The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough

David McCullough writes engaging history. All his books that I have read so far have some epic, overarching theme to them. “John Adams” is the colossal of independence, “Truman” is a controversial figure because of the atomic bomb incident but looms really as a giant among the American presidents, “The Johnstown Flood” recounts the most devastating catastrophe of the South Fork Dam break in Pennsylvania on May 31, 1889, and the resulting flood that cost over 2,000 lives. The Great Bridge tells of the building, or shall we say miracle, of the Brooklyn Bridge and, of course, “1776” tells of the most pivotal year in American history and how, if it wouldn’t have been for the faith and courage of Washington, all would have been lost.


All of McCullough’s books are worth your time. They are available in hardcover, paperback, or on audio CDs. Each one of his stories goes way beyond what the title indicates. “John Adams”, for example, tells almost as much of Thomas Jefferson as it does of John Adams. I highly recommend David McCullough’s books.

--Hanno

Sea Star by Marguerite Henry

Very sweet story and exciting to read. It's funny, too.

--Jenny (9)

Genesis in space and time: The flow of biblical history

Francis A. Schaeffer

Copyright 1972, ISBN 08778846367

I have been a fan of Francis Schaeffer for many, many years. Peggy and I visited his L’Abri in Holland in the late 1980s. His Christian Manifesto is a classic and I highly recommend it for any high school student. Now, this book “Genesis in Space and Time” was also for most part a good book. While Dr. Schaeffer shows clearly how Genesis is a history book and shares great insides on the epic events of history recorded in Genesis, the book has one serious flaw in stating that Genesis is a book of “Genealogies not Chronologies”. I was disappointed. I have been wondering if with all our creation science research over the last thirty years Dr. Schaeffer would have held a different view had he be born a generation later? The chronologies that we find in Genesis and elsewhere in the Scriptures are certainly there for a reason and that is, believe it or not, to give us a reliable chronology of history. Why else would God have bothered to give us the exact dates of epic events like the flood of Noah’s days? Or why would God have gone through all the trouble keeping a precise record of when so-and-so begat so-and-so? Why do we have all the life times of the great patriarchs in Genesis? Certainly to aid us in putting together not only a genealogy but also a chronology of history!

--Hanno

The Prince's Poison Cup by R. C. Sproul

I like the book "The Prince's Poison Cup" written by R. C. Sproul. I like it so much because the Grandpa tells a story and doesn't just tell the girl "Drink the medicine!"

--Jenny (9)

Minute Boys Series

Need an entertaining, exciting and adventure-full book or two for those “hard-to-find-a-book-for” boys? Well, I would have to say, Minute Boys of Lexington and Minute Boys of Bunker Hill are great picks! Minute Boys of Lexington begins the short series and starts the reader out back in the year 1775, and Minute Boys of Bunker Hill takes them through 1777.
Following the rousing exploits of Roger Morse and his friends, your little readers will learn true History and at the same time the importance of such virtues as, the love of liberty, courage in the face of danger, fierce determination, honesty, loyalty, integrity and much more. Follow those young men as they run right into the face of battle, fight hand-to-hand with the British, rescue their friends, save the day and get into the next exciting and dangerous predicament.
This two-part series also includes a Built-In Vocabulary Glossary of some 650+ words and definitions for those knowledge-bound homeschoolers. Each word is cross-referenced to its page number so that the kids can see how it is used in the paragraph or sentence.

Excerpt from Minute Boys of Lexington:

Roger’s heart almost stopped beating…. What was this the British officers were saying? They were going to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock and place them under military arrest! The two greatest men, politically, the colonies at that time knew!
“It must not be,” thought the boy. “I must tell Captain Parker, - everybody. Somebody must know where Mr. Adams and Mr. Hancock are stopping tonight, and warn them to seek a place of safety. And the militia and minutemen must be on guard, too, against the troop General Gage is going to send from Boston. That surprise must not be all on one side!”
With bated breath he was on the point of slipping back into the kitchen, when he felt a cold, bony hand on his collar. Wheeling about, he found himself face to face with a soldier.

