siloam Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 My daughter dislikes textbooks, including Usborne, DK and Kingfisher. She didn't love History of the US either, too many side bar factoids. She loves SOTW, historical fiction and literature. My plan right now is use All American History, but I am afraid it is just too formal. I don't really need a whole program as I can use the TOG I own, I am more looking for a spine that isn't a textbook. But if it were a perfect fit, I would consider it. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Bennett America the Last Best Hope may fit your bill. It is a book, written as a readable non fiction book, not a textbook. you can use it as a spine, add original documents and assignments. He has a website (roadmap) with teaching materials, assignments, quizzes, documents and other things, for a not too high subscription fee (we did not use it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nscribe Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Maybe William Bennett's American The Last Best Hope. Three volumes, written in narrative (like SOTW), and if you want there is a website with supplementary items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 I'd also consider Tindall's America: A Narrative History. It's a very readable text without distracting sidebars and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nscribe Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Regentrude won the press enter race. :thumbup1: I read the books years ago as they were published. Dd reads them as some nights before tucking in, she likes nonfiction and says she likes Bennett's narrative style. Tindall's is a smooth read as well, so either would work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 My daughter dislikes textbooks, including Usborne, DK and Kingfisher. She didn't love History of the US either, too many side bar factoids. She loves SOTW, historical fiction and literature. My plan right now is use All American History, but I am afraid it is just too formal. I don't really need a whole program as I can use the TOG I own, I am more looking for a spine that isn't a textbook. But if it were a perfect fit, I would consider it. Heather Boorstin's Landmark History of the American People is a narrative history of the US that goes up to 1969. It might be a good support for the TOG readings. The American Pageant is a popular pick for US History classes in my area. There are several versions, including a "brief" edition. It tends to have fewer sidebars than History of US. You can get older editions pretty inexpensively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 My son used the Tindall 8th edition (full version---for AP USHistory); my daughter used American Pageant for APUSH. Of the two I like Tindall more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 We'll be using the full Tapestry press with my oldest, but history is his thing. BUT last year at our state convention we went to hear Ray Notgrass speak and he was entranced. We went ahead and got his American HIstory test which is very narrative. So you might want to look at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nscribe Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 My son used the Tindall 8th edition (full version---for AP USHistory); my daughter used American Pageant for APUSH. Of the two I like Tindall more. Do you think you liked Tindall more because it was less "wordy" than American Pageant? I stuggle finding what it is about American Pageant that doesn't enthuse me. It is certainly widely used and suggested for AP, but something about it just doesn't click. Something like it almost tries to be too much....? Thinking aloud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Do you think you liked Tindall more because it was less "wordy" than American Pageant? I stuggle finding what it is about American Pageant that doesn't enthuse me. It is certainly widely used and suggested for AP, but something about it just doesn't click. Something like it almost tries to be too much....? Thinking aloud. American Pageant IS overly wordy. It's like the author(s) wanted to cram as much information as possible into every paragraph. It made dd crazy! She actually read Tindall instead! Tindall is very readable, more of a narrative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Another option would be to go through the full set of Hakim... I think a fresh time through a spine or going through with more maturity can help them have more perspective, make more connections. And just for your trivia, my dd, who loves history in general, isn't particularly enthralled with US history either. However now that we're digging into particular topics in a lot more depth, she seems to be enjoying it. So what you might do is have her read a narrative spine (Bennett's books or Hakim) and then pick 4 projects where she digs in-depth and researches more. PS. Nice to see you on the boards! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 My daughter dislikes textbooks, including Usborne, DK and Kingfisher. She didn't love History of the US either, too many side bar factoids. She loves SOTW, historical fiction and literature. My plan right now is use All American History, but I am afraid it is just too formal. I don't really need a whole program as I can use the TOG I own, I am more looking for a spine that isn't a textbook. But if it were a perfect fit, I would consider it. Heather Another option might be to use the Great Courses US History lectures as your spine with the TOG readings as the in depth study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendall Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Paul Johnson's A History of the American People is another option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 I have been on a small broad break, planning ahead for next year (and pencilling in most of logic stage, which has led to some hyperventilating about high school, but I digress...). Anyway, I have been reading/researching the boards while planning and came upon your post. It caught my eye because the one thing I have been 99.9% sure of for high school is that I want to read concurrently through Bennett and Zinn, including primary sources and first person accounts. Honestly, this is the number one thing that has me excited (and not quaking in my boots) about HSing high school. I think the difference in POV should make for wonderful discussions, exactly what I want in high school. Of course now I wonder about the possibility of it, and how it will play out in reality, considering my desire to go the AP route. Thought I would throw it out there though. It sounds like your DD really likes "living" history, and I think analyzing POV, especially in terms of the forefathers vs the common man, would excel at bringing the big issues to life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nscribe Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Bennett and Zinn....I think the difference in POV should make for wonderful discussions, exactly what I want in high school. If you liked Zinn, Oliver Stone just co-wrote a book called The Untold History of the United States. I haven't read it yet, but saw him do a long interview with his co-writer about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Thanks for the recommendations here-it helped me too! Just ordered the Bennett and Tindall from library to look over. I got interested myself in the Bennett samples online-really good reading. Hi Heather!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifesadream83 Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 My daughter dislikes textbooks, including Usborne, DK and Kingfisher. She didn't love History of the US either, too many side bar factoids. She loves SOTW, historical fiction and literature. My plan right now is use All American History, but I am afraid it is just too formal. I don't really need a whole program as I can use the TOG I own, I am more looking for a spine that isn't a textbook. But if it were a perfect fit, I would consider it. Heather Sonlight has a new Landmark book that I hear is good. I have the old one though. I am not sure how you are going to find a spine other than SOTW that isn't an encyclopedia or a textbook though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Another option might be to use the Great Courses US History lectures as your spine with the TOG readings as the in depth study. :iagree: I plan to use several TC courses as our "spine" and add readings, documentaries, and primary sources as we go along. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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