Guest Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Why have you liked or disliked these books? I don't know anything about them except they are on several 'must read' book lists I have. What ages are they appropriate for? Would they be okay for sensitive children? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 *I* LOVED it. The reading level is a bit advance for most elem. students, but the material is find. So....we listened to it on audio. My older 2 children (dd11 and ds9) were really enjoying it. It did start out a bit slow and we wondered where the actual Cat of Bubastes would come in to play. But, it picked up and we ended up really loving it. We also own Beric of Briton but won't cover it until we do Rome to Reformation in 2009/10. I might just pre-read it, though! My advice is if you do have elem. students...get the audio or read it aloud so they can benefit from the wonderful story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in IL Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 The reading level in these books is pretty high. I took one on an airplane, and was surprised at how difficult I found the first few chapters. After I got used to the writing style, I really loved the book. My husband loves reading them also. My son finds them a bit dry until he can really delve into them. I do a mandatory 1/2 hour read of the books each day, and that gets him into them. We really like history here, and I also think if my 6th grader can read these books, his reading level is pretty awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate CA Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Why have you liked or disliked these books? I don't know anything about them except they are on several 'must read' book lists I have. What ages are they appropriate for? Would they be okay for sensitive children? We enjoy listening to these more than reading them though I have enjoyed reading them too. :+) I think only you can decide on the "sensitive children" aspect because I have had my 5yo listening to the Civil War one and she was completely unphased. He is not gory if that is a concern though in certain stories some very tragic deaths happen. There are no inappropriate male/female relationships either. The depth of the history - and the factual information in the history - is really something. We have enjoyed them. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 and after a reasonable trial (several chapters) my ds couldn't either. I found the Cat of Bubastes to be a lot of dull battle maneuvering and since my kid isn't into military stuff, he found it dull as well. Hope this doesn't reflect poorly on my character-I just couldn't get into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 but my older two dc have listened to and enjoyed a couple of Henty's audiobooks and requested I get more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denainms Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 here are some online in html format for downloading:001_smile: http://henty.ae6gn.com/bookschron.php and some in mp3 format for purchasing from Jim Hodges site, there is one free download on the civil war http://www.jimhodgesaudiobooks.com/henty.html hth, Dena in MS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 I've enjoyed the ones that I've read, and we're listening to one now (Beric the Brittain performed by Jim Weiss), but frankly they all have the same basic plot with some variations. They're good historical fiction though, but I wouldn't base my history program on them (as some folks do). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 We didn't care for the one we tried to listen to (Cat of Bubastes as I remember). What I heard of it was way too mired in the Victorian English attitude toward other cultures as basically misguided ignorant heathens to be patronized, which I did not find appropriate for the material (as it was supposed to be from within the world view of the culture). I didn't feel that it was worth putting up with that when there is other, in my opinion more respectful, fiction related to that culture. Now, don't mistake. I read and have read with my daughter a good bit of Victorian, Edwardian, etc material and found it both useful and enjoyable. I just didn't find Henty so (and we did have the Weiss recording, so it wasn't the reader). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyatHome Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Henty is a favorite with my dss. They are 21 and 18 yrs. now and still pull these off the shelf from time to time. In fact, in a moment of nostalgia, the 18 yr. old bought his brother (turning 21) a new release of a Henty for his birthday. They are wholesome historical fiction. They seem to appeal to the hero in my sons. I've been clearing the bookshelves as dc are growing up, but dc have asked me to keep the Hentys for their children to read. Dds have not been as captivated by these books as much. They've listened to a couple on tape, but don't read them for fun. However, they want them available for their own children some day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 at the Midwest Homeschool Convention. It was conducted by Jim Weiss who has recorded readings of many of Henty's works. His suggestion was that these books are probably good for ages 7 and up. Although certain works will be more sensitive for a child that is sensitive. So trust your own gut there. These books are great HISTORICAL FICTION. Some of them do express views about cultures and peoples that many of us would find uncomfortable and certainly politically incorrect. It would be up to the parent how to use these times as a teaching tool. Overall, he is a highly recommended author just as you suggested that you've found. The seminar did indicate that the revival of love for Henty is predominantly found in the homeschooling realm. Interesting. Mr. Weiss also said that one of Henty's trademarks is his incredible attention to detail almost to the overkill. This is because Henty dictated his stories straight out of his imagination and study to someone else to write down. So if he digressed