Customer Reviews

Hannibal: Romes Worst Nightmare (Wicked History)

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This outstanding book very well illustrates the life of one of the world's greatest generals. The story teaches of Hannibal's childhood, family, and of course, his many battles against Rome. Hannibal: Rome's Worst Nightmare is a page turner and it left me wanting to learn more.
The main idea of this "Wicked History" series, which makes it different from other biographies, is that it takes infamous characters of history, and tells the story from their point of view. With Hannibal, western history has dubbed him as being wicked because he was only written about by Romans. Winston Churchill said, "History is written by the victors." By the end of the story, the reader is aloud to decide if Hannibal was truly as despicable as he is made out to be.
I was reading this book as part of my ancient Rome homeschooling curriculum. At the time, I was learning about the Punic Wars and this biography painted a colorful picture of Hannibal's conquests. Overall,this is a wonderful book, and I recommend it to anyone interested in ancient warfare and battle strategy. The reading level is especially good for young readers ages 9-12.

This is a good introduction to one of the world's greatest military minds. Older children and teens can learn about Hannibal's campaigns and the Punic Wars in a way that is interesting and entertaining. That's not to say that the book is jovial or trivial; it is not. But it is very readable, and where boys are concerned, being readable is important.

It is illustrated with classical art depicting Hannibal... this is where I think some interesting illustrations may have been better for the book. But the classical approach does set this book apart as a work of history and not just another book.

Good size for a book. Quality construction. Wonderful glossary - two whole pages! Good index.