Book Description

Containing more than 130 entries of the most important people, places, and events of the Civil War, this handy reference book is great for browsing and is also a compact introduction to the Civil War and to mid-nineteenth-century America. Designed especially for children in upper-elementary and early junior-high grades, each cogent entry is self-contained and full of vivid lore. Organized alphabetically, the entries cover many facets of the war-including slavery, Abraham Lincoln's role as president, nursing, generals, battles, and the home front. Chock-full of historical photographs, drawings, and maps, this entertaining guide is an invaluable companion to any study of the Civil War. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent and absorbing introduction to the Civil War
_____This is an excellent and absorbing introduction to the Civil War. Arranged alphabetically this book will be good starting point for anyone researching the Civil War. The glossary and timeline are helpful additions.

_____While this book is simple to use, the information is riveting. Mention is made of not only important soldiers, but also individuals involved with the Abolition movement, nurses, photographers, Blacks, among others who are identified with this era. The actual pictures of events and people and maps add to the overall usefulness of the book. Readers will definitely want to learn more about the war. ... Read more

Book Description

From woman's suffrage to Babe Ruth's home runs, from Louis Armstrong's jazz to Franklin Delano Roosevelt's four presidential terms, from the finale of one world war to the dramatic close of the second, War, Peace, and All That Jazz presents the story of some of the most exciting years in U.S. history. With the end of World War I, many Americans decided to live it up, going to movies, driving cars, and cheering baseball games a plenty. But alongside this post-WWI spree was high unemployment, hard times for farmers, ever-present racism, and, finally, the Depression, the worst economic disaster in U.S. history, flip-flopping the nation from prosperity to scarcity. Along came one of our country's greatest leaders, F.D.R., who promised a New Deal, gave Americans hope, and then saw them through the horrors and victories of World War II. These three decades--full of optimism and despair, progress and Depression, and, of course, War, Peace, and All That Jazz--forever changed the United States. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Buyer Beware
I doubt there's any US History textbooks more excitingly written for kids age 9-12 than Joy Hakim's. (This series is the one used in one of the best private schools in Silicon Valley.) They're glossy and beautiful, and well-nigh irresistible. What an incredible shame. What's the problem? The problem is they contain a version of history so slanted as to amount to an utterly shameless propagandizing of children. I'm a liberal atheist, but, really, these books should be sealed into a time capsule, to entertain future historians.

I assume Hakim simply doesn't know any better, but even a Marxist with a PhD in American History would blush a little to discover that a child reading this series would never suspect that close to 100 million innocent men, women, and children died under the yoke of socialist regimes, nor that a third of the world was plunged into an unnecessary grinding poverty for decades. On the other hand, they will learn, as they should, that National Socialism murdered six million innocents, and that the Ku Klux Klan 'grew hugely' in the 1920s. But they won't learn that any other serious totalitarian movements also grew hugely in the 1920s, or that five million innocents died under the rule of Lenin's first experiment in socialism in the 1920s.

On the contrary, all anti-Communism in the twentieth century is presented as nothing better than a witch-hunt. Indeed, anti-communism is literally referred to as a 'witch-hunt,' several times. Come on. So, was the fight against Hitler's National Socialism a 'witch-hunt'? Why such a palpable double standard for twin evils? Hakim teaches children that while National Socialism was indeed a real and present danger, and even worth waging an unprecedented World War to fight it, on the other hand, international socialism, or Communism, was, as she tells it, never any real danger to Americans.

For instance, there's a chapter on the HUAC hearings in which McCarthy is referred to as a 'liar' about a half a dozen times. The chapter literally begins with the opening sentence "Joe McCarthy was a liar." Sure, he's controversial, but the latest research by historians just doesn't back up Hakim's wild-eyed account of liberal anti-socialism in America as nothing better than a nefarious 'witch-hunt' conducted by 'liars' and oppressors. Totalitarian Communist Lillian Hellman is profiled as a hero, and the overall impression is given that none of these people really were Communists, but, instead, were all just as falsely accused as the supposed 'witches' of Salem.

This conclusion is then used to prove the statement that Americans are a fundamentally paranoid people, who basically lose their marbles very once in a while. (See book "Not Without Honor." on McCarthy and PBS documentary on Salem to find out why even Salem wasn't actually paranoia after all, but a toxic crop of moldy rye.)

