself, take time to check it out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, GenevieveFoster, WorldOf...
Friday, January 12, 2007
The World of Capt. John Smith
by Genevieve Foster
Another of Genevieve Foster's World of... books, this one focuses on the years 1580-1631, the lifetime of John Smith. Smith, of course, is the first leader of the Jamestown colony in Virginia. Like the other volumes, Ms. Foster takes a look at events around the world during those years. Or at least around the Northern Hemisphere. Either there was not much happening in South America and Africa during those years, or Ms. Foster has a Eurasian bias. Even so, it is an enjoyable read. Surprisingly enough, part of the appeal is that the life of Captain Smith is an interesting tale in and of itself. If you want to share either his life story or the history of the time with your young'un, I'd advise you to check it out.
LibraryThing link
Another of Genevieve Foster's World of... books, this one focuses on the years 1580-1631, the lifetime of John Smith. Smith, of course, is the first leader of the Jamestown colony in Virginia. Like the other volumes, Ms. Foster takes a look at events around the world during those years. Or at least around the Northern Hemisphere. Either there was not much happening in South America and Africa during those years, or Ms. Foster has a Eurasian bias. Even so, it is an enjoyable read. Surprisingly enough, part of the appeal is that the life of Captain Smith is an interesting tale in and of itself. If you want to share either his life story or the history of the time with your young'un, I'd advise you to check it out.
LibraryThing link
Labels: CheckItOut, GenevieveFoster, WorldOf...
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