Reviews (2)

Doesn't have as much color as other books...
After reading Devil In The White City, a book about the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1893, I was drawn to find out a bit more about it.I got a copy of Celebrating the New World - Chicago's Columbian Exposition of 1893 by Robert Muccigrosso from the library the other day, and I think this is another book that suffers a bit from what I ended up reading first...
Literate and Lively
I consider myself an "informed amateur" (read:I collect all kinds of stuff) on the World's Columbian Exposition (WCE) a/k/a the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. Sight unseen, I ordered a used paperback copy of Robert Muccigrosso's 1993 book "Celebrating the New World:Chicago's Columbian Exposition of 1893" and was amazed both at its literacy and at how much information he had packed into its 200 pages.Chapter 1 gives an overview of preceding 19th-century world's fairs (including the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876), Chapter 2 tells us about the squalor and splendor of 1893 Chicago (which had virtually burned to the ground in 1871) as well as its most prominent luminaries, then with Chapter 3 we're off and running with the competition between leading American architects for the honor of translating into physical form the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the New World. (Should we include our innovative home-town upstarts from Chicago, or should we rely on the more established firms of the Eastern seaboard?)How the principal players finally reconciled their conflicting egos and settled on the uniform style of the dazzling White City and the stately Court of Honor makes for fascinating reading.We are educated both as to the "highbrow" (the series of World's Congresses held on every major topic of the era--Religion, Public Health, Labor, etc.) and the "lowbrow" (the Midway, which bequeathed us not only its name as the generic term for an amusement area, but also the mechanics of both George Ferris' gigantic wheel and Little Egypt's sinuous "hootchy-kootchy") aspects of the WCE. The only reason I rated the book 4 instead of 5 stars is because of the now-obligatory view (in Chapter 6) of the Fair through the race/class/gender prism of the late 20th century, which (for me, at least) seems to mar so many other recent works on the subject--e.g., Robert Rydell's--yet even here the author strives to be factual in his discussion of women, blacks and Native Americans by showing some of the positive aspects of their portrayal and participation, rather than merely painting them as haplessly exploited victims who obtained no advantages at all from one of the grandest events of the century.All in all, I found this book to be one of the best I've read on the WCE and, though sparse on photographs (get Stanley Appelbaum's 1980 Dover book for those), an excellent overview which can be enjoyed by scholar and novice alike.A quick glance at the bibliography convinced me that this author had indeed done his homework well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (1893 :    2. Chicago, Ill.)    3. History - U.S.    4. History: American    5. Study & Teaching    6. United States - 19th Century    7. United States - 19th Century/Turn of the Century    8. World's Columbian Exposition    9. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    10. History / United States / 19th Century    11. Technology: General Issues    12. USA   

Reviews (20)

Invaluable Even if You Don't Always Agree
Parenti's book is invaluable not because he reiterates history that most seasoned readers of history haven't unearthed themselves, but because he succintly summarizes how history has been manipulated and distorted to forcefit capitalist exploitative practices throughout the centuries. The truthiness of this assertion is best exemplified by the Western Church's oppressive landholding monopolies in the post-Roman world, followed closely by royal feudal, colonial imperialist and finally sham-democractic corporatism. Parenti's book is a must read for anyone tired of the trite, homogenized, mythologized and agendized histories of this country, which validates the apparent good by neutralizing the unpleasant bad.
Objectivity?
Parenti examined a number of accepted historical "truths" and biases to be found in current historical works.He examined the reasons for Christianity's rapid spread, the history of anti-Semitism and the clashes between labor and capital in terms of more recent factual evidence versus what is commonly explained in textbooks and the mass media.He then followed the controversial case of the death of President Taylor whom Parenti claimed was against the spread of slavery into the terrorities.The book shines when it exposes the way conjecture and flimsy evidence becomes concrete facts ready to deliver to bored students, thus fulfilling state mandated (and politically influenced) curricula.
Deserves to be a classic
This is an absolutely sensational book that deserves to be read by a larger audience than it will probably get.Parenti touches on traditionally taboo subjects and sheds a whole lotta light on them.His section on the religious inquisition is outstanding along with his analysis of how powerful mainstream intellectuals have white-washed the death of Zachary Taylor.If you have time to read only one history book all year, make this the one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Errors, inventions, etc    2. Historiography    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Literature: Classics    6. History / General   

