Book Review: Don’t Know Much about History

By Amanda Werner

Amanda Werner provides her thoughts about Parent at the Helm’s August Book Giveaway!

Honestly, I had not really been thrilled when it was time for me to buckle down in school and learn a thing or two about history. I enjoyed history prior to my third or fourth grade year but then things began to take a turn for the worst. After my high school years had gone by and I was becoming a young adult out in the world, history was all around me. I began to develop that flare for learning more about history which helped me become more knowledgeable in a subject I previously loathed. As I sat down to share with readers, I came to the realization that around the third or fourth grade history became boring. It continued to be dry and out of my grasp. As I journeyed into adulthood, history became alive because I was choosing different ways of learning it, processing it and actually enjoying it.

Years later and many years into the homeschooling journey, I realized that my children needed a deeper love of history than I had or even that my husband had during our years within the confines of our public schooled educations. After all who says history has to be boring and who says all those textbooks are really telling the whole truth? It is always up to each individual to find out the whole truth and nothing but the truth and as civilized people we should all be seeking out the truths of our past, present and futures.

Kenneth C. Davis, Don’t Know Much about History Author

Kenneth C. Davis has been helping people find truth, understanding and enjoyment from history for twenty years. Mr. Davis is a regular guy and puts his pants on the same way every one of us does, one leg at a time. He coasted through high school, did not finish college but landed onto the New York Times Bestseller List for 35 consecutive weeks because he has passion. Passion for telling truthful stories about historic events and history in general through a down to earth, conversational type of storytelling, that not many people can master.

I have browsed many used bookstores, yard sales and any place in between for books. I have seen many books written by Kenneth C. Davis and even purchased a few. I am sad to say and quite frankly embarrassed that until I received Don’t Know Much About History , I had not made time for browsing through those books we had right on our very own bookshelves. I had overlooked a huge gem of a resource without ever even knowing it.

“Anti-Textbook” History

Don’t Know Much About History starts out by asking Who really “discovered” America? Mr. Davis then moves through history a little bit at a time relating every piece of information to things that we can understand in our own times today. He has a knack for conversational story-telling that is woven through the entire book. I found the book to be a wonderful resource for unschoolers, homeschoolers, parents, teachers, and anyone else who is genuinely interested in learning about history without feeling intimidated or wanting to fall asleep.

For readers still trying to nail down some sort of curriculum for American History this school year, you will be pleasantly surprised by the content contained within this book and the response from those you are teaching.

American History will not be taught in my home until next year but I am already working out my plans with Don’t Know Much About History being used as my spine and working in other components as I see fit. Other components being selected would be biographies, speeches, field trips, many hands-on activities and self directed learning from each of my children as we work our way through the information.

It is really a disappointment that I will not be teaching American History until next year as I have the best anti-textbook for the job!

For more information on Don’t Know Much About History,  Kenneth C. Davis, or any of the other books he has written visit his website. You can of course always check out his many books at any book retailer or even your local library.

**As with any book, parents may want to preview before reading it out loud or handing it over to their children. Some subjects contained within the book are for a more mature audience. Some families will have no problems with wording or subject matter whereas other families may have problems. Please use your own discretion.**

See also “Review: The Seed Catalog Curriculum” by Amanda.

Amanda can be found neglecting her blog over at All American Family as she enjoys the hot, hot, hot summer months with her family.

I received a complimentary copy of Don’t Know Much About History by Kenneth C. Davis in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given. All thoughts are my own and yours may differ.

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