History for me?

[ThreeBlessings]

Can anyone recommend an easy to read, brief, perhaps pleasant and conversational book for me to read as a refresher on World History? I think it would be soooo much easier to teach History if I didn't feel like I was learning most of it alongside them. TIA!

[redsquirrel]

I would give SWB history of the ancient world/medieval world a shot. Then see what she suggests for high school ages in third and fourth year.

 

I think they are a great place to start. Failing that, you could always read SOTW. I have a lot of history background but I still read them all before I used them with my kids. I think I read each one in a couple evenings.

[Capt_Uhura]

Someone at the highschool board recommended the following.... Get a nice notebook and pen that you enjoy. Sit down with Kingfisher Encyclopedia, and write a summary for each page. I think she said it took several months but when she was done, she had a much better grasp of world history.

 

I just listened to SWB's Great Books lecture. In it she recommends a history text which doesn't have as much detail as SOTW but it's great for a quick overview. You could read that one. It might be Hillyer's book.

[Farrar]

Someone at the highschool board recommended the following.... Get a nice notebook and pen that you enjoy. Sit down with Kingfisher Encyclopedia, and write a summary for each page. I think she said it took several months but when she was done, she had a much better grasp of world history.

 

I just listened to SWB's Great Books lecture. In it she recommends a history text which doesn't have as much detail as SOTW but it's great for a quick overview. You could read that one. It might be Hillyer's book.

:iagree: I would look at either a children's history like Gombrich (I haven't read the Hillyer). Or I would do a history encyclopedia like Kingfisher or Usborne.

 

Then, if you want to get more of a foundation in history in general, I would read things that interest you or that go along with what you're studying that year with the kids. I think most of the big overview books - even the good ones, like SWB's is supposed to be - aren't the most compelling or interesting history books out there. If you're trying to get your feet wet in history again, I would look more at biographies, microhistories or books about specific events or issues as they're likely to have a more compelling story to tell.

[mcconnellboys]

I agree with SWB's adult books! They're great reads....

[Guest]

If you're wanting something easy and light, compared to a fairly serious although readable history like SWB's, I just bought dd 14 The Mental Floss History of the World. It's not bad, seriously. It's a fairly good overview with lots of fascinating tidbits and cultural/social historical elements rather than strictly political and military. Of course being in one volume it is fast and light, but that means you'll probably get it read.