The Great Depression and World War II covered in one volume
"War, Peace, and All That Jazz" is the ninth and second to last volume in Joy Hakim's series A History of US, and it covers a lot of ground. It starts with the end of the First World War and ends with the end of the Second World War. In between it throws in the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and the New Deal. Even though it starts on November 11, 1918, Hakim sets up this book as covering the start of a new century, establishing the idea that after World War I everything was different. The preface even underscores the point with a photograph showing a public gathering in Munich on August 1, 1914 when a crowd cheered Germany's decision to go to war; among those photographed in the mob in an enlarged circle was a smiling mustached 25-year-old Austrian watercolor artist named Adolf Hitler.

This volume basically breaks down into three main sections. The first deals with the complete transformation of the United States after World War I, with Prohibition, Women's Suffrage, and the Red Scare. The Scopes "Monkey Trial" gets an extended sidebar and chapters are devoted to both Babe Ruth and the Negro Leagues (with references to Jesse Owens and Joe Louis as well). Modern technology is represented by the achievements of Edwin Hubbel, Albert Einstein, Robert Goddard, and Charles Lindbergh. The second section sets up "The Prosperity Balloon" that popped when the Stock Market crashed. Having established the problem, Hakim presents Franklin AND Eleanor Roosevelt as the solutions, devoting a half dozen chapters to each of them before FDR runs for the White House.

The final section deals with World War II, starting with the idea of Hitler, Francisco Franco, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, and even America's Father Coughlin, as 20th-Century monsters. Hakin deals with the Nazi's Final Solution to exterminate the Jews in Europe and the scientists who warned FDR of the threat of Germany developing the atomb bomb, before Pearl Harbor draws the United States into the war. While dealing with the high points of the two-ocean war, Hakim also devotes chapters to the interment of Japanese-Americans as "Forgetting the Constitution," and the death of FDR before final victory. After the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan and the arrival of peace, the final chapter, "Picturing History," ends the book with works of art including paintings by Edward Hooper, Georgia O'Keefe, Joseph Stella, Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, and others.

In "A Note from the Author" Hakim talks about the first half of the 20th century in terms of the famous opening lines of "A Tale of Two Cities," where Charles Dickens declares: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..." The emphasis here is on the idea that there are lessons to be learned from the horrible things that happened during this period by the young students reading this book today.

This series remains ideally suited for children who are being home schooled because Hakim brings the same sort of involvement to her historical narrative that you would want to see provided by a teacher in a classroom. This book pays as much attention to Louis Armstrong's jazz as it does to Babe Ruth's home runs and consistently relates things back to the thesis that these three decades full of optimism and despair, progress and Depression, and war, peace and all that jazz, forever changed the United States. In response to the twin challengs of the Great Depression and World War II, Franklin Roosevelt essentially set the stage for the United States that emerged in the second half of the 20th century.

