Customer Reviews

Ten Kings: And The Worlds They Rule

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Milton Meltzer is clearly out to rewrite history. He's eager to point out every petty flaw of King David and Charlemagne, but makes the bloodthirsty Atahualpa and Kublai Khan look like modern egalitarian leaders. Capitalism and self-determination are clearly bad things, but totalitarianism and forced labor come off as benign. Hammurabi is described as a "benign despot", and we are told that slaves in ancient Babylonia were not treated as harshly as "slaves in the Americas".

I'm not sure what Meltzer is trying to accomplish, but make sure you read this with your child with open and questioning eyes.

As Milton Meltzer tells the reader in his introduction: "This book is about power-power in the hands of kings." "...As you'll see, kings, like the rest of us, are complex human beings: good, bad, a mixture of the two; benevolent, cruel, brilliant, stupid. Each monarch's story may help you grasp how political leaders use and abuse power..." Meet ten kings who had an enormous impact on the world and times in which they lived. From the familiar, Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, Charlemagne, Kublai Khan, Louis XIV, and Peter the Great, to the lesser known Hammurabi, David, Mansa Musa, and Atahualpa, Mr Meltzer brings these rulers to life on the page, and paints evocative portraits of their lives, accomplishments, and failures. His engaging text, written in an easy to read, conversational style is filled with a wealth of history, drama, intriguing sidebars, informative maps, fun facts, and trivia, and enhanced by Bethanne Andersen's appealing artwork in bold and vivid colors. Perfect for youngsters 10 and older, Ten Kings And The Worlds They Ruled is an eloquent book and includes a comprehensive bibliography and index for further reference. Kids may first pick up Ten Kings for report research, but it's a sure bet that once they start, they'll continue reading each fascinating chapter.

Hammurabi, David, Kublai and other kings shaped their times and ultimately the world: Ten Kings And The Worlds They Ruled selects ten kings from history to profile, including maps, color illustrations, and descriptions which read with the excitement of a novel, yet are packed with information and detail suitable for reports. An intriguing approach to history and biography.

This book is written well and helps my children understand that being the king is not the best job in the world or in any way easy. That like every other pursuit in life that good character can make a difference. And so can immoral character. The illustrations are wonderful and hve emotion impact.