900s: The Worst of Times: Series Nonfiction on Modern History

With current events available to students with just the click of a button, it becomes more and more important to make sure that those events are put into historical context. These series provide perspective on wars, genocide, and women in positions of power. The titles sometimes diverge in their definition of modern, the earliest discussing the conquest of England or the life of Marie Antoinette, but all offer readers a way to become more familiar with the events that have shaped the world in which they live.

Gr 3-5–Whereas the “Queens and Princesses” series mainly targets female readers, “Bloodiest Battles” is designed to engage boys of the same age. Many of the images are set against a background of medical gauze, much of it stained with blood. Tinting of the historic photographs–men and weapons typically appear in red against the black-and-white background–serves both to highlight the action and to downplay the brutality, though a close look reveals details that the more squeamish might prefer not to notice, and the images can be confusing. Excellent maps depict the countries involved and the progress of the battles. The texts in most cases oversimplify complex struggles, particularly in Antietam, where the implication is that the Civil War was fought wholly over slavery. Iwo Jima glosses over weeks of battle, skipping from the capture of Mount Suribachi to the island being secured, and neglects to feature an image of the pillboxes from which the Japanese shot. The books will therefore work best as introductions to the conflicts.

Gr 3-5– Englar and O’Shei provide brief synopses of these royal women, showcasing not only their paths to their titles, but also their impact on the nations they serve or served. The biographies also offer brief glances into the courting customs of royalty in nations that may be unfamiliar to young readers, and other cultural tidbits, such as information on Fabergé eggs in Anastasia Romanov. The books are slightly fictionalized, describing the subjects’ thoughts at certain points. Potentially frightening details are omitted–for example, though it is made clear that Marie Antoinette and Anastasia Romanov were executed at the will of political enemies, the deaths themselves are delicately handled. Large photographs on every spread and easy-to-read texts are sure to appeal to browsers.

Gr 6-8–This series has the browsing appeal missing from the “Wars Day by Day” series, yet some of the same features: small sidebars quote speeches, letters, documents, and eyewitnesses. The images, particularly the propaganda posters, impart a feel for the era without emphasizing violence. The layout and design are appealing, but while the text offers an introduction to the issues and events covered, the narrow focus of each book can be a problem. For example, in Eastern Front, there is no mention of how Germany’s tactics in that arena were affected by battles on the western front. In the other books, important factors are overlooked: Occupation does not mention the resistance in the Philippines, and Pacific shows the results of the “island hopping” strategy (the Allies’ decision to take only critical islands) without ever discussing the strategy itself. Some factual errors are also problematic. For example, several titles feature a map of the Pacific that is not drawn to scale, particularly warping distances between the Hawaiian Islands and the Aleutian Islands. The introduction to events is useful, but there are enough holes in the narratives to warrant concern for their use in classrooms.

Gr 9 Up–Though the writing in these books is suitable for middle schoolers, the content is more appropriate for high school students as it includes matter-of-fact discussions of rape and torture. Each brief introduction defines genocide; some (Armenian, Khmer Rouge, and Bosnian) are more concise, thorough, and relevant than others. The books provide a geographical and political picture of the events leading to the horror, often opening with descriptions of the nation as a colony, and show the results of hatred based on racial, cultural, and religious prejudice. Oddly, Darfur, the only book dealing with a carnage still in progress, is alone in providing a chapter on the history of genocide rather than immediately setting up geographical context. The books feature a distracting graphic of a barbed-wire fence as an overlay on many of the interior photos, sometimes obscuring the content. While this topic is certainly important, this series may have trouble finding an audience.

Gr 6-8–The books in this series include two pages of social, economic, and historical background before launching into the events, which are presented in a timeline of significant dates. Civil War explores the reluctance of Southern states to give up their rights to a federal government, and the time line discusses, for example, legislation that was passed before and after the war. On the other hand, though the introductory material provides some depth, the events described in the chronological sections are not analyzed, but merely presented in a dry listing. They are accompanied by eyewitness quotes and fact boxes that do not always appear on the relevant page. However, the time lines will serve as ready-reference resources for classrooms.

Gr 9 Up–The analysis missing from the “Wars Day by Day” series shows up here. Clearly written for a high school audience, the books provide an in-depth look at politics, battles, and strategies. Gulf War, for example, covers not only important individual battles, but also discusses why a full-scale invasion was not completed, and provides an understanding of how the events of that war led to the current invasion of Iraq. In Vietnam, Wiest makes the argument that the conflict, which forced Americans to confront defeat for the first time and to question whether the use of American power was inherently right, was more instrumental in changing the country’s worldview than World War II. The texts offer civilian perspectives on the action as well as detailed insight into the motivations, events, and outcomes of the wars.

These series serve different purposes and different audiences, and should be chosen depending on need. “Wars Day by Day” is unlikely to find a casual readership, but it has potential for in-class use. High school libraries should certainly consider “Essential Histories: War and Conflict in Modern Times,” as it handles its subjects with well-deserved complexity. The other series are additional purchases.

A Trip in Time: Series Nonfiction on History (Spring 2009)

Early Days and Knightly Ways: Series Nonfiction on Ancient and Medieval History (Fall 2008)

Looking Back: Series Nonfiction on American History (Fall 2008)