or repeated himself it sort of stayed there! No publisher ever called him on it. So when Mr. Weiss records these works, he does eliminate any repetition or unnecessary verbage. For this reason, I think I will prefer to listen to his great voice on these rather than attempting to read them myself!! HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 We really liked Cat of Bubastes, but the others we have read had so many battle stratigies that it was just boring . One other thing we didn't like is that it was as if that main character played the saving day roll in the major historical events. It was presented as if the event could have not turned out the way it did without this main character. Plus from book to book the main character always seems to have the same traits.I realize that they are written by the same author, but we didn't like reading about the same fictional person saving the non-fictional world in each book with battle maneuver after battle maneuver. Did I make any since? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 These books are great HISTORICAL FICTION. Some of them do express views about cultures and peoples that many of us would find uncomfortable and certainly politically incorrect. It would be up to the parent how to use these times as a teaching tool. Wow, didn't expect to get yelled at for evidently daring to disagree...... Fully agree these are historical fiction, never stated or expected otherwise. The one I began was simply, in my opinion, not historical fiction well written or compelling enough to be worth our time to listen to or the effort to use those areas as "teaching tools". I did not see that it would add anything unique to our study. There are certainly works of historical fiction that I find worth using and spending such time and effort on, including those that do not agree with my views (whether you would consider those views politically correct or incorrect). Henty did not begin to fall into that category for me. The writing was an example of many of the things I dislike about the Victorians without those things that make other Victorian authors worthwhile for me. We were given three of the Weiss recordings on cd, and I chose to sell them. The OP wanted to know why we either liked or disliked Henty. I responded with my opinion--I didn't like him. YMMV. That's one of the beauties of homeschooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArwenA Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I like them and so do the kids, they make great read alouds.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Wow, didn't expect to get yelled at for evidently daring to disagree...... Please believe me, I was not attempting to yell at you in any way! I guess I shouldn't have used the capital letters. I didn't intend them in a yelling way, I should have italicized them for emphasis. To tell you the truth, I hadn't read your comment before I posted mine. I was attempting to emphasize the things that Mr. Weiss emphasized in his seminar. I sincerely apologize if I came across that I was yelling at you or demeaning your opinion. That was not my intention in the least. I am relatively new to these boards, and enjoy using them for learning. Not for fighting. Please accept my apology.:blush: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in GA Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 I think I tried to start too early. I blame it on the Veritas Press catalog! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 I am using the revised versions, and I love them! Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 I hadn't heard of the revised versions. Where can I find them? what is the difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 I would characterize the ones I've read as "okay"' in the historical fiction category. They typically have a Christian theme in them as well. However, I quit reading Henty after encountering what I consider a vile level of racism. I am not just referring to another century's lack of sensitivities or unthinking sense of superiority that one finds in many if not most older books. In some books Henty goes well beyond other authors of his time. A case in point was Beric the Briton. In an otherwise decent historical novel, there is a page of horrendous racist dialog. It is entirely unrelated to the plot. It is just stuck in there for the purpose of...what? Not worth it to me. I had read Cat of Bubastes before that, and another (can't remember the title) and found them "okay." I liked Beric the Briton better until I came to that passage. I was horrified that I had considered buying that book (based on its inclusion in so many Christian sources and before I read it) as a gift for ds's best friend who is African American. Horrified and very disappointed that Christians who would absolutely never condone vile sexual passages could just accept vile racist passages and put them on recommended booklists. Gross. I would not just hand a kid a Henty without prereading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Umm..I think we will pass on Henty's books. Thanks for the heads up and replies everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 I hadn't heard of the revised versions. Where can I find them? what is the difference? Nothing New Press. They were revised to remove racial slurs and correct a few inaccuracies in the history. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Nothing New Press. They were revised to remove racial slurs and correct a few inaccuracies in the history. Nothing New Press appears to have the H. A. Gueber histories rather than the G. A. Henty novels, or at least I wasn't able to find Henty where I was looking...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Nothing New Press appears to have the H. A. Gueber histories rather than the G. A. Henty novels, or at least I wasn't able to find Henty where I was looking...... My bad. I skimmed the thread, so I didn't realize it was about the novels and not the history books. :leaving: Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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