The Story Of The World: A Simple History For Boys And Girls

Elizabeth O'Neill

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(3.4 stars; 5 reviews)

Dedicatory Letter. Dear Doris, I could not tell you all the things which have ever happened in the world, but I have tried to tell you shortly about all the most important things from the very beginning, even before people had come into the World at all, right down to our own wonderful times. I have chosen the greatest men and women to tell you about, and in reading their stories I hope you will understand better something of what the times were like in which they lived, and what the other people too were like who were not so great and the kind of lives they led. The pictures in the book are not like those in most of the books you see and read, because most of them are not pictures made by people who are alive now, but they are copies of pictures, and statues, and buildings made by the very people you are reading about in the book. When you are reading about the Egyptians you get a picture of a pyramid made by the Egyptians themselves 6000 years ago. When you read about the Greeks you find pictures of statues of great Greek statesmen made by great Greek artists long ago, and so on. In the Middle Ages you are given pictures from the beautiful stained glass windows and the wonderful manuscripts which the people of the Middle Ages knew so well how to make. Sometimes the drawing may seem a little curious to you, but it is much more interesting for you to have these pictures than imaginative pictures made by people who are living now. Just as all the pictures are true so all the stories are true too. Indeed, there were many tales I could have told you which are often told to children as history, but are not true at all. I hope you will like those I have told just as well, for after all history should be true. Very affectionately I dedicate the book to you. - Summary by Elizabeth ONeill (18 hr 1 min)