How to Use This Book.
All Through the Ages is a glorified list of books, commonly available from public libraries and homeschool catalogs, which are useful for learning history using literature—real books—rather than textbooks. The heart of All Through the Ages is the compilation of suggested books from the following sources. The original source is indicated after each book entry by a letter. The sources and letters are:
Answers in Genesis AG
Beautiful Feet Books BF
Best Historical Novels and Tales BH
Bethlehem Books BB
Bluestocking Press BP
Books Children Love B
Conservative Book Club CB
Dover Publications D
History of Nations HN
Honey for a Child’s Heart H
Elijah Company E
Great Books of the Christian Tradition C
Great Books of Western Civilization W
Greenleaf Press G
Lamplighter Publishing LL
Landmark Books L
Let the Authors Speak A
Newbery Books N
Newbery Honor Books NH
Nobel Prize in Literature NP
Pulitzer Prize Winner P
Robinson Curriculum R
Sonlight Curriculum S
Story of Mankind SM
Veritas Press VP
Vision Forum VF
Entries that do not have a letter are books that I have discovered myself, or that others have recommended to me. Obviously, some books will be on more than one list. I have generally credited the first list I found them on.
Each section (historical era or geographical region) is subdivided by reading level: 1-3 for beginning or easy readers, corresponding to 1st through 3rd grades; 4-6 for fluent readers, corresponding to 4th through 6th grades; 7-9 for maturing readers, corresponding to 7th through 9th grades; and 10-12 for college-bound readers, corresponding to 10th through 12th grades. The reading levels are meant to indicate independent reading ability only. Kindergartners through high schoolers may enjoy listening to Little House on the Prairie read outloud, and junior highers and high schoolers may enjoy reading it, although it is listed at a 4-6 reading level. That is because it is at the fluent reading stage that most children can read and understand it for themselves for the first time. Reading levels are subjective. One child may be in 3rd grade, but reading at a 6th grade level, while another child in 3rd grade may be reading at a 1st grade level. The reading levels are guidelines only, and not necessarily meant as rigid divisions.
Maturing readers (7-9) generally mean more advanced vocabulary and/or complex situations than elementary readers are usually comfortable with. College-bound readers (10-12) generally mean more advanced vocabulary, or technical or detailed writing, or complex or challenging life situations, or more disturbing or challenging themes. Usually just a more mature understanding of universal themes is required to make the book worth reading. By no means do all of the 10-12 books have disturbing themes! Most of them don’t. In the few that do, it may mean some violence, or it may mean some depiction of the human condition in its fallen state. I have deliberately put all of the Great Books of Western Civilization in the 10-12 group, even though some are suitable for younger children, because the Great Books usually deal with questions such as forms of government, family life, good vs. evil, the purpose or origin of man, the existence of God, or other themes that we may not want our younger children wrestling with. Others of us may want our older children exposed to the literature that has shaped our civilization, even if it raises questions about some things we take for granted.
The All Through the Ages book lists are arranged into two main sections. The book lists in the first section are arranged by chronology, and they are subdivided by time periods of history, such as Ancient Egypt or the Middle Ages. Within each time period, the books are further subdivided by the four reading levels. The books in each reading level are then arranged under these headings: Overview of the era, Specific events, Biographies, Historical fiction, Literature, and Culture. Those books that provide an overview of the whole era under question are listed under Overview of the era. Those books dealing with specific events or themes of that era are listed under Specific events. Those books that are biographies of important persons to that era are listed under Biographies. Those books that are considered historical fiction—even if that historical fiction contains real historical events and real historical persons—are listed under Historical fiction. Those books that either retell the literature of the people (as mythology does with ancient civilizations) or are the literature produced by the writers living during that era, are listed under Literature. Those books that speak to a certain aspect of the culture of an era—its food, dress, art, or other cultural aspects—are listed under Culture. If one of these subheadings is missing from a reading level, it means that I was not able to find any books dealing with that particular theme.
The Chronological section follows the rise of Western Civilization. In the later centuries, it follows the rise of the American nation, beginning with New World Colonization. Included at the end of each era from New World Colonization to the Modern Era is a section on World Events, also subdivided by reading level. World Events lists books having to do with major events that took place in the greater world at the same time period as that era of American History. Therefore world history from the 17th century does not have to be abandoned.
