History buffs (and those of you who are not history buffs) . . .

I had written a lovely review on Susan Wise Bauer’s latest publication.

I saved my review on my flash drive.  Today, as I was ready to download it . . . well let’s just say THE FLASH DRIVE FAILED!!

So I start again.

Often I hear people say “I don’t like history”.  (Hard to believe hey? )   I can understand that.  Prior to homeschooling my own children my history education was limited to what I learned in high school (you know, those years where most teens glued to a desk are really enthralled with dry accounts read from dry textbooks).

That changed when I began homeschooling and based much of my homeschool philosphy on Wise Bauer’s book “The Well Trained Mind“.  In it she espouses the virtue of teaching history in chronological order.  Who would have thought what a huge difference that made in my own understanding of world events.

By the time my kids were in Grade 2 Wise Bauer released volume one of the Story of the World series.

I fondly remember reading aloud Wise Bauer’s account of history to my children.  More than once the light bulb went off in my head as a name I recognized was linked to why that person impacted history.  As each of the next three volumes was released we promptly purchased them for our history program.  (By the way we also bought the audio version listening to them while driving in our car.)

After the elementary series Wise Bauer’s next historical account, written for high school and above was The History of the Ancient World.

This volume, focusing on ancient times,  expands on the basics described in The Story of the World books.   The History of the Medievel World continues where the ancients left off.

I enjoy Wise Bauer’s style of writing.  Reading these books have broadened my understanding of history and have left me with a thirst for more.  I have a personal love of the middle ages.   So many significant things happened during that time period.  Reading about history makes you appreciate how and why things happen today . . . i.e. politically, geographically.  (And I know I am very happy to live in these modern times!)

For those of you who fear history or think its boring, go out and get yourself a copy of Wise Bauer’s book.  It will convert you from a hater to a lover of history.  Really.