A Little History of the World - Book 23

I have been reading this book out loud, primarily to my history-averse 13 year old son, ever since September.  We've gone through it very slowly.  Honestly, I can't understand why it took us so long.  Looking back this year has been a blur.

Anyway, A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich is an excellent living book that retells world history for children.  I use the term 'living book' in the Charlotte Mason way.  It is a well written, narrative telling of a subject by someone who is passionate about that particular subject.  It does not talk down to children at all, in fact, adults will find it a very enjoyable and informative read.

I enjoyed the book, not only for Gombrich's style, but because of his point of view.  History is not related through the eyes of America.  Gombrich was an Austrian Jew who left for England just before Hitler took over.  He wrote this book in 1935 in six weeks, which is amazing and really drives home the fact that he possessed a deep and comprehensive understanding of history.  The book really summarizes very complex history in a big-picture, based-on-principles manner that presents it clearly and in such an organized way as to make it accessible to children.  To me it was very interesting to read about European history from an Austrian/British point of view.

Another fascinating thing about my edition is that the last chapter was an update where Gombrich relates the history that he personally lived through since 1935 all the way up to 1989 and the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Gombrich died in 2001.  He explains certain things he feels he got wrong in the original book.  It makes the book end on a very warm, personal note.  I felt like I'd really gotten to know this wonderfully intelligent and gentle author.

I've read several of these history books written for children.  I've read some or most of both A Child's History of the World and The Story of Mankind.  I had the original version of A Child's History of the World which I had trouble reading because it had a lot of subtle and not so subtle racism in it.  I understand the updated version got rid of that little problem.  My kids did not like The Story of Mankind by Van Loon.  They found his tone patronizing and he also had that little problem of dividing the world up into yellow people and brown people.  I have read three of the four books in Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World books.  I appreciate them very much, but I think they are really aimed at a younger audience; she specifically wrote them for first through fourth graders.  Frankly, I don't think kids need to know that much history in that much detail that young.  Because the books are for the very young they do not have that universality of appeal to all ages that A Little History of the World has.

To me A Little History of the World hits just the right spot.

Two thumbs up!  For more book reviews please go to 52 Books in 52 Weeks.