World History from a different perspective

[awanama]

This might sound strange but my 11 yr ds would like to study World History from the perspective of other countries. He said he is tired of "just hearing our side of the story". This initially came up with our study of the World Wars. He loves history and knows more about it than I do! So would there be anything that would fit what he is asking for?
Thanks!

[Mama Lynx]

Smart kid!

Are there any countries in particular he is interested in reading about?

[awanama]

Well, he is very fascinated with Germany. He can't read enough about it. I think Russia would be his next choice.

[OnTheBrink]

H.E. Marshall, who wrote Our Island Story, has written books about other countries, as well. She was English (as opposed to American) so her perspective would be a bit different. Check the Baldwin Project (www.mainlesson.com) to see how many of her books are online for free. Also check LuLu.com to see which ones you could order.

[Mama Lynx]

I was just going to suggest that. I'm pretty sure she has one on the story of Germany, and there may well be others at The Baldwin Project.

Too bad our sons can't get together! My 11 year old loves to study WWII. We have a great deal of material on British history, but I'll see if he or my dh has any good ideas for reading about the Germans.

[Jenny in Atl]

There is book I have not read yet, on my wish list, that reports how other countries report U.S. history. What would be cool is if there was one like this on world history as well. Here is the link to the one about US history

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1595580824/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1P8HY0ZEXUP0A&colid=1232WLOUEE2Z

[Chris in VA]

Not a text, but from the German perspective--
Have you read Parallel Journeys? It is the story of two Germans caught in WWII--one becomes a Hitler Youth, and one is sent to the Concentration Camps.
Great read, true story. Really tells how the German people, esp. children, were manipulated by Hitler.

[Chris in VA]

Also, for Russia, you could read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by (I'm going to murder this spelling--) Solhenizen, or even Russian fiction, like Brothers Karamotzov (another murdered spelling! But ykwim).

[AngieW in Texas]

My dh has an English translation of Russian history texts about WWII. It's very interesting to read the Russian perspective on WWII.

The Russian Version of the Second World War by Graham Lyons

http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Version-Second-World-Schoolchildren/dp/0871961369/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200763192&sr=8-1

[awanama]

There is book I have not read yet, on my wish list, that reports how other countries report U.S. history. What would be cool is if there was one like this on world history as well.

This sounds really good! This is what he is looking for. How others portray events in history to see how different they are from our views. I'm also going to go check out the H.E. Marshall books that were also mentioned.

Anyone else have others similar to these?
Thanks

[awanama]

My dh has an English translation of Russian history texts about WWII. It's very interesting to read the Russian perspective on WWII.

The Russian Version of the Second World War by Graham Lyons


This looks really good too! I better start selling our curriculum and books that need to go so I can buy all of these fun things! Thanks:)

[chiguirre]

For WWI, try All Quiet on the Western Front. You may want to pre-read if you're strict about reading material.

For WWII, your ds might like Gunter Grass' Danzig trilogy. This you will definitely want to preread these.

On the movie front, Letters from Iwo Jima might fit the bill. If I remember correctly there's lot of violence but no other R rated stuff.

[freerange]

I'm also going to go check out the H.E. Marshall books that were also mentioned.
Some of them are on librivox.org:D

[nmoira]

:lurk5:

[Asenik]

E.H. Gombrich's "A Little History of the World" might be a good resource. Gombrich is European (born in Vienna), and he was trained as an art historian. I like him a lot.

[MIch elle]

and All Quiet on the Western Front

Works by Leo Tolstoy and Alexander Solzhenitsyn; read other non-fiction from authors who are not American.

Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville

[Julie in MN]

This might sound strange but my 11 yr ds would like to study World History from the perspective of other countries. He said he is tired of "just hearing our side of the story". This initially came up with our study of the World Wars. He loves history and knows more about it than I do! So would there be anything that would fit what he is asking for?
Thanks!

Not sure if you're a Christian family, but there are a lot of WWII biographies written by Christians from Germany and thereabouts. I have been really into those lately, including --

Shadow of His Hand, A story based on the life of Holocaust survivor Anita Dittman

Hansi, The Girl Who Loved the Swastika, By Maria Anne Hirschmann

The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom

I wouldn't necessarily say that folks from Germany "think differently," or even look at things all that differently, than we Americans. Well, at least Americans with some understanding of history. But I've found it fascinating to explore how good folks could accept the rising of the Holocaust (especially in the 1st two books above).
Julie

[Rosie_0801]

I was recommended "Death of a Navy" about the Japanese perspective. I haven't read it so I've no idea on the content though.

Rosie

[smrtmama]

We're doing ancient history by region, spending the first third of our school year focusing on the roots of European and Middle Eastern history. Next third will focus on the roots of Eastern/Asian history and the last third will focus on North/South/Central American cultures -- we're using as many primary sources or non-Euro-centric histories as possible.