Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 3^-5. These books in the Daily Life series may seem ordinary on the outside but inside they are chock-full of interesting tidbits and solid information presented in a readable, straightforward manner. Background in opening chapters flows easily into the details of everyday life. Readers get a good idea of exactly how people lived and why everything that they did, ate, practiced, or wore made sense in the context of their surroundings and culture. They also learn about the kinds of traditions they followed and the kinds of hardships and challenges they faced. Bold-type words are explained in a glossary; illustrations include photos, drawings, graphs, maps, and paintings. Appendixes include footnotes and a bibliography. Excellent for reports. --Helen Rosenberg
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 11 Up-A compilation of tremendous amounts of multidisciplinary information on ancient Greece. This history is arranged in broad chronological and thematic chapters, each with an insightful introduction by the editor. Chapters are comprised of articles and writings on topics political ("Lawgivers and Political Experimentation"), militaristic ("The Athenians Crush the Persians at Marathon"), biographical ("Alexander's Brilliance as a Leader"), societal ("The Hellenistic Age Brings Increased Opportunities for Women"), and cultural ("The Great Age of Greek Lyric Poetry"). Most are written by modern scholars, but perspective is also shed by historical figures such as Plato, Thucydides, and Plutarch. In examining practically every aspect of this historical period-including food and the use of athletic supporters-Nardo solidly proves his point that much in the modern world is indebted to ancient Greece. Unfortunately, the cumulative effect is a work that is the quintessence of a dry textbook. While the selections are relevant and important, the presentation has negligible interest and appeal to secondary students, with occasional black-and-white illustrations providing little distraction. This book is best placed in adult reference collections where students can take advantage of its appendicular chronology, list of prominent sites and personalities, glossary, and gazetteer. Otherwise, only collections with college-level demands for research on this topic need give closer consideration to the volume.-Andrew Medlar, Chicago Public Library, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
The ambitious series, illustrated with black-and-white photographs, traces how the legacies from ancient cultures developed. Boxed translations from ancient sources add anecdotal interest. Blatantly lacking are maps and an explanation of which calendar was used for dates. Chronology included. 'Feudalism' contains a glossary. Bib., ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