One of the Best History Books I've Read
"War, Peace, and All that Jazz" was one of the best history books I've ever read. It has a good approach of talking about things like the Stock Market Crash without seeming boring, and actually goes into more details than many other History books I've read. It also has really good pictures of everything from Babe Ruth to Charles Lindbergh to World War two. I really liked this book and want to keep it, even though I orignally bought it only for a college term paper. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When writer Sara Cameron went on assignment to Colombia to write aUNICEF report about the Children's Movement for Peace to submit to the NobelPeace Prize Committee, she was skeptical: "I didn't believe that children coulddo anything substantial to help peace." But she was soon convinced by thesincere teen leaders of the movement who had been through hell and lived to tellabout it. Colombia is a country that has been torn apart by guerilla warfare,illegal drug trade, and gang violence for more than 40 years. In the late 1990s,guided by civic and religious leaders, the children and teens of Colombiadecided to try and do what the adults of their country could not: make peace.Besides writing her report for UNICEF, Cameron collected these first-personaccounts of nine young leaders of the movement, all of whose lives have beentainted by violence. Heartbreaking examples include 18-year-old Juan Elias,whose father was murdered right in his own office, and 16-year-old Mayerly,whose best friend was stabbed to death in a gang war. Still, these youngleaders--despite threats by armed gangs and extreme poverty--organize peacerallies, speak publicly at schools, and lead workshops for other displaced orabused children. Sad, but ultimately triumphant, these stories will both inspireand shame the teens of First World nations who read them--shame them by showinghow much of their lives they take for granted, and inspire them to do more withthe resources and relationships they have been blessed with. The book includesan author's note and a list of resources to learn more about the Children'sMovement for Peace. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Out of War
This nonfiction book is a collection of personal accounts of nine children who took one look at their beloved war-torn Columbia, saw how it was affecting the people around them and their families, and walked down the path to the right to live in a peaceful environment.
From each body comes a different voice, a different problem. Even though these nine children live in Columbia, each of them is affected, and how each child chooses to go about solving their problem is different. Some of these children face abuse by their parents or siblings, other face the travesties of watching a loved one being tortured to death by the local gangs.
Through thick and thin these children fight for peace in their country. That's one of the things that make this book a good one. I think that it's really cool how all the children who were involved in the Children's Movement stood up for what they believed in, even though that they knew the dangers of trying to stand up to the dangerous rebels. That takes true courage for kids to take on a cause that involves a whole country.
One of the things that I gained from this book is that I think that American news is drummed up a little too much. All channels like NBC 5 report about what is bad in America because it will sell, and when they report on something good like medicinal breakthroughs, the medicine has all the weird side effects that might possibly kill you. I thought that watching this at 10' o clock was depressing, but then in one child's section I read a description of the news. Basically it showed me how many people had been captured by the rebel gangs, the truly sad part was when the rebels allowed their prisoner's of war to speak on television. I would hate to see one of my loved ones on T.V talking about how he or she was safe, when I could sense that something was really wrong. I believe that is slightly worse then seeing a dead person's fuzzy picture on the news.
Another thing that I gained from Out of War was that we should be grateful that we have a justice system, a constitution, and a police force to protect our government from being ruled by rebel gangs or power hungry dictators. We are also fortunate that our country's government isn't in such disarray like Columbia's.
Do you know what barrio means? It means a district. At the beginning of the book when Juan was talking, I didn't know what that means. So I kept on reading it in context and finally looked it up. Barrio means district. Even though while I was reading the book I may have not know what the word meant, but when I looked it up in a Spanish dictionary, I felt as if Juan was trying to share his culture with me, not just writing to tell a story, but enrich people on their daily use of common words. When Maverly was using Spanish words, I felt I was walking right along side her as she told the story, actually looking through her eyes. Another thing interesting thing about the format was the aftermath written by Sara Cameron, who had taken her time to follow up on these children's lives. It was interesting to me to see how each kid had grown up and how they were still helping the movement in different ways.
If you want to be informed about what is going on in Columbia, and how these nine children walked down the path to peace, then Out of War is the right book for you. Maybe it'll give you the idea to help out a war torn country in the future, or maybe give you the courage to fight against something you think is wrong and have a better solution.

Young adults drowning in rural and urban war
This book confirms Colombia's intimate relationship with war. However, "Out of War; True Stories From the Front Lines," offers a frightening new dimension of the conflict. Author Sara Cameron documents the tragic lifes of young poor Colombians who are disgusted with the violence and seek to reduce the warfare by fostering a better understanding of peace.

On the one hand, this book is uplifting. It is a sparkling display of courage. However, sprinkled throughout nearly each narrative is the reality that death is always present and that the violent actors still continue the pattern of killing unarmed civilians. The reality is so great that not one of the young poor adults that writes a testimony of how the conflict has impacted them dares to point a finger to whom is responsible for the murder and intimidation. All are careful to remain neutral and not trigger the anger of those responsible for the ruthless violence in Colombia.

Hats off to Redepaz(Colombia's Peace Network),UNICEF, The Red Cross and the Catholic Church for nurturing peace among the young. This book also provides useful web sites to learn more about the children's movement for peace in Colombia. Upon completing this book one is filled with pride for the bravery of the young in Colombia. But one is also saddened by the stark reality that the young suffer a great deal. Finally, this book promotes a greater awareness of the children's movement for peace but also drives home the fact that the young are defenseless to the harm of poverty and violence in Colombia.

