by John D. Wright ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 1, 2017
It’s the details that grab readers’ attention here instead of the big picture.
This series entry delivers exactly what the title says.
There is nothing surprisingly new in Wright’s gathering of United States Civil War facts, and most of the material centers on slavery and battles. The book is mostly laid out in page-long spreads, built up of colored boxes of highlights, an eye-catching collection of artwork, and a timeline running along the foot of the page. Various characters receive modest attention: generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee, John Brown, Andrew Johnson, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and, of course, Abraham Lincoln throughout. Signal battles, technology, and political maneuvering are also touched upon. Where Wright will capture readers is in the details: torpedo boats, code breakers, giant mortars ferried by railroad cars, “Sherman the Destroyer,” the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, the Freedmen’s Bureau, and Native Americans brought to prominence (Confederate Gen. Stand Watie, Grant’s secretary Ely S. Parker, the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters). The result is a historical narrative that is not so much disjointed as scattershot, with a concentration of activity surrounding the famous battles and sieges and a gradual disbursement of information as readers move away from the fighting. The end may be a collection of fairly unrelated politics and artifacts that prove to be the most captivating of all.
It’s the details that grab readers’ attention here instead of the big picture. (thumbnail bios, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68297-157-4
Page Count: 80
Publisher: QEB Publishing
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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by Russell Freedman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2000
If Freedman wrote the history textbooks, we would have many more historians. Beginning with an engrossing description of the Boston Tea Party in 1773, he brings the reader the lives of the American colonists and the events leading up to the break with England. The narrative approach to history reads like a good story, yet Freedman tucks in the data that give depth to it. The inclusion of all the people who lived during those times and the roles they played, whether small or large are acknowledged with dignity. The story moves backwards from the Boston Tea Party to the beginning of the European settlement of what they called the New World, and then proceeds chronologically to the signing of the Declaration. “Your Rights and Mine” traces the influence of the document from its inception to the present ending with Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. The full text of the Declaration and a reproduction of the original are included. A chronology of events and an index are helpful to the young researcher. Another interesting feature is “Visiting the Declaration of Independence.” It contains a short review of what happened to the document in the years after it was written, a useful Web site, and a description of how it is displayed and protected today at the National Archives building in Washington, D.C. Illustrations from the period add interest and detail. An excellent addition to the American history collection and an engrossing read. (Nonfiction. 9-13)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-8234-1448-5
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2000
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by Melvin Berger & Gilda Berger ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2001
An introduction to ancient Egypt and the Pharaohs buried in the Valley of the Kings. The authors begin with how archaeologist Howard Carter found the tomb of King Tut, then move back 3,000 years to the time of Thutmosis I, who built the first tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Finally they describe the building of the tomb of a later Pharaoh, Ramses II. The backward-forward narration is not always easy to follow, and the authors attribute emotions to the Pharaohs without citation. For example, “Thutmosis III was furious [with Hatshepsut]. He was especially annoyed that she planned to be buried in KV 20, the tomb of her father.” Since both these people lived 3,500 years ago, speculation on who was furious or annoyed should be used with extreme caution. And the tangled intrigue of Egyptian royalty is not easily sorted out in so brief a work. Throughout, though, there are spectacular photographs of ancient Egyptian artifacts, monuments, tomb paintings, jewels, and death masks that will appeal to young viewers. The photographs of the exposed mummies of Ramses II, King Tut, and Seti I are compelling. More useful for the hauntingly beautiful photos than the text. (brief bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-7922-7223-4
Page Count: 64
Publisher: National Geographic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2001
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