The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child; Volume 1: Ancient Times

by Susan Wise Bauer

Paperback, 2002

Status

Available

Series

Story of the World (1)

Genres

Nonfiction

All Topics

Publication

W. W. Norton & Company (2002), Paperback

Description

Presents a history of the ancient world, from 6000 B.C. to 400 A.D.

User reviews

LibraryThing member Hamburgerclan

This is the first volume of a series subtitled "History for the Classical Child"--part of the Sonlight curriculum. It's a summary of the ancient history, up through about 500 AD, written in a very readable style. Almost like reading a novel. One pleasant touch in this book is that even though it

was written to be part of a classical education, it acknowledges that there were civilizations elsewhere in the world besides just in the Fertile Crescent and around the Mediterranean. 'Tis a volume worth checking out.
--J.

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LibraryThing member laf

This book covers a lot of the world's ancient history. It is a good book for learning.

LibraryThing member JGolomb

I've been reading "The Story of the World" to my 6-year-old for the past several weeks. While the book is comprehensive in its' overall time line, we've been picking and choosing stories based on what interests us on a given day. Last night we chose three stories summarizing the life and exploits

of Alexander the Great. Last week we read about the adventures of Odysseus. Before that, it was the Remus and Romulus myth surrounding the beginnings of Rome. And don't forget the appropriately detailed overview of the lives of gladiators.

I think next up will be Early America civilizations...

Each chapter is short and focused, and written well for K-3rd grade. The chapters are written as stories or narratives which make the learning perfectly consumable by the target age ranges.

Not only have I found my son making real world connections and references to items we've read in the book, but I've also learned a few new things myself.

This is highly recommended.

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LibraryThing member kleahey

Going into any history book, I am concerned about how the author's personal views might have shaped his or her interpretation of the record of events. This is doubly so concerning history books written for children who are even more susceptible to accepting option and conjecture as truth. I think

that, with this concern in mind, Ms. Bauer did an excellent job assembling this first volume of her early elementary school world history series. Her attempt at including myths from each of the religious traditions she broaches in the book is admirable, although I feel that she tips her hand slightly as her prefaces to biblical passages present them more as historical record than spiritual account. That being said, Ms. Bauer goes above and beyond what all other textbooks that I've seen for this age accomplish, attempting to give a concise but global snapshot of the time period, following trends and themes in history across cultures, and constructing a terribly engaging narrative, all so that children see the study of history as more than just the recitation of a list of dusty facts but as something that has real value in their lives.

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LibraryThing member themulhern

This book is basically a history and culture textbook written for homeschoolers who are short on time and culture and need to get everything from just one book. It has to simplify and shorten, to be accessible to children. In its three pages on Alcibiades, it goes too far and actually misleads;

every other sentence is completely false. What did the same author do with Alcibiades in her history for adults? I'm actually curious now.

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