Child Heroes Reject the Horrors of War
Fortunately I did not experience the terror of mass murder, rape and callous torture as a child. For the children of Columbia such experiences are an every day occurrence. The courage of the young people whose stories Cameron relates is extraordinary. How does an ordinary fifteen year old girl rise to become a leader of children in a mass movement to bring peace to a country where war is the norm? How do children as young as eleven overcome their anger and personal pain to tell their fellow sufferers that anger and revenge will not work as well as forgiveness and conciliation?

This true story of The Children's Peace Movement of Columbia makes chilling reading, but it is also inspiring and enriching.

Cameron's simple and eminently readable style allows the children to speak for themselves and she does not fall into the traps of sentimentality or open-mouthed wonder. She allows them to relate their experiences, their failures and successes, to tell of their feelings, their joys, their hopes and their fears, and, most of all, of their overwhelming wish to bring peace to this shattered country.

My hat comes off to Sara Cameron for drawing the attention of the world to the work of these heroic children. I hope that her book will give them a platform from which they can continue to build the peace they so richly deserve.

Important Stories of Peace in the Middle of Violence
"Out of War" has some amazing stories of Colombian teenagers who have survived the terrible violence that is tearing their country apart. Juan Elias has to cope with the murder of his father and cousin and the persecution of his family. Wilfrido lives in a town where assassins ride by killing people and armed groups recruit children as soldiers. The gangs that dominate Maritza's community sometimes attract her, but then she tries to make peace between them. This is true of all the young people in the book. They suffer from the violence but then they try to do something about it. Alberto's brother was kidnapped by one of the armed groups but still Alberto, who is only 15 years old, runs peace workshops for kids. He says he is working for forgiveness. He says that it is especially important for people like him who have suffered in the war to forgive because without forgiveness there cannot be peace. There still isn't peace in Colombia but Mayerly (who is 16 and whose best friend was murdered) says that we should never give up on peace, no matter how hard it is or how long it takes, because if you give up how will you ever achieve it. The book is not long. I read it in one go. Once I started reading I couldn't stop. I thought it was one of the most important books I have read, especially now! I recommend it to everyone, whether you are young or old because it can give hope to everyone. ... Read more

Book Description

"You Are Needed Now," the posters proclaimed. "Join the Army Nurse Corps."And so they did: Over 59,000 American women signed up to serve their country in the war effort. Some joined expecting to experience the romance and adventure of war in faraway places while working to save lives. Many more quickly learned war's harsh realities -- and that their own lives could also be in danger.

The Army nurses of World War II served in the United States and abroad, in dense jungles, war-torn villages, and on barren ice fields. Many encountered hardships: bombings, crude living conditions, inadequate food. They also experienced the frustration of receiving lesser pay and privileges than their male counterparts as they worked, sometimes around the clock, to treat the wounded while confronting air raids, the threat of invasion, and capture by the enemy.

Nonetheless, in additon to their devotion to saving lives, some of the most important things the nurses brought to their units were courage and cheer. From holiday parties in makeshift hospitals to fudge making and softball games amid the grueling conditions of war, these angels of mercy brought light -- and life -- to the American forces of World War II. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Disappointing!
I assumed I would be receiving an "academic" book discussing the lives of US nurses during World War II. Instead, it was simply a "coffee table" book full of mostly pictures. I would recommend "We Band of Angels" to a reader that wishes to learn more about the sacrifices of the brave women who fought as nurses during World War II.

Women of Courage and Bravery
Even though I am only a girl of twelve I felt very moved by this book. I felt as if I wanted to do the things that they did. This book did a wonderful job describing what women as nurses in the Red Cross did during WWII. It shows women can do just as good as men. This book recognizes lots of bravery and courage from the women in combat zones. These women faced many hardships and challenges and over came them.
I think that people of today should give more recognition to the nurses and WASPs of WWII and that is what this book has done. They give me courage to do things I didn't think I could do. If you enjoy this book you might enjoy On Silver Wings as I have.

A valuable book
If anything (other than high budget movies) could make WWII more realistic to young adults, this book can. I found this book in the adult WWII section of my library, even though the book is marketed for young adults. I grabbed this book because it was one of very few books on the shelf that is less about war strategy and more about human interest. This book made the war real to me in a way that no other war book has, and taught me about the sacrifices of a group of women, as a whole, that so often do not get the credit they deserve.

