The Vikings (Living History) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0152005129 ISBN 13: 9780152005122

Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books, 1992

Synopsis

A close-up look at the world of the Norsemen examines the social and cultural conventions of the Vikings, their shipbuilding techniques and voyages, their explorations in Greenland and North America, and other aspects of their society.

About this title

Reviews

The new Living History series uses computer technology in an innovative manner--color images of live actors, scale models, sets and stock photos are combined to recreate scenes from history. Thus readers see Columbus confronting the Tainos, view the construction of the pyramids and witness a Viking duel. The result is mixed at best. Action scenes generally have a posed feel, like dioramas in a museum. And some details jar: contemporary faces peer out from under period wigs and haberdashery; heavily made-up Britons make unconvincing Egyptians. Further adding to the discordancy is the fact that while the texts are in past tense (somewhat diminishing the topics' immediacy), the photographic captions are in present tense. Each volume does provide overviews of the latest scholarship, much detail of everyday life, a useful "How Do We Know?" end note, and a timeline and map as end-papers. But the subjects--traditional, all--are presented in a flat textbook-like manner. Clare also aims for even-handedness, on issues, succeeding mainly in losing a consistent focus, for example "balancing" Columbus's life with a token two pages on the Taino people. The technology's possibilities aren't realized here, and these books seem unlikely to generate the intended enthusiasm for history. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0152005129
• ISBN 13: 9780152005122
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 64
• Editor: Clare John