Not all the books listed for each era are necessary for an accurate or complete picture of the period. But I have included as many really good books that I could find because you never know what will fire a child’s imagination, or where they will become fascinated with something that they really want to pursue in depth.
The second major section of All Through the Ages is the Geographical section. The book lists in this section are divided by geographical regions, cultures, or countries, like Africa or Polynesia. As in the Chronological section, each region is subdivided by reading levels, and each reading level is subheaded with Overview of the region, Specific events, Biography, Historical fiction, Literature, and Culture; only this time the history under question is the history of that region, from ancient times to modern, rather than the history of an era. Books listed in the Chronological section are usually listed in the Geographical section also. In addition, books that do not have to do with the rise of Western Civilization, but that do have to do with the history or culture of a particular place may be listed only in the Geographical section.
I have also included, in the Chronological section, especially concerning ancient history, essays regarding different aspects of that era’s history. These essays contain information and ideas which we have come to understand through studying the whole scope of Western and Biblical history over the course of the past decade; but which, because of their nature, are difficult to find articulated in any one book on the subject. Examples include the rise of paganism from Nimrod’s Babylonia or the difficulties of pinning down an exact chronology for Ancient Egypt. I have included this information because most of us homeschool moms have received a secular, public school education ourselves, deficient in history, if my experience is any measure. We are starting with our own children behind the starting line, and must overcome the deficiencies of our own educations in order to give something better to our children. The information in these essays is designed to help us get to the starting line.
Besides the Chronological and Geographical sections, there are three other shorter sections of book lists. The first is the History of Science and Mathematics, also subdivided by reading levels. The second is the History of the Arts, also subdivided by reading levels. The third is the lists of Great Books of Western Civilization and the Christian Tradition. These are divided into the History of the Great Discussion, the History of Literature, the History of Poetry, and the History of Drama. The Great Books are also included in the main Chronological and Geographical lists, but they are relisted here for those that want a list of just the Great Books. The Great Books are listed in order by chronological era, and are not subdivided by reading level, as these books are mostly for college-bound and adult readers. However, many of them are timeless and ageless. Each parent should use his judgment as to how and when to incorporate any of these in the curriculum. In our family, the children listen to or read the Bible, the greatest of great books, from babyhood, and then they generally begin the other Great Books in junior and senior high.
Lastly is the index. Every book found in All Through the Ages is listed in the index alphabetically by title and author, along with the section and reading level where the book can be found.
I have really tried to include what Charlotte Mason would call “living books,” and have tried to avoid “twaddle” wherever possible. Included is a wide variety of reading material: historical fiction, biographies, legends, journals, essays, letters, treatises, speeches, works of philosophy or retellings of history. There are also fascinating children’s non-fiction books where appropriate. I haven’t read every book listed, although I have looked at an awful lot of them. Remember, All Through the Ages is mainly a compilation of lists from other sources, and I have not edited the lists from those sources for content.
Because of this, I am sure that someone somewhere will disagree with my inclusion of some book or books on the list. With over 5600 books included in All Through the Ages, that disagreement would be impossible to avoid. Not even I agree with every book listed (especially some of the more modern “great books” of Western Civilization). What I try to do when presented with a list like this, is to look at all the books recommended myself, and choose the ones that agree with the message I want my children to receive from their reading, then ignore the rest. I would NEVER just assume that I agree with everything, and then give my child a carte blanche stack of books. I encourage everyone using this list to do the same.
On the question of how to find some of these books, the ones from a homeschool supply company, such as Greenleaf Press or Sonlight Curriculum, can be ordered from that company. Many are additionally available from publishing companies, such as Applewood Books or Preston Speed Publishers, and they can also be ordered from that company. There is a bibliography in the back of the book listing the books and catalogs used as a resource in compiling All Through the Ages, along with their addresses, phone numbers, and Internet addresses. Regarding the other books, many can be found at your local library. However, it is increasingly becoming a sad fact of life that many libraries are dumping the older books in favor of revisionist history or PC dead white male bashing. University libraries usually carry the great books, and I have never been unsuccessful in acquiring a copy of a book not found in my local library through interlibrary loan. Moreover, the text of many, many older classics can be found over the Internet. Begin searching with the Online Books Page or search for a book title in quotes using Google. Then, there’s always used book stores and out of print book searches, public school book depositories, and my favorite, summer yard sales and flea markets.