Personal accounts of daily life as an army nurse are what make this book so good. It is easy to identify with a young woman who joins the Army Nurse Corps to "see the world" - and sees more of it than she bargains for. Young people particularly have difficulties seeing the war as anything more than pages at the back of a high school history book or stories told by grandparents around the dinner table. This book provides a very human aspect of the war to which young people can relate today.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants an account of the remarkable human struggles during this war.

Decent book, terrible acknowledgments
My mother was one of the women Betsy Kuhn interviewed for this book. Kuhn opted not to use any of my mother's quotes. This is within her rights as author, but on the page in which she acknowledged her sources she failed to thank my mother for her time. Like so many WWII era vets, my mother is approaching 80 years of age. It would have been a kick for her to see her name in print even if only as part of a longer list of names. I gave her this book knowing she'd been interviewed by its author, but it ended up being something of a disaster when she discovered that several close friends from her unit were prominently featured in the book while she got nada, zip, zero. I sincerely hope Betsy Kuhn sees this and feels a moment or two of remorse for hurting the feelings of a wonderful woman who I'm proud to call my mother because she really is an Angel.

Angels of Mercy- The Army Nurses of World War Two
Angels of Mercy, The Army Nurses of World War Two is on the American Library Association's list of recommended books for young readers. I saw it on display at the ALA's annual conference in San Antonio and was immediately captivated by the colorful cover--a typical young nurse of the forties being "capped," preliminary, one supposes, to entering the Army Nurse Corps. The face could have belonged to any number of the nurses the author follows through the course of World War II. The book is a wonderful combination of history and human interest, weaving the events of the war with the true stories of the nurses who tended the sick and wounded soldiers. For example, while painting the background of MacArthur's surrender in the Philippines, the author gives touching and personal accounts of the daily life of the nurses left behind to care for patients in the internment camp. The account of the war is a good general introduction to that period of history for young readers unfamiliar with it. I would recommend this book for any young reader. I would especially recommend it to all the nurses who were part of the war effort. They should give a copy to all their grandchildren, nieces, and nephews to provide an insight into the life of an army nurse on active duty. ... Read more

Book Description

5 Short Plays for the Classroom With Background Information, Writing Prompts, and Creative Activities
Plays are the perfect way to show the "story of history." The five original plays in this unique collection cover important points during the Civil War such as South's decision to secede, the Battle of Gettysburg, the surrender at Appamattox, and Lincoln's plan for reconstruction. It also makes history real for students by giving them insights into the peoplewho lived through these events such as Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, and Frederick Douglass. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Bring history alive!
I am an 8th grade social studies teacher and have found this a useful classroom tool. The kids have really gotten into performing these plays.

There is a nice range here- from Fort Sumter (which is great because it offers a female perspective) to Reconstuction. The plays offer bits of insight into the human side of the Civil War as well as fun bits of trivia. I needed a way to teach the Emancipation Proclamation and the Frederick Douglass play offered views from both the north and south as well as white and African American. I am also happy to say that generally quiet students participate with the plays. Some parts as quite large others just two lines. This really works well with a mixed class and offers good "sparks" for wrap up discussions.

It was nice to see my students think about these people and events and even relate a little bit!

Read-Aloud Plays: Civil War
I use this book in both my classroom and at home with my own children (ages 8 and 10). It has been invaluable for sparking their interest in the Civil War, and history in general.

This is a classroom MUST. There is no better way to inspire an interest in history than allowing the children, themselves to participate as the actual historical figures themselves.

I am a sixth grade teacher, and have been recommending this book to my colleagues. ... Read more

Book Description

American history's important moments have often taken place on the battlefields of war. Rich with detail and atmosphere, American Revolution Battles and Leaders shows and tells readers where the key battles took place, what happened during the clashes, and who the main figures were in the struggle for independence from England. Portraits, scene paintings, photographs of artifacts, and locator maps all play a part in illustrating this essential handbook to the Revolutionary War. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent beginners' biography of Lee and Grant
Not everyone is excited by history or the Civil War or even biographies of historical personalities. My daughters (age 14) were required in home school to read biographies of famous Americans. They were easily inspired by biographies of women -- entertainers, leaders, women who overcame adversity. But men were less interesting. And men known specifically for their historical contributions were downright boring. One of my twins started reading this book and loved it. The side-by-side biographical sketches provided enough information to interest her and offered a format for making snapshot comparisons. She is definitely NOT a history buff and is NOT a lover of biographies; however, for a short piece of her life she took time off from the Hardy Boys and read about (and discussed) two great men, the Civil War, and pieces of American history. (She went on to read about Civil War photography.)

