Uncle Eric books?

[SusanAR]

Has anyone used these to supplement American Gov? What did you think?
We are also studying ancient history, and I wonder if the book about Rome would be interesting to throw in the mix.

Susan

[yslek]

I'm reading some of these for myself right now. I really like them & plan on having dc read these when they're older. He comes from a fairly libertarian view point, which may affect how well you like them.

Cons (for me) so far: Certain phrases are reapeated ad nauseum. This is especially annoying when reading several of his books in a row. Also, the tone can be a bit patronizing, but then it's supposed to be an uncle writing to his nephew, so it's (somewhat) excusable.

Pros: He seems to have a gift for presenting complicated and confusing subject matter in a succinct easy-to-grasp way, while opening your eyes (or my eyes, at least!) to seeing things in completely new ways.

So far I've read Whatever Happened to Penny Candy, and I'm almost through Whatever Happened to Justice and the Thousand Year War (a very timely book, especially since it was written pre-9/11, and everything we've seen since is very much in line with the author's views/predictions.) I started reading his book on Ancient Rome, but had to return it without finishing it due to a patron hold at the library. From the first few chapters, he ties Roman ideas/ideals into American ones, and shows how heavily our country is influenced by Rome, including much of our symbolism (state buildings, coins, etc.)

[FunnyFarmMom]

We read Whatever Happened to Penny Candy last year as part of Sonlight's Core 5. I thought it was a fantastic book that explained economics in a way that I could understand. I think the kids even grasped some of it. ;) Ever since, I've been nagging dh to read it and since the upset in the economy I've been recommending it to everyone I talk to.

I hadn't realized that there were other books in the series - I'm off to check them out!

[Lori D.]

SOLD

[laughing lioness]

We found them very interesting but disagree with many of his conclusions. They are good discussion starters but be sure to add in other info. He comes from a libertarian, isolationist pov and his declarations about the Swiss during the WW's are slanted to say the least.
mho:001_smile:

[MomsintheGarden]

My son and husband have read all of the UE books and really like them. My daughter and I have read the Penny Candy book. I would consider these books as a good supplement to a high school history curriculum. You could also use them as a high school economics course, especially with one or more of their study guides.

Richard Mayberry is a libertarian who believes the theory of Austrian economics. The Ludwig von Mises Institute is a good resource for learning about this theory. It differs from the more commonly used theory of Keynesian economics.

I gave my son 1 credit for an economics course after he read the whole series, used the Penny Candy Study Guide, and read a freshman college-level Microeconomics text. He enjoyed his study so much that he requested several of the books recommended in the Penny Candy study guide for Christmas, which he read for fun. He went on to study for and and ace the Microeconomics AP test (I should have planned ahead and allotted some time for him to study for and take the Macroeconomics AP test). He even downloaded economics lectures from the Mises institute and listened to them on his iPod for fun. Now he is at college; he plans to minor in economics.

I hope you enjoy the books.

Garden Mom

[Sandy in KY]

I ordered the Ancient Rome book, thinking it would be great to study with ancient history, but the book could be summarized as such:
Chap 1: Rome was bad
Chap 2: Rome was bad
Chap 3: Rome was bad
Chap 4: Rome was bad
ad nauseum...

Of course Rome had numerous problems, but I was expecting something much more balanced.

FWIW!

[Kathy in MD]

He has many controversial opinions and therefore is great for starting good discusions. But I would also to study want good books with a more mainstream or opposite viewpoint. As one poster stated, the entire Ancient Rome book states that Rome is bad.

As far as the economic books are concerned, I would only touch them after a very good grounding in general economics. It's a pity, because he does make some good points and his delivery is clear and entertaining. However he skips far too much economic basics for Penny Candy to count as as even a half credit worth of high school economics course. And as in Ancient Rome, his personal opinions get in the way of giving a good basic background on the subject. Save his economic books for the end of a good basic economic's course.

[MomsintheGarden]

"However he skips far too much economic basics for Penny Candy to count as as even a half credit worth of high school economics course." quote from Kathy in MD

Your post made me actually go back and look at my son's transcript. I agree that the Penny Candy book alone is not enough for even half a credit of High School econ credit. My post is now edited to account for what he actually did for the 1 credit I gave him. He read all of the books in the series, did the Penny Candy study guide, and read a freshman college-level Microeconomics text.

I'm sorry if I misled anyone by my faulty memory.

Garden Mom