Nardo, Don. Classical Civilization: Greece.

Nardo, Don.  Classical Civilization: Greece.    Morgan Reynolds   112   $28.95  978-1-59935-173-5     ms/hs   Series: World History(MR) VG-BNS

This volume provides an overview of ancient Greece and its continuing influence on contemporary society.  Modern-day Greece is a small country with modest input into contemporary world affairs.  However, the ancient Greeks set in motion ideas and practices that greatly influenced Western civilization as a whole. 

Readers will find the concise, straightforward prose easy to understand as they learn about Greek warfare, tactics, and heroes.  Nardo clearly describes how ancient Greeks created the foundation of modern political, artistic, and social culture.  The Greeks’ contribution to the development of scientific disciplines such as biology, botany, and astronomy are included.  Greek architecture is also addressed. The chapter on the Olympics dispels the myth that the original games were limited to amateur athletes who received no financial gain through participation. 

Photographs and illustrations are judiciously included, highlighting related text.  The sidebars contain useful facts and offer more insight to the topics under discussion.  A useful timeline, extensive source list and bibliography, plus a list of related websites will be helpful to student researchers.  There is also a glossary and index.

Nardo’s text provides a solid overview to the many ways Greeks helped to shape Western civilization, and continue to influence contemporary life.

-- Hilary Welliver

Nardo, Don. Classical Civilization: Greece.

Nardo, Don.  Classical Civilization: Greece.    Morgan Reynolds   112  $28.95 978-1-59935-173-5   ms/hs     Series: World History     VG-BNS

This book provides an overview of ancient Greece and its continuing influence on contemporary society.        Modern-day Greece is a small country with modest input into contemporary world affairs.  However, the ancient Greeks set in motion ideas and practices that greatly influenced Western civilization as a whole. 

Readers will find the concise, straightforward prose easy to understand as they learn about Greek warfare, tactics, and heroes.  Nardo clearly describes how the ancient Greeks created the foundations of modern political, artistic, and social culture.  The Greeks’ contribution to the development of scientific disciplines such as biology, botany, and astronomy are also discussed, as well as Greek architecture.  The chapter on the Olympics dispels the myth that the original games were limited to amateur athletes who received no financial gain through participation. 

Photographs and illustrations are judiciously included, highlighting related text.  The sidebars contain useful facts and offer more insight into the topics under discussion.

A useful timeline, extensive source list and bibliography are included, plus a list of related websites that will be helpful to student researchers.  There is also a glossary and index.

Nardo’s text provides a solid overview of the many ways the Greeks helped to shape western civilization, and continue to influence contemporary life.                                                  --Hilary Welliver

Nardo, Don. Classical Civilization: Rome.

Nardo, Don. Classical Civilization: Rome.  Morgan Reynolds  128p  $28.95      978-1-59935-174-2       jr/sr Series: World History           VG         

This is a historical overview of ancient Rome, its leaders and its world expansion.       It is not known where the Romans originally came from, but there are legends that point in the direction of ancient Troy and one of its survivors.  Regardless of where they came from, they settled in Italy and took over the region and expanded their rule.  There were numerous excellent Roman leaders, such as Julius Caesar, a Roman Statesmen and military leader who left a lasting impression on Rome. The Romans conquered a very large part of the world, and everywhere they went they built roads, aqueducts, baths, magnificent buildings and many other wonders. The Romans left a legacy that is still influential today.  For example, the U.S. Senate was fashioned after the Roman senate, and today we use Roman models for roads and urban planning.

World History is a series that includes eight books on ancient worlds.  Each book has a bibliography, a list of sources, a timeline, pictures, maps, a list of web sites, a glossary and an index.       --Magna Diaz

Nardo, Don. Medieval Europe.

Nardo, Don. Medieval Europe. Morgan Reynolds  126p  $28.95      978-1-59935-172-8       secondary   Series: World History      Good       

This is an accessible history of the unique time in Europe between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance.  With liberal use of primary-source documents, the author has written a very usable, appropriately illustrated book for research.  Side bars can be found throughout the book, highlighting information relevant to the adjacent text, such as "Spain’s visionary monarchs" (page 48) and "Attempts to regulate sanitation" (page 82).  Primary-source illustrations include a 15th-century miniature (page 25) and a hand-colored woodcut of the seal of the Merchant Guild of Gloucester, England, circa 1200 (page 55).  The book concludes with a timeline, list of resources, bibliography (print and web), glossary, and index.  

This series, which consists of eight titles, is very informative and will find use in secondary libraries where students conduct research about the periods covered by these books.                          --Lynn Fisher

Nardo, Don. The Rwandan Genocide.

Nardo, Don.    The Rwandan Genocide.      

Cengage (Gale,Lucent,Kidhaven/Blackbirch   2011   104p  33.95         978-1-4205-0567-2           

ms/hs             World History            VG-BNS

            This informative volume explores the Rwandan Genocide, focusing on the

historical context, political idealogy, pivotal events, prominent individuals

and the refugee problems.  Profusely illustration with haunting photos, this

well-written account of the Rwandan Genocide provides the reader with the

historical and political background, as well as a year by year account of the

atrocities that became commonplace during that brutal civil conflict.  The mere

scope of the killings  is well-documented, and readers will learn more than the

international headlines conveyed.

Included, at the beginning of the book,  is a timeline of the conflict,

including major events in world history that provide a back-drop.  Comprehensive

chapter notes, bibliographical references, and an index complete the volume. 

This is a valuable addition to middle and high school history collections.         This

book is part of the World History series.  The series consists of 46 books at

this time.  The focus of the series is to provide coverage of pivotal events in

world history.            Naismith, Pat

Nardo, Dan. European Colonization of Africa

Nardo, Dan European Colonization of Africa
Morgan Reynolds 2010 112p 28.95
978-1-59935-142-1 ms/hs Africa - Colonization E-BN

Concisely presents the history of Africa focusing on the European colonization of Africa with emphasis on the slave trade and early European explorers. Very readable. Colorful illustrations, chapter notes, time line, index and further reading. Grades 6-12. Nardo covers the early history of Africa from BC times and Muslim influence through the nationalism in the mid 1900s. The focus is on Europeans who traveled to Africa to plunder the natural resources and enslave the native populations. The first half of the book talks extensively about the slave trade that had been in existence during the early Muslim occupancy and expanded as Europeans needed slaves to work in the Caribbean. Early explorers and those Europeans who settled in Africa are shown as masters of the indigenous populations. As more Europeans arrived, clashes broke out between the Dutch, Portuguese and central European factions. By the 1950’s nationalism had taken hold and ousted European governments in favor of local rule. Colorful illustrations, chapter notes, time line, index and further reading provide quick study links for students. Text boxes highlight important events and people with primary source quotations flowing smoothly into the narrative text. The only addition that would have proved helpful would have been a legible map of Africa with locations mentioned in the text. Strongly recommended for grades 6-12 as a first source of political information on the history of Africa as a continent. McNicol,Lois