Utterly vapid
Unless you're purchasing this book for a child, avoid it. The text is written at the level of a fourth grader and the conclusions drawn are about as weighty. There are numerous errors pockmarking the book, some of them not inconsequential (Grant did not graduate from West Point in 1845, but 1843).

If you want a readable and scholarly book on either Grant or Lee, don't buy a dual biography. Each man is much too vast and important to cover in such a manner. Opt for Emory Thomas' Lee biography and Campaigning with Grant by Horace Porter. These books will illuminate the titans of the civil war much better than this sorry effort.

Great
I thought that "A House Divided: The Lives of Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee" was a wonderful book. I especillay liked it because I'm a Civil War fenatic. It was not only intresting but accurate. It was a fun to read book. It tells about how Grant, a contry boy who grew up on a farm in Ohio who when he was about 17 went to West Point and graduated yet the sight of blood made him loose his apitate yet he went to war and won against Lee. Lee was a proper slave owner and grew up on his father's plantaion, he had manners and was a very good student at West Point. Yet he was one if not the 1st. person to graduate from his class at West Piont and still lost to gruffy Grant. Read this book if you want to learn more about Lee and Grant. It also has pictures of them. ... Read more

Book Description

This collection, written by 12 noted young authors, examines all of the war's implications for young people - from those caught in the line of fire to the children of the veterans of wars long past.

As bullets ring and bombs are dropped, children watch - mostly from the sidelines, but occasionally in the direct line of fire.Unaware of the political issues or power struggles behind the battle, all they know are the human, emotional consequences of this thing called war.

Critically acclaimed author Jennifer Armstrong brings together 12 powerful voices in young people's literature to explore the realities of war from a child's perspective.The settings vary widely - the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, an attempted coup in Venezuela, the American Civil War, crisis in the Middle East - but the effects are largely the same.In war, no life is ever left untouched.In war, lives are shattered. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Diverse, Compassionate and Important Look at Children & War

by Dianna Hunter English, age 20

"The juxtaposition of youth and war haunts me. They say war isn't an appropriate subject for young people, and you know what? I agree. But war doesn't care. That's why I decided to put this book together." -Jennifer Armstrong

Shattered is a thoughtful and moving look at an all too timely topic: war. Editor Jennifer Armstrong has compiled a wide variety of short stories about the wartime experiences of children. A young Palestinian daughter flees to Jordan with her family during the Six-Day War in 1967. A young girl nicknamed Jacket helps hide her best friend's older brother when he is a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War. Lewis Bowman, a young Mohawk, fights with the Union army during the American Civil War. Zack struggles with his American background during a 1992 "golpe de estado" in Latin America. A family of children faces the devastating effects of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Two children struggle to find safety in Israel after surviving Auschwitz.

This book treats children's experiences with respect. Many of the authors speak from their own memories, and those authors writing fiction capture the intensity, the vulnerability, and the strength of childhood. I have to admit that at first the titled worried me. It is very easy to reduce children to their worst experiences and to neglect other aspects of their human identities so that their suffering is easier for others to process. However, this book's articulation of the perspective of children is honest, and for the most part it succeeds in being authentic. It is moving and, as it should be, troubling.

Given the reality of conflict that we currently face, it is vital to remember the devastation of war, and the destruction of life that is left in its wake. Children are not safeguarded from that violence. Armstrong has succeeded in creating a diverse, compassionate, and important look at children and war.

Shattered Review
Right now, war is one of the biggest issues in the U.S. It's preety much the only thing we hear about the news. However, whether or not we realize this, we are not the only ones that are affected by war. Millions of children have been killed during wars, or have suffered either from injuries or loss of family, and are now orphans. Jennifer Armstrong talks about these issues and also gives examples of such events occuring in many of the different wars that have occured. In some instances chidren hate the war, and in some they like it. Examine the different outcomes and ways that war has effected children's lived in "Shattered:Storied of children and war."

