Daniel Boorstin books (The Discoverers, The Creators, The Seekers)

[Kfamily]

I know we've discussed these books before and I have saved the thread with Jackie's amazing plan. I've just started reading The Discoverers and I really like it. I'm finally ready to start dd's study of the Greeks and adding more resources has been on my mind. I'd love for her to read The Discoverers too. I going to add this in and probably The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton (which I've also just started to read). I'm also considering whether to add The Seekers and The Creators too.

 

My question is this:

 

Should I add just the portions of the ancient civilizations from The Seekers and The Creators (tying the sections of the books with time periods as we reach them in history....so reading the sections from The Seekers and The Creators about medieval times when we reach this section next in our history rotation and so on....) or should I wait until she's had some philosophy and art history in her background (both of which we are about to start with The Story of Philosophy and History of Art for Young People). I'm wondering if they would have more impact if she went into them with more of a foundation. On the other hand, they are very interesting and she would be studying from the books I've just mentioned at the same time. Would it be strange to read just sections each year? I'm not worried about The Discoverers the same way, because she already has a good foundation in history.

 

What do you think?

[Chrysalis Academy]

I don't have any answers, but I subbed because I also really like these books and would like to use them down the line, so will be listening in. Can you remind me of the age/grade of this dd?

[Kfamily]

This is 9th grade for her. I'm still on the fence about this. :)

[elegantlion]

I don't know what to think, but thank you for posting. I've had to scrap most of my history plans for next year. Using The Discoverers was part of my original plan, the plan before the plan I had to scrap -(I'm so not awake yet). I may go back to that.

 

I thought of merging them at one time. The one challenge I found was The Discoverers is chronological, The Creators is not. I haven't looked at The Seekers in forever, so I don't remember.

 

My concern would be if you read them in sections or merged them, do you lose the structure of the narrative that Boorstin has created. Do you lose some of the understanding of why and how he used the categories of Discoverers, Seekers, and Creators? I don't know.

 

My natural inclination would be to use each book separately and expand on it as necessary. I broke down The Discoverers last night. If ds reads 3 chapters a week, it would take 27 weeks. If he did a project or essay after each section, spending a week on it, then that's another four weeks. With life and the way my ds reads, I couldn't schedule more chapters per week.

 

I have a really cool book called The Discovery of Time, which I have not read in entirety, that would be a possible additional read with the first section of The Discoverers.

 

I read your post last night, a lightbulb went on. I need simple for next year, this would be perfect. So, I'm adding it to the list of possibilities, thank you.

[Kfamily]

Yes, this is part of what was bugging me. Hmmm, maybe we should just tackle The Discoverers this year and do one per year after this. This would give me time to read ahead and plan it out better. Like you, I want her to spend some time with it.

[NCMom]

I am reading The Creators with my youngest (the artist). We finished what we were doing and I needed something so we just jumped in. We just started, but so far I do not think I would try to mix the books, if I wanted depth rather than just a survey sort of experience and also I would not mix if I wanted the freedom to follow (possibly quite lengthy) rabbit trails within the focus of each book.

 

That probably made no sense. lol

 

We have read a lot of creation stories, started reading philosophy, read some about world religions. And that is just to go with the first chapter... :laugh:

 

I am trying to read ahead and make a "plan", but all the extra reading is sidetracking me!

 

It is harder than anything this child has EVER read, but she loves what we are doing.

 

Georgia

 

(edited to try and fix some of the errors. My phone isn't working with me today!)

[Kfamily]

This sounds exactly like what would happen here! :) Yes, I think we should stick to one book per year. We like to take our time and take rabbit trails too often!