All of us have that book which we remember fondly from childhood, that one book we saw in the school library which we wish were ours so we could keep it in our own private place and read over and over again. Van Loon's Story of Mankind is that book for me. Van Loon does a tremendous service to the study of history. Even though this is a childrens book Van Loon does not ignore or alter the facts of history so that he can comfort instead of educate the child who may be reading the book. And even though the book reads like one big bedtime story, Van Loon always tries to remain objective and never force his opinion on the reader. When he talks about Napolean he makes it very obvious that he does not like the man or what he stood for, but he also tells the reader that his grandfather fought alongside the man and that he(Van Loon) would have probably fought alongside him as well, that's just the kind of man Napolean was. At an age where you will believe almost anything told to you, especially by a man who has written a book, Van Loon tries to give the child both an appreciation for history and a sense of objectivity about events. This was one of the first books, if not the first book, that showed me that everything is not always black and white, good and evil, but shades and gradations of good and evil. I read this to all my nephews, and when they don't know what to read I hand them this book, hoping it will make them a wiser person for listening to Van Loon's lessons.

As a history minor and professional journalist I've read my share of history books but by far this book is the best I've ever read. Sure there are more scholarly volumes written on the rise of humanity but the author takes our collective tale and puts it in a form in which children can understand and adults can draw joy from. By all means this is a kids book but when you consider how many of us have been pushed away and unknowingly punished by history professors who thought it more important to tell us dates and not the story of the people making the dates significant, this book can be a valuable asset to adults. In a world which is being dumbed down this story, written on a childs level, may even be more apperciated. However to say this text is "DUMB" or lacking intelligence and well crafted words would be an injustice.. It's an incredible book. I have the hard back volume and it will stay in my family for the rest of time. I look forward to the day when my youngest son returns it to me after reading it and says, "Thanks dad". Yes this book is that good.. God Bless.. Ross Guidotti..

This reprint of Henrik Willem van Loon's "Story of Mankind", winner of the 1922 Newberry Award (first awarded) is a treasure chest of history spiced throughout with van Loon's delightful pen and ink drawings. Modern editors have tried to bring the book up to date by including major world events since van Loon originally wrote the book, but their writing doesn't have the insight that made van Loon's writings what they are. Van Loon traces the history of mankind from the beginning, starting with a brief geologic description of planet earth. His writing makes it seem as if you are reading a docu-drama, and you'll keep wishing that he could spend more time on each topic. I especially enjoyed the sections on the middle ages and renaissance, and this book serves as a good introduction to history for children with writing that brings history to life. At times, given when this book was originally written, you may be struck by van Loon's eurocentric flavor, but overall, he does a remarkable job in providing a well balanced presentation of all major world events. He does a great job of looking at major world religions. This is not an exhaustive epic of the history of humanity, rather it is an excellent introduction to history. Sadly, not many histories can claim to be as entertaining as this volume. Perhaps if more were, history would not be viewed with dread.