--
Lydia

Paper back, both volumes in-stock, $14.95 each
Fiction/Youth/Historical Fiction

From Jamestown To Jubilee: A Faith and Freedom Tour

From Jamestown To Jubilee (a 9-CD set) takes you on a wonderful "tour" through Jamestown Virginia with Vision Forum's President, Doug Philips and Historian William (Bill) Potter. You are transported from Jamestown Island, to Williamsburg, to Monticello and beyond. Learn about Captain John Smith, Pocahontas, George Washington, Patrick Henry, Stonewall Jackson, and many more great men. Visit famous gravesites, churches, and battlefields. Take your mind back to the time of the Great Awakening and learn about our godly ancestors and the legacy of faith, courage, and perseverance they left behind for the generations to come. Live what they lived, learn what they learned, and most of all, be inspired and encouraged and know that this country was founded on Biblical principles and we still have a Christian heritage, no matter how hard some try to deny it!
--Lydia
9-CD set, $45.00

Genesis by Nancy Ganz

One of the best books I have read to my family in our family Bible study. This book was engaging for all. The book of Genesis in the Bible is so foundational and historical, that we all need to be experts in it. Mrs. Ganz treats the book of Genesis as historical narrative and builds bridges to the NT throughout the story as they relate to Jesus in the NT. Here is how it reads: "BY FAITH, AN ARK! This is the account of Noah: The earth was corrupt in God's sight, but Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD. So God spoke to Noah. How gracious is the LORD, that He still spoke to men, though all but one had corrupted their ways. The LORD told Noah that He was going to destroy the world! Imagine how Noah must have felt when he heard this terrifying news."(more ...)
I highly recommend this book and her series (Herein is Love Series) (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers are available)
--Hanno

F.A.C.E. Christian History Library CD

A remarkable library of American history resources including the famous 1828 Noah Webster's Dictionary of the English Language. All resources are offered in the Libronix software, which is one of the best library programs available today and has been a popular interface for the Logos Bible software. If you own a Logos Bible software package already this collection will fit right in with the rest. The Wallbuilders History Collection that i introduced here before is in the same Libronix format. These resources are easy to read, search, copy & past, highlight, and inter-linked with the KJ Bible or other resources that are part of your particular library. This collection includes 11 resources:
1) Webster's 1828 Dictionary
2) The Bible and the Constitution
3) Consider and Ponder
4) The Christian History of the Constitution: Christian Self-Government, Vol. 1
5) The Christian History of the Constitution: Christian Self-Government with Union, Vol. 2
6) George Washington: The Character and Influence of One Man
7) The Noah Plan' Self-Directed Study in the Principle Approach'
8) Rudiments of America's Christian History and Government
9) Teaching and Learning America's Christian History: The Principle Approach
10) King James Bible
11) A Republic If You Can Keep It.
FACE Christian History Library CD
--Hanno

Struggling Upward by Horatio Alger, Jr.

Disinclined to give us an allowance, my dad chose instead to offer his children an incentive to read: a penny per page. I remember a short phase in which finances primarily dictated my interest in reading, but I also remember the point at which inspiration took over as the motivation. It coincided with my discovery of the authors Horatio Alger Jr. and Oliver Optic. The first book I discovered, written by the former, was “Struggling Upward.” It told the story of Luke Larkin, a boy of 16 with modest means but great character. Wrongfully fired from his job and arrested under false accusations, he is redeemed by the appearance of a mysterious stranger and his own hard work and dependability. Luke Larkin inspired me, as he did thousands of young men in the mid-nineteenth century, to work hard and let honesty characterize my actions. In an age dominated by Harry Potter, I believe your young men will be inspired by the real heroes portrayed in the Alger and Optic books.
--Lukas
Note: The Oliver Optic and Horatio Alger books were re-printed and published by Mantle Ministries. Target Audience are young men, ages 10-16. We have currently one copy of Struggling Upward (paperback) from Dover in stock. Otherwise, that book is out of print (I wonder who will read this blog and get the last copy for $6.95) We still have some hardcover books by Oliver Optic in stock. We also have a paper back edition of "Hope and Have" published by Applewood Books. Hope and Have introduces us to a young orphan who undergoes a miraculous transformation. Ther first part of the story tells how Fanny, through trials, triumphs, and her faith in God, has a change of heart. The second part of the story follows Fanny's adventures during the terrible Indian massacre of 1862. The gripping story of how Fanny and a young man named Ethan French escape makes this a captivating book.