Classical Historian

[mommymilkies]

I was considering going to John de Gree's speech at the conference Saturday, but I only heard of him from going through the conference listings.

 

I was impressed by the sample of his books online. But I can't really find any reviews.

 

Is it secular friendly? I don't mind church history, but I would like proselytizing and heavy handed worldview left out.

 

Does it take a YE view (with the Ancients book, in particular)?

 

The blurb about Mr. De Gree says he is against revisionist history. But which kind? I am not of the opinion that revisionism is always wrong. For example, the whole Discovery of the Americas deal.

 

And lastly, does anyone know if he's a good speaker? Thanks!

[SarahW]

You piqued my curiosity - but I didn't find much about it either.

 

Did you look at his youtube videos? That might help you determine whether you would like his speaking style.

 

According to one of his youtube videos he based his work on Carl G. Gustavson's A Preface to History and Barzun's The Modern Researcher. I read a summary of Gustavson's work here: http://members.tripod.com/~NC_Historian/history2.htm and found it quite acceptable (my senior historiography class used Historians' Fallacies, which I still think is the superior book).

 

From the samples of his textbooks I think they look useful if you need hand-holding through the process of teaching historiography. It doesn't look like you have to write the essays he would expect you to write, such as placing the Ten Commandments among the top two contributions of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Kush.

 

If the lecture is a practicum about how to do Socratic questions, research projects, and group activities for history studies, I think it may be useful. He seems to be a practical sort of guy.

[mommymilkies]

Thanks! I didn't think to check youtube! And thank you for the book references.