Compelling, important, recommended for young readers.
Short stories by M.E. Kerr, Gloria Miklowitz, Marilyn Singer and others center around the theme of children and war, delivering powerful messages of how war affects families, friends, and childhood. From an Afghan girl whose home is slowly destroyed by the Soviets to the children of a Vietnam vet, this covers a wide range of cultural experiences and scenarios of war. ... Read more

Book Description

While current events have focused the public"s attention on Korea once again, many veterans of the conflict that occurred there half a century ago worry that their time spent fighting in this "Forgotten War" will not be remembered or understood unless their story is told. Award-winning nonfiction author Linda Granfield has collected the personal accounts of thirty-two men and women who served with the U.S. and Canadian forces in Korea during the years 1950--–53 and has written her own introduction describing the main events of the war.The veterans in this book represent a variety of service areas, including medical, supplies, infantry, and naval, and their moving, sometimes graphic, recollections are illustrated with their own personal photographs. As commemorative ceremonies mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Korean War this year, attempting to understand the human face of war is more important than ever. Timeline, glossary, bibliography, Internet resources, index. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The decency that lurks in all of us -- even in war
If Napoleonic warfare shattered concepts deeply rooted in the past century, this fact does not inavlidate reasons for studying warfare as waged in that earlier era, Col. Thomas E. Griess, of US Military Academy, wrote in July 1969.

Griess, head of the Department of History at West Point, wrote the foreward to "The Art of War in the 17th and 18th Centuries" which analyses the tactics of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, the "Lion of the North" in the Thirty Years War. Linda Granfield, in "I Remember Korea" about the 1950-53 Korean War, is a "historian in arms" fit for the company of any other military writer. Her book is a gem.

In contrast to the mob armies of his time, the army of King Adolphus was carefully trained, thoughtfully administered, well equipped, splendidly led. In contrast to the mob army the US sent to Vietnam, "The Art of War . . ." is a blueprint for the awesome military machine the US created after its defeat in Vietnam. The quality of American men-at-arms hasn't changed; but there is a vast improvement in leadership.

Granfield presents us with 31 poignant and telling snapshots of those who served in Korea, drawn from the experiences of the veterans of that war which ended 50 years ago. It is a reminder of the basic good nature, generosity and compassion of Americans and Canadians in the military as well as civilian life. One element of military history covers the Captains and Kings, which is part of training leaders; Granfield writes of the ordinary folks who are commanded by Captains and Kings, which is also part of training effective leaders.

Instead of writing like Napoleon, Granfield writes like Abraham Lincoln who believed, "God must love the common people, because he made so many of them." Today, any officer who doesn't respect and learn from the sergeants has zero future in the military; Granfield presents example after example of those fine qualities of the "common people."

She doesn't analyse the tactics and strategies and advances and retreats and blunders and triumphs of the war, the favorite pastime of armchair generals and obsession of real generals. Instead, her inclusion of stories such as "Lima Beans? No, thanks!" ought to be required reading for anyone and everyone, political or military, who wants to command. She has a superb sense of what matters to real people.

Unfortunately, some people may classify this as a "children's book" because of its straightforward style and concise clarity. If so, we should all be children. It's not a book to be read by freshmen at the Royal Military College in Kingston or West Point, they're still too young for it; instead, it should be assigned reading for the Senior Class with the admonition, "This is the type of people you want to command; now, as an assignment, find someone about whom you can write a story that matches Granfield."

It would be part of a useful graduation exam. If an officer-to-be cannot find a story to match these memories of a grim experience, are they really capable of seeking the best in commanding others?

As for the rest of us . . . . . it is a reminder of the decency that lurks in everyone, even under the rigors of war. She has written a gem. ... Read more

Book Description

Discover the history of warfare -- from the hand-to-hand combat of the ancients to the artillery battles of World War I.

