Nothing New Press: H. A. Guerber’s Histories

elene A. Guerber wrote histories for grammar school children in the 19th century. Published in 1896 by the American Book Company, ‘Guerber’s Historical Readers in the Eclectic Readings Series’ were used to introduce children to the histories of the ancient and classical world. Her preface to The Story of the Greeks states her purpose followed in all the subsequent histories:

“This elementary history of Greece is intended for supplementary reading or as a first history text-book for young pupils. It is therefore made up principally of stories about persons; for, while history proper is largely beyond the comprehension of children [I believe she means why the wars were fought, kings deposed, etc--which is properly the realm of the dialectic. -C.M.], they are able at an early age to understand and enjoy anecdotes of people, especially of those in the childhood of civilization. At the same time, these stories will give a clear idea of the most important events that have taken place in the ancient world, and, it is hoped, will arouse a desire to read further. They also aim to enforce the lessons of perserverance, courage, patriotism, and virtue that are taught by the noble lives described.”

The engaging narratives that followed are richly detailed accounts of the lives and times of the most important people of the period, arranged chronologically. The people are placed within the context of their times, and their history is presented with interesting background information so that the entire narrative flows as a single, unbroken story. Dates are given in the narrative where they are known; the pronunciation of place and personal names is carefully marked at its first encounter in the text; and illustrations abound. The text includes maps, a comprehensive timeline of all the persons and events encountered in the history, a comprehensive Recommended Reading list of wonderful historical fiction and non-fiction keyed to the chapters; and a complete bibliography and index round out the book.

Please visit the pages at right for more detailed information about each of Guerber’s histories available from Nothing New Press. You may also view 2-page spreads, read the publisher’s and author’s prefaces, the table of contents, and several chapters from each book.

We recommend these books as a child’s first introduction to history in grades 2-6 (the grammer stage). They make wonderful read alouds, and the Recommended Reading suggestions keyed to the chapters provide additional detail and fascinating excursions into topics introduced in the narrative, often with books children can look at or read on their own.

eBook editions of Guerber's Histories now available!

The Guerber Histories are now available as a Adobe pdf eBook file (requires the free Abode Reader). eBooks are cheaper than their print counterparts, there is no shipping charge for an eBook, and access to the book is nearly instantaneous. Order the eBook today!

Guerber Histories a 100 Top Pick!

The Guerber history series edited by Christine Miller and reprinted by Nothing New Press has been chosen by Cathy Duffy as a 100 Top Pick Homeschool Curriculum! Cathy’s new book makes planning and choosing curriculum simpler than ever! Use Cathy’s charts to figure out your philosophy of education and your children’s learning styles - the charts show how each of the Top Picks match up with different learning styles, approaches to education (e.g., classical education, unit studies, etc.), as well as to practical issues such as prep time, ease of use, and suitability for independent study. Cathy says of the Guerber series: “Guerber writes with a lively style that reminds me of Joy Hakim (author of The Story of the U.S. from Oxford University Press). Christine Miller has retained that same engaging style in her adaptations and additions. ... Of particular note is the religious perspective. This series is Christian, and it does a surprisingly good job of fairly presenting both Protestant and Catholic positions. Even in the Renaissance and Reformation volume, we read about the good and bad from both sides.”