Customer Reviews

The World of Columbus and Sons

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Genevieve Foster's books are based on an intriguing concept: a horizontal approach to history; a view of the world and the people who lived during the lifetime of the main character--in this case Columbus. Charlotte Mason would have us delve deeply into an era; these books help us do that.

Each section of the book starts with an interest-grabbing 2-page spread naming and illustrating people who lived during a portion of Columbus' life. These drawings could be copied and pasted into the student's book of centuries or timeline as the corresponding story is read. The maps and illustrations throughout the book provide much interest, although these short stories are appealing because of their conversational tone.

You'll want to acquire all the books in this series by Genevieve Foster.

Genevieve Foster is a great story teller. The story of the world of Christopher Columbus is told in time slices that unfold throughout the life of Christopher Columbus and his sons. The story is not just about Columbus, but about the important people and events that took place. Some of those that are covered are Isabella and Ferdinand, Martin Luther and the Reformation, Erasmus, Catherine the Great, Voltaire, Pope Alexander VI, Machievelli, and many more. Perhaps the most interesting is the voyages of Columbus and the ill treatment of the Indians. I recommend this book for adults and children.

To me, this was one of Genevieve Foster's best books in her series. i found myself looking forward to learning history instead of dreading it. I like how she focuses on one famous character in history (in this book, the character being Christopher Columbus) introduces them, then talks about many other people in his time, then eventually comes back to him and tells of what he would be doing at that time. what a Creative and interesting way to learn everything about history!

I have yet to read this particular book. However, after reading "The World of Captain John Smith" I have to take serious exception with the reviewer who had such problems with the book on Columbus. Genevieve Foster, in my opinion, did nothing to hide the fact that greed was a great motivating factor behind the exploration and settlement of the new world. She makes it very clear in the later time period so I would find it surprising if she completely neglected it in her other work.

Don't avoid this book based on the negatives in the other review. The beautiful thing about her writing is that it makes you hungry to research the time periods she writes about in further detail. It's not always easy to find current sources that are free of political correctness so I have enjoyed reading source documents from original biographers, etc.

"None of the Africans brought to Portugal were ever mistreated. They learned trades, intermarried, and were soon looked upon as any other Portugese peasant." -The World of Columbus and Sons page 30.

I really wanted to like this book, but cannot get past the way slavery and human suffering is not only glossed over but minimized. The above quote is a good example. It is lie. NONE were mistreated? Hmmmmm. So Portugal basically did the Africans a *favor* by giving them a cruise and job training? That is an inaccurate and deceptive portrait of the Portugese slave trade, but why bother with the facts? They are too messy for Ms. Foster's cleaned up version of history.

Prince Henry was a prince of slavers, and he practically has a halo on his head with several chapters devoted to him. This book is not from a "Christian" point of view, it is from a white supremacist, imperialist point of view. We will be taking a pass on this one and finding something else - parents PLEASE PREVIEW before just handing your child or student this book!

While this book does make interesting connections and presents history as a narrative, it struck this reader as having a strong white Christian bias. Isabel, who expelled Muslims and Jews and then sanctioned the Inquisition to hideously murder and torture those that were left, practically has a halo over her head (the inquisition is mentioned, but she doesn't get nearly enough credit for it). Prince Henry's exploration motives are purely based on his desire to better the lives of savages by spreading Christianity; hubris, greed, and material gain apparently never entered into his equation. Meanwhile, while I commend Foster for devoting a quick chapter to African emperor Mansa Musa, ignored by mainstream children's histories until fairly recently, I have to say that her portrayal of Africans leaves something to be desired; probably the less said the better. I recommend checking the book out of the library prior to plunking down the bucks for it. I will say that it's a decent starting place, but please encourage discussion, hopefully from the non-Western and non-Christian point of view.

While this book does make interesting connections and presents history as a narrative, it struck this reader as having a strong white Christian bias. Isabel, who expelled Muslims and Jews and then sanctioned the Inquisition to hideously murder and torture those that were left, practically has a halo over her head (the inquisition is mentioned, but she doesn't get nearly enough credit for it). Prince Henry's exploration motives are purely based on his desire to better the lives of savages by spreading Christianity; hubris, greed, and material gain apparently never entered into his equation. Meanwhile, while I commend Foster for devoting a quick chapter to African emperor Mansa Musa, ignored by mainstream children's histories until fairly recently, I have to say that her portrayal of Africans leaves something to be desired; probably the less said the better. I recommend checking the book out of the library prior to plunking down the bucks for it. I will say that it's a decent starting place, but please encourage discussion, hopefully from the non-Western and non-Christian point of view.