Here is an exciting and informative guide to the most important battles in history. Superb color photographs of uniforms, weapons, and battle scenes give the reader a unique "eyewitness" view of how battles were fought and won. See an Indian five-bladed dagger, a full Japanese suit of armor, medals from all over the world, a "dragon cannon" and a surgeon's amputation saw. Learn about the difference between a cannon and a mortar, how balloons were used for reconnaissance, how rifles sent bullets farther and faster and how the Red Cross was set up. Discover how the rifle changed warfare, why soldiers changed to khaki uniforms, what a sabretache contained, how a cannon was fired and why colors were so important, and much, much more! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Great learning book for children
As with all the eyewitness books its a great factual book for children to learn. The book is full of many pictures each with annotations describing in simple detail what is going on in the picture. The books are full of knowledge and enjoyable for both children and adults alike!

I recommened buying this book for your child if they are wanting to learn about battle. ... Read more

Book Description

Experience explosive changes in American history with the people who witnessed them!

From 1870 to 1950, America experienced an unprecedented era of rapid change and growth. A host of remarkable inventions led the way in transforming this nation into a major world power, and yet the forces of change often caused tremendous upheaval in people's lives. Now, World Wars and the Modern Age provides a rare glimpse into the day-to-day experiences of Americans who lived through Prohibition, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and two world wars. You'll be there as the New York Times offices are filled with electric light for the first time. You'll watch as immigrants flock to America's colorful, fast-growing cities, hoping to start anew. You'll read a young soldier's account of going "over the top" during the grim trench warfare of World War I—and, barely twenty years later, an eyewitness account of the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that plunged America into World War II.

From the personal writings of Henry Ford on his Model T automobile to songs of the Depression, from FDR's Inaugural Address to a G.I.'s description of D-Day, World Wars and the Modern Age presents a wealth of period documents, including diaries, letters, articles, advertisements, speeches, and more, from both famous figures and ordinary citizens. Find out how all of these American voices together helped make this country what it is today.

AMERICAN HERITAGE® is well known for its magazine on American history, as well as its many highly acclaimed books, including the American Heritage® Illustrated History of the United States and the American Heritage® Illustrated History of the Presidents. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A dramatic historical narrative
The latest in the "Young Patriots" series of young adult novels, George Rogers Clark: Boy Of The Northwest Frontier by Katharine E. Wilie is a dramatic historical narrative of the childhood of George Rogers Clark, who would grow up to be a Revolutionary War general and famous explorer, as well as an inspiration for his younger brother William who would one day lead the Lewis & Clark expedition. Cathy Morrison's black-and-white illustrations bring this adventurous narrative to life; a tale that captures the imagination and introduces young people to American history through the eyes of those who grew up in the midst of critical events. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Night Stalkers Special Operations Aviation
Should absolutely be "Required Reading" for all children whose Fathers are in the 160th. My grandsons "devoured" it in one sitting and learned things about their Father's job that he had never discussed with them. It helped them to better understand and accept his many and lengthy absences from home.

The writing is informative, concise and perfectly suited for youngsters. Chapters and photos are well-laid out. Kudos to the author! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent introduction to how World War I was fought
Despite what you see on the cover "Going to War in World War I" does much, much more than show the uniforms worn by the soliders on both sides.In just the first few pages there was a breakdown of a British Infrantry Division and a detailed diagram of trench warfare.Adrian Gilbert deals with even the most mundane activities of the war such as rat-catching and de-lousing.The last part of the book deals more specifically with the history of the war as well as new methods of warfare such as the first tanks and artifical trees (used for observation posts).This volume is illustrated by several artists and also includes black & white period photographs.Gilbert covers a lot of basics, providing young readers with much more than a introduction to what it was like for soliders in the Great War, so I was pleasantly surprised by what I found in these pages.Other titles in the Armies of the Past series look at Ancient Egypt and Greece, the times of the Romans and Vikings, and the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as World War II. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

HISTORY COMES ALIVE
The Washington Post was right in saying that no one does non-fiction better than Jim Murphy.

The story of the Alamo is one that I passed over in history books. I felt this was an appauling gap. Jim Murphy's book is fascinating and riveting -- as well as beautiful.

We have made this a family project to read this extraordinary story. It's a lesson in the making of myth and legend as well as history. An important story that all Americans should share.

With a new PG-13 Disney distributed feature film on The Alamo coming out this winter, the Alamo will be on the lips of kids and parents everywhere. Why not read the definitive presentation. It's riveting! ... Read more