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - U.S.    3. History: American    4. Study & Teaching    5. United States - State & Local - Southwest    6. American history    7. New Mexico   

Subjects:  1. City promotion    2. Forecasting    3. History    4. History: World    5. Marketing - Industrial    6. Municipal government    7. Public relations    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - Urban    10. Study & Teaching    11. 20th century    12. Architecture / Planning    13. City & town planning - architectural aspects    14. Economic geography    15. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    16. History of science    17. Urban communities    18. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Education    3. History - United States/General    4. Study & Teaching    5. Teaching Methods & Materials - General    6. History, American    7. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / United States / General   

Reviews (2)

A Must Have for Social Studies Teachers
Engaging students in the classroom and helping them draw connections between their own lives and what they are learning are two of the biggest challenges for any teacher, novice or otherwise.This is often doubly true in a history classroom.
Teaching history made fun, accessible and relevant
In "History in the Present Tense," Doug Selwyn and Jan Maher - both accomplished writers and educators - have produced a completely accessible, practical, insightful and FUN book about how to engage students in making, recording and analyzing history.
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Subjects:  1. Activity programs    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Problems, exercises, etc    5. Secondary    6. Social sciences    7. Study & Teaching    8. Study and teaching    9. Teaching Methods & Materials - Social Science    10. Secondary schools    11. Sociology, Social Studies    12. Teaching of a specific subject   

Reviews (3)

Great for home schooling
I think that this book has been a life saver for our homeschool history needs.It is written at a level my 5th grader understands and sparks many conversations that I had not expected to have until high school history.It has sparked his interest to learn more about the people and places of history.I love the shorter sentences and all of the thinking questions.Even the chapters are short so we can take one step at a time.It defines words that he would have asked about in the margin and gives great pronunciations to difficult words and people's names.I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read history with their child

The American experiment goes from theory to practice
The reason Joy Hakim's "A History of US" series is so perfect for home schooling is that she actively engages her young readers in each volume.Usually in a history textbook like this the author is primarily concerned with presenting a lot of information in a captivating manner.There is some attention paid to the importance of people and events, but it is often left to the teacher in the classroom to make the connections and bring history alive for their students.However, Hakim takes a much more actively role in her textbooks.She is constantly asking her young readers to put themselves in the position of the people she is writing about and does an excellent job of anticipating questions that students would ask while reading about this particular events. Homeschooling Dream
Joy Hakim's entire series is a homeschoolers dream. The books are written so well and the pictures are so nice that interest is kept by both student and teacher. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. Study & Teaching    5. History / Study & Teaching    6. History, American | Native American   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Curricula    2. Education    3. Historiography    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Study & Teaching    7. Study and teaching    8. Teaching of a specific subject   

Reviews (1)

Grand theory and nuts-and-bolts
Williams gives instructors and students of history two books in one. Part one is a quick look at some of the big ideas and controversies of the profession. These short chapters on such topics as metahistory and anti-history should provide great fodder for class discussions. Part two on "the tools of history" offers good guidance on researching, writing, and thinking about history. Again, short, provocative chapters should stimulate students to think and talk about the joys and difficulties of doing quality history. I'll assign the book to my next class on historical research and writing. With this book as a guide, students will not write just another term paper; they'll know how to craft a livelier, deeper, and more revealing interpretation of the past. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Historiography    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Reference    6. Study & Teaching   

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. International Committee of His    6. International Committee of Historical Sciences    7. International Congress of Hist    8. International Congress of Historical Sciences    9. Study & Teaching    10. Study and teaching    11. Historiography    12. World history   

Reviews (1)

