Roman Amphitheaters (Watts Library) [Library Binding]

Don Nardo (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Watts Library

THIS EDITION IS INTENDED FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Middle-school readers will enjoy learning about gladiatorial fights and other events that took place in these amazing buildings.

--This text refers to the School & Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-In Temples, Nardo discusses the Parthenon in Athens and, in Amphitheaters, the Colosseum in Rome as examples of how each type of structure was erected. Each book provides a brief cultural context; a history of the development of the building type; and a history of the particular structure, including how it was built, what it was used for, and what happened after the society that created it lost prominence. Temples also discusses how classical Greek architecture influenced modern builders. The writing is informative and engaging and not oversimplified. The illustrations are mainly clear, high-quality, full-color photographs; captions and sidebars add interesting facts not mentioned in the text. Glossary terms are both set in bold and defined in context; but some of them are too simple for the intended audience. These titles provide material not otherwise offered at this level in stand-alone volumes, and present it so that readers will understand the importance of the structures to the cultures that created them and to modern people. Useful for reports.
Lynda S. Poling, Long Beach Public Library, CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Reviewed with Don Nardo's Greek Temples.

Gr. 5-7. In these books in the Famous Structures series, Nardo has written numerous fine books for older students on ancient civilizations. Here, he makes the information clear and understandable to a younger audience. Much of the vocabulary is necessarily technical (entablature, metopes, chorobates), but the explanations are succinct and reinforced by a glossary and illustrations. The books explain how amphitheaters and temples were constructed and how they probably looked at the time. Nardo does a good job of placing the structures within the context of their societies and covers what has happened to the buildings over the years, including the effect of natural events (the eruption of Mount Vesuvius) and of man-made ones, such as the explosion at the Parthenon during a war between the Greeks and the Turks in 1687. An attractive, spacious design with crisp color photographs and reproductions of artwork also helps make the information accessible. Back matter includes a time line, a glossary, references for further information, and an author's note on sources. Susan Dove Lempke
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Library Binding: 64 pages
• Publisher: Franklin Watts (March 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531120368
• ISBN-13: 978-0531120361
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,376,408 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Don Nardo is a historian and award-winning writer who specializes in the ancient world, especially the civilizations of Greece and Rome. He began as a actor and worked with the National Shakespeare Company before turning to writing screenplays and teleplays and, soon afterward, devoting much of his time to historical research and writing. In the past two decades, he has published nearly two hundred volumes on diverse historical topics. And having earned numerous favorable reviews, he is widely recognized as the country's leading writer of historical works for young adults. He is also versed in various other subjects and as a result is frequently asked by publishers to write books on a number of scientific and literary topics.

Mr. Nardo also composes and arranges orchestral music, having started composing in his early teens. Over the years he has turned out more than eighty musical works, including 2 symphonies, 4 string quartets, several concertos, a film score, incidental music for stage productions, and several commissions, the most recent a double concerto for violin and Portuguese guitar written for two noted musicians. He is also the resident composer and arranger for the Amadis Orchestra, based in Connecticut. For more information, see his official web site at www.nardopublishing.com and his more extensive biography at Wikipedia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A special area for those fun gladiator games, February 24, 2008

By 

Judy K. Polhemus "Book Collector" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Roman Amphitheaters (Watts Library) (Paperback)

The targeted audience for "Roman Amphitheaters" is students ages 9-12. Designed as an information book for a school library, this volume makes a wonderful research tool for reports, projects, and personal reading. With at least one picture, sometimes three and four, per two-page spread, plus sidebars, the book invites older children to come in and spend time learning about Roman amphitheaters. It is also a quick and easy go-to book for adults wanting information they can attain quickly and with pictures.

"Roman Amphitheaters" is one of the best information books for its intended age group I have ever seen. The writing follows good writing practices with proper vocabulary and sentence structure. Not one word is wasted, nor is the book dumbed down. Don Nardo, the author, simply kept his audience in mind as he wrote. The organization is first-rate.

Nardo introduces his subject with a modern description of the Colosseum and a brief history of the founding of Rome and the story of its builders. To be sure, Romans were great builders and "without a doubt the most skilled and successful builders in the whole ancient world" (11). The first stone amphitheater was constructed in Pompeii and later completely preserved by volcanic ash. The epitome of amphitheater, is, of course, the Colisseum, which has outlived the Empire

The Colisseum could hold 140 modern high school gyms and was three stories high, that is stone arches on stone arches on stone arches. The gladiators were considered both crude and esteemed. Whatever people thought, they came for miles to watch the matches.

Another big-time favorite was the wild beast shows. Animals from all over the known world were brought in to display their talents, fight another animal or a human gladiator. The shocking role for animals turned into mass graves for them: about 9000 animals died in the Colisseum in the three months following its opening.

So what happened to the amphitheaters? Christianity brought converts, included emperors and their families and followers, who abandoned blood sports as un-Christian. In the centuries following, local merchants, builders, and homeowners helped themselves to the marble, travertine, marble, and stone. In 1825 the first conservation effort was initiated by stone removal. Efforts are still in process.

Information. Pictures. Quick facts. A great source: "Roman Amphitheaters." Look for the other two in the series: "Pyramids of Egypt (Watts Library)" and "Greek Temples (Watts Library)".

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing glimpse into history itself, October 11, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Roman Amphitheaters (Watts Library) (Library Binding)

Roman Amphitheaters by Don Nardo is a fascinating and well-researched study for young readers about the history of amazing Roman architectural structures such as the Colosseum, embellished with full-color photographs and illustrations. Touching upon the history of Rome, and showcasing both the splendor of the ampitheaters and the cruelty to which they were sometimes put, Roman Amphitheaters offers children an amazing glimpse into history itself....