Everything and More: A Compact History of Infinity
David Foster Wallace and Neal Stephenson
Book
Is infinity a valid mathematical property or a meaningless abstraction? David Foster Wallace brings...
Chimneys and Chimney Sweeps
Book
Chimney sweeping is an ancient trade dating from the twelfth century. This social history, covering...
7 Wonders: Architects
Tabletop Game
In 7 Wonders: Architects, 2-7 players race to become a leader of the ancient world by completing an...
Predynastic Egypt
Games and Education
App
***Localizations: English, Русский, 中文, Español, Deutsch, Français, Italiano,...
The story is told by Bullheaded Black, the horse of Alexander the Great, or Alex as the horse calls him. It covers the basic history of the life and triumphs of Alexander from a young boy and even includes some overarching history to help the reader grasp the overall history of the era and the other ancient peoples involved in the tale.
I have always been taught to be honest, and that is exactly what I will do, I felt this style of writing, at times, oversimplified the history. Now, I think I find that less appealing as I am an avid reader of history books of a much more detailed level, however, for the target audience, I feel it was pitched quite well. The history covered is interestingly put to the reader and is well described in context, which I think helps you absorb more of the history.
It was quite slow to get going, and never really gained a great pace, however I would find this very useful as a classroom text to introduce this era of history to any child over about 7 years old as it is at a level that they could understand. Also, the novelty of using the horse to tell the story is something that I feel would appeal to the intended audience, perhaps a little more than it did to me!
Overall, this is a good book for younger children and teenagers to learn about history in a fun and interesting way. It is written in a very different style to the author's other works I have read, which only goes to show his versatility in writing for the adult and children's market! Despite the apparently low rating, 3 stars means I liked it, and I would recommend it to younger readers, and to my teaching friends who are looking for some interesting historical fiction to assist their own knowledge, and to engage the children in a fantastic era of history.
An Illustrated History of Interior Decoration: from Pompeii to Art Nouveau
Book
An indispensable reference source for anyone with an interest in period styles of furniture and...
Sovereignty in China's Perspective
Book
This book explores China's perspective on sovereignty. The concept of sovereignty is universal,...
Woods: A Celebration
Book
A tribute to the natural history of some of our most iconic British woods. The National Trust...
Ashoka: The Search for India's Lost Emperor
Book
India's lost emperor Ashoka Maurya has a special place in history. In his quest to govern India by...
Decline of Iranshahr: Irrigation and Environment in the Middle East, 500 B.C. - A.D. 1500
Book
The history of the Middle East is traditionally structured around the rise and fall of dynasties and...