Southern Reconstruction after the end of the Civil War
"Reconstructing America 1865-1890," the 7th volume in Joy Hakim's A History of US series, expands the notion of reconstruction, usually applied only to the Southern states of the former Confederacy to include the entire nation.In her preface to the volume Hakim declares "Are We Equal? Are We Kidding?"Her point is to underscore the Declaration of Independence's famous proposition that all men are created equal and to point out that ending slavery does not really free people if they are denied education and jobs.However, while the issue of racial division begins and ends this book, Hakim covers the entire domestic history of the United States in between the Civil War and the rise of the nation as a world power.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1865-1898    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Reconstruction    6. Reconstruction (1865-1876)    7. Study & Teaching    8. Study and teaching    9. Study and teaching (Elementary)    10. United States    11. History / Study & Teaching    12. History, American | Native American   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Business    4. Businessmen    5. Colorado    6. Colorado - Local History    7. Colorado Springs    8. Historical - U.S.    9. History    10. History: American    11. Industrialists    12. Penrose, Spencer,    13. Philanthropists    14. Regional Subjects - West    15. Study & Teaching    16. Tourist Trade Management    17. Tutt, Charles Leaming    18. United States - State & Local - General    19. b. 1865    20. American history    21. Local history    22. Management of specific areas    23. Penrose, Spencer    24. Teaching of a specific subject    25. Tourism industry    26. USA   

Subjects:  1. 1876-1962    2. 20th century    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. General    7. Great Britain    8. Historians    9. Historical - U.S.    10. Historiography    11. History: World    12. Intellectual life    13. Trevelyan, George Macaulay,    14. Biography: historical    15. Trevelyan, George Macaulay   

Reviews (1)

so glad i found this book
I first saw this wonderful book at the Queens Museum of Art gift shop in New York at the site of the 2 New york world's fairs (1939 & 1964). The items are very well catalogued and fascinating to look at. I am an artist who likes to paint images of these fairs, and this book is an invaluable resource to me. Thank you for it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (1964-1965)    2. Antiques/Collectibles    3. Catalogs    4. Collectibles    5. History - General History    6. New York World's Fair    7. Study & Teaching    8. Worlds Fair Collectibles    9. New York Worlds Fair   

Subjects:  1. Hermeneutics    2. Historiography    3. History    4. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    5. Linguistics    6. Literary Criticism    7. Semiotics    8. Literary studies: general   

Reviews (1)

An Important Book for This Political Season
McGarvie explores an important topic, and addresses issues which we are currently discussing during this election year. He presents a readable text, a well researched analysis, and a thought provoking study. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History: World    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Study & Teaching    6. United States - General    7. Christianity    8. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    9. USA   

Reviews (6)

Fun Book
This book is very fun and imformative.It gives us information, but in a fun way...I recomend this book to anyone under the age of 13, and who enjoys history...if you get this book in school, dont be scared it is fun!

The English establish thirteen colonies in the New World
"Making Thirteen Colonies: 1600-1740" is the second volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US."The first volume covered how the first Americans crossed over from Asia to become Indians and the first Europeans, mainly the Spanish but also the French and English, began settling the New World.This volume focuses on the narrow string of settlements established by the English that became the thirteen colonies whose people began moving westward and who also started to question the relationship they had with England (there is a small amount of overlap between this and the next volume, which covers period of American history from 1735-1791). Excellent resource
I love this series!! Told in story style, you get details and interesting tidbits that you wouldn't get inordinary text books. I have always felt that history was a vital part of our school curriculum and these books make the going easier.Even if you are just a history buff, instead of student, you would enjoy these! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. Study & Teaching    5. History / Study & Teaching    6. History, American | Native American   

Subjects:  1. (1904 :    2. History    3. History: American    4. Louisiana Purchase Exposition    5. Military - Vietnam War    6. Photoessays & Documentaries    7. Photography    8. Saint Louis, Mo.)    9. Study & Teaching    10. American history    11. American history: Vietnam War    12. Asian history: Vietnam War    13. USA    14. Vietnam    15. War & defence operations   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Culture    5. Developing countries    6. Historiography    7. History & Theory - General    8. Political science    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Study and teaching    12. Anthropology    13. Asian and Asian American Studies    14. Colonization & independence    15. Political Science and International Relations    16. Political science & theory    17. Postcolonial Studies    18. Social Science / Anthropology / General