Rating: 
Summary: Wonderfully fasinating!
Review: I thought The History of Mankind was fasinating. I think this is a good book for anyone learning about World History. It is a advanced, but well paced, so an Elementary student, reading carefully could read it as well as a Junior High or High School student.
Rating: 
Summary: Offensive But Possibly Usefull.
Review: If you are a Jew, Islamist Christian or just somebody that appreciates accurate history and science, than this book will be offensive to you. I encourage you to read it for yourself to see what I mean, but you will not want your children to read it. Depending on the maturity of your children, this book could be used as a tool to teach your children correctly. Here's how: get a pencil and draw a line through every sentence you disagree with. Tell you child why you have done this and let them read it. After each chapter go through the marked parts and tell them what you believe to be the truth.
Rating:
Summary: Offensive But Possibly Usefull.
Review: If you are a Jew, Islamist Christian or just somebody that appreciates accurate history and science, than this book will be offensive to you. I encourage you to read it for yourself to see what I mean, but you will not want your children to read it. Depending on the maturity of your children, this book could be used as a tool to teach your children correctly. Here's how: get a pencil and draw a line through every sentence you disagree with. Tell you child why you have done this and let them read it. After each chapter go through the marked parts and tell them what you believe to be the truth.
Rating:
Summary: A book full of poor science, history and morality.
Review: If you are a practicing Islamist, Jew or Christian then you will not want to let your children read this book. It will offend your religious values and beliefs. Even if you are not, be forwarned as well, because this book is also full of poor science and historical mistakes. You should read this book before your child ever see it. Then decide for yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: A book you have to read!!
Review: If you are looking for a good informative book try Hendrik van Loon's Story of Mankind. From the stubborn Nehanderthals to the horrible World War 2. The exciting beginning of the Roman Empire and the way they treated the Christians. If you like the colonial era you better be a good reader. You will be impressed to see how many wars that Greece was in. In a scale to 1 to 10 I would give this book a 11!!
Rating:
Summary: Why Van Loon Is Desperately Needed Today
Review: THE STORY OF MANKIND is a delight. Contrast its wit and insight with the typical history textbooks to which our young are routinely subjected--as ably described by education historian Diane Ravitch: "The dullness of history textbooks is legendary. I am involved right now in a study of history textbooks, and I must say that I have trouble reading them because of their jumbled, jangly quality. I also have trouble lifting them because they are so heavy and overstuffed with trivia and pedagogical aids. With one or maybe two exceptions, most textbooks put more emphasis on visual glitz than on the quality of their text. By the time that these books emerge from the political process that is called state adoption, they lack voice and narrative power. They lack the very qualities that make historical writing exciting. Our history textbooks are distracting, and I don't know how students learn anything from them." Van Loon's book won the first Newberry Prize, quite an achievement for a book on world history. "The Story of Mankind" remains a great read for any child thirteen and up (and up).
Rating:
Summary: Why Van Loon Is Desperately Needed Today
Review: THE STORY OF MANKIND is a delight. Contrast its wit and insight with the typical history textbooks to which our young are routinely subjected--as ably described by education historian Diane Ravitch: "The dullness of history textbooks is legendary. I am involved right now in a study of history textbooks, and I must say that I have trouble reading them because of their jumbled, jangly quality. I also have trouble lifting them because they are so heavy and overstuffed with trivia and pedagogical aids. With one or maybe two exceptions, most textbooks put more emphasis on visual glitz than on the quality of their text. By the time that these books emerge from the political process that is called state adoption, they lack voice and narrative power. They lack the very qualities that make historical writing exciting. Our history textbooks are distracting, and I don't know how students learn anything from them." Van Loon's book won the first Newberry Prize, quite an achievement for a book on world history. "The Story of Mankind" remains a great read for any child thirteen and up (and up).
Rating:
Summary: An overview of all of man's history.
Review: This is a classic history book written for children (probably ages eleven to fourteen) which can be fascinating even for adults. The book still rings true in 1999. In 1922, it won the very first Newbery Medal for best contribution to American children's literature (the Melcher family had just established the John Newbery Medal). It concentrates mostly on European history since van Loon, in the early 1920s, is attempting to explain those factors that were present in the world at that time. His son William has written several new chapters which expand this view (his father had passed away in 1944). And, I have seen editions that are furthur updated. But, the elder van Loon simply had a style of writing history that seems attractive to children. I saw a previous edition of this book by van Loon when I was a kid and always wanted to read it. I'm glad that I finally did.
Rating:
Summary: Van Loon's "Story of Mankind" entertaining, highly readable
Review: This reprint of Henrik Willem van Loon's "Story of Mankind", winner of the 1922 Newberry Award (first awarded) is a treasure chest of history spiced throughout with van Loon's delightful pen and ink drawings. Modern editors have tried to bring the book up to date by including major world events since van Loon originallywrote the book, but their writing doesn't have the insight that made van Loon's writings what they are.Van Loon traces the history of mankind from the beginning, starting with a brief geologic description of planet earth.His writing makes it seem as if you are reading a docu-drama, and you'll keep wishing that he could spend moretime on each topic.I especially enjoyed the sections on the middle ages and renaissance, and this book serves as a goodintroduction to history for children with writing that brings history to life.At times, given when this book was originally written, you may be struck by van Loon's eurocentric flavor, butoverall, he does a remarkable job in providing a well balanced presentation of all major world events. He does a great job of looking at major world religions. This is not an exhaustive epic of the history of humanity, ratherit is an excellent introduction to history. Sadly, not many historiescan claim to be as entertaining as this volume. Perhaps if more were, historywould not be viewed with dread.
Rating:
Summary: Van Loon's "Story of Mankind" entertaining, highly readable
Review: This reprint of Henrik Willem van Loon's "Story of Mankind", winner of the 1922 Newberry Award (first awarded) is a treasure chest of history spiced throughout with van Loon's delightful pen and ink drawings. Modern editors have tried to bring the book up to date by including major world events since van Loon originally
wrote the book, but their writing doesn't have the insight that made van Loon's writings what they are.
Van Loon traces the history of mankind from the beginning, starting with a brief geologic description of planet earth.
His writing makes it seem as if you are reading a docu-drama, and you'll keep wishing that he could spend more
time on each topic.
I especially enjoyed the sections on the middle ages and renaissance, and this book serves as a good
introduction to history for children with writing that brings history to life.
At times, given when this book was originally written, you may be struck by van Loon's eurocentric flavor, but
overall, he does a remarkable job in providing a well balanced presentation of all major world events. He does a great job of looking at major world religions. This is not an exhaustive epic of the history of humanity, rather
it is an excellent introduction to history. Sadly, not many histories
can claim to be as entertaining as this volume. Perhaps if more were, history
would not be viewed with dread.
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