Lincoln Books

I entertain my minivan-bound children with books on tape/CD. The best are the Harry Potter series. There are many other good ones. And this is a good non-fiction title for children.

Kids need heroes, and this tape provides my 5 and 7 year old boys with some impressive ones. The heroes come from the worlds of politics, science, literature, religion... This tape is one of my 7 year old son's favorites. It has a very positive message for him. He gets ideas of what he could be.

Volume 2 (the one I have) tells the stories of some historical figures, emphasizing all the positive and heroic qualities of each: Alexander the Great, Joan of Arc, Leonardo Da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Ludwig van Beethoven, Louis Pasteur, Marie Curie, Mahatma Gandhi, and George Washington.

As an adult accustomed to having his heroes routinely discredited, I find these idealized portraits naive, but kind of refreshing. If you have kids you know that they have a purpose: to introduce you to the world again, and show you its wonder. These portraits of heroes are simplified and abstracted in a way that highlights their abilities. No jaded cynicism here. These scientists, thinkers, statesmen, musicians, were all leaders. My young leader could do worse than to select a role model from one of these larger than life heroes.

Two other notes.
1. The tapes are abridged, while the CDs are not. Buy the CD.
2. Amazon has one description for both volume 1 and 2. Misleading. They contain different people.

Vol 1 - Queen Elizabeth I, Abraham Lincoln, Christopher Columbus, Horatio Nelson, William Shakespeare, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Vol 2 - Alexander the Great, Joan of Arc, Leonardo Da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Ludwig van Beethoven, Louis Pasteur, Marie Curie, Mahatma Gandhi, George Washington (This is the one I am reviewing)

I like this series of books because their very simple and easy to read. Jim Graczyk had a great idea when he came out with these books.Paranormal researchers now can take with them this book that has enough information to get them where they are going. I also like that he puts in small tibits of places some people may have forgotten about in history. Anyone remember the Tucker automobile? He mentions the location in his book where Tucker had his plant, which is now a shopping mall. Overall, this book has all the elements of history of what might be behind the activity, and exactly where this location can be found. I never got lost yet!

Lincoln Kirstein's genius as a writer of dance history is his ability to concisely and accurately relate dance to politics, industry, and economics--among other things. This book is organized chronologically by dance masterpieces, beginning with the sixteenth century and ending in the twentieth century. It's a great quick reference book to the great ballets. For each ballet, Kirstein describes the plot, creation of the ballet, and artistic collaborations that made the ballet possible. More importantly, he puts each ballet into historical context by discussing the art movements and politics of the time that affected the performers, choreographers, composers, costume designers, set designers, librettists, and other creative contributors to the ballets.

There is also a section of photographs, lithographs, etchings, and drawings at the end, in addition to the art that appears with each ballet. You won't find a lot of biographical information in the book, nor is it filled with anecdotes about the artists. The bibliography will point you in the right direction if you want to learn more. This is a straightforward, factual book that never ceases to educate and fascinate.

Wonderful story about the creation of man and why people come in so many different colors. It conveys a message of understanding that we are all one people in a most captivating way. I think this book should be an integral part of the early childhood curriculum

If you enjoy botanical art, you can't afford to be without this book. It contains rich color photographs of some of the best floral art that Redoute
ever produced. It also contains superb art and paintings by other important artists.

I have an extensive library of gardening and landscaping books and this wonderful book is one of the best for how to incorporate flowering plants effectively into your garden whether it be natural or formal. The carefully chosen photographs illustrate points in the text and show garden situations achievable by the average gardener. The A to Z guide of selected plants for the flower garden review more than seven hundred plants, many not often contained in such complilations or in such usable detail, but all are obtainable with an little search. It is a shame Flower Gardens is no longer in print, but Amazon was able to locate a pristine copy for me within two weeks.

In only 76-pages (enhanced with 26 black-and-white photographs), Georgiann Baldino lays out the 1858 campaign of Abraham Lincoln for the Illinois Senate seat where he used the strategy of following his opponent Stephen Douglas around the state, taking advantage of the crowds that Douglas, as a well-known political figure and super orator, always drew. The two men wrangled for 21 hours on seven stages to support their differing views on America's future and the problems of the day. A 'must' for Lincoln scholars, "Following Lincoln As He Followed Douglas: Retracing Their Debates" is especially recommended for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in Abram Lincoln, in American political history, and understanding Lincoln's vision of the future and belief in freedom that still permeates American political discourse today.

This is a beautiful story about the rewards of and the necessity for conservation. The country described is so full of forest that it is said that a squirrel could leap from branch to branch from one coast to the other. But over time the forests are replaced by homes and buildings until there is only one forest left. Everyone has forgotten about it except for .... the children. They gather there and play throughtout the four seasons until one day a sign is posted that could change everything. This book is sweet and satisfying and may even inspire your child to "make a difference". The illustrations are lively and colorful and bring a feeling of magic to the story.

This series (Festival Time!) is very good. I enjoyed this book as much as others in the series. It allows me to teach about holidays in a simple manner to young students or emergent readers. Many books are too difficult or confusing. Four Special Questions is a good Passover book.

Fourth Generation Evaluation should be read by anyone interested in evaluation!!! Their thought-provoking arguments initiate a dialogue between the reader and the text. By the final chapter, you will (without question) have a more sophisticated understanding of constructivist inquiry and its necessity in the field of evaluation. You will be challenged, provoked, and educated...a great accomplishment for all authors.

Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!