Tia Leschke

Lars has told me he'd like to learn more about history. When I pinned him
down a bit, it seems he'd like to understand the history leading up to the
current events he sees on the news, particularly the Middle East. Does
anybody have any favourite sites, movies, or books to recommend? I think
he's just interested generally at this point rather than focussed.
Tia
leschke@...

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/23/03 8:52:56 PM, leschke@... writes:

<< Lars has told me he'd like to learn more about history. When I pinned him

down a bit, it seems he'd like to understand the history leading up to the

current events he sees on the news, particularly the Middle East. >>

Back issues of National Geographic.

The articles on the Middle East were frequent throughout the past forty years
(probably always, but the time I'm remembering), in depth, CURRENT, and had
great photos.

We can find National Geographics at thrift stores for a quarter to 45 cents.
Well worth it.

Sandra

Tia Leschke

> Back issues of National Geographic.
>
> The articles on the Middle East were frequent throughout the past forty
years
> (probably always, but the time I'm remembering), in depth, CURRENT, and
had
> great photos.
>
> We can find National Geographics at thrift stores for a quarter to 45
cents.
> Well worth it.

That's one I hadn't thought of. Thanks.
Tia
leschke@...

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/23/03 9:11:26 PM, leschke@... writes:

<< > The articles on the Middle East were frequent throughout the past forty

years

> (probably always, but the time I'm remembering), in depth, CURRENT, and

had

> great photos. >>

It's interesting to see them in retrospect, with guys we once considered good
guys having proven themselves ruthless, or vice versa.

I just read an article in Smithsonian about Jimmy Carter's "Camp David
Accord" involving Egypt and Israel. VERY cool in retrospect.

Sandra

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/23/03 10:51:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time, leschke@...
writes:
> When I pinned him
> down a bit, it seems he'd like to understand the history leading up to the
> current events he sees on the news, particularly the Middle East.

A down and dirty version -- "The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Conflicts"
by Steven D. Strauss. Of course, the only part of history it focuses on is
war, but it might be a good reference for what he wants to know.

Amy


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

liza sabater

On Tuesday, September 23, 2003, at 10:48 PM, Tia Leschke wrote:

> Lars has told me he'd like to learn more about history. When I pinned
> him
> down a bit, it seems he'd like to understand the history leading up to
> the
> current events he sees on the news, particularly the Middle East. Does
> anybody have any favourite sites, movies, or books to recommend? I
> think
> he's just interested generally at this point rather than focussed.
> Tia
> leschke@...

Have you checked out the BBC website? OODLES of information. Their
world news section is great and they have an education one for all ages
as well. Want to learn some arabic or hebrew? They've got that covered
as well. They even have a version of the site in Arabic and country
profiles for what looks like every country in the world.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/index.shtml

Which reminds me of Al-Jazeera in English. If you want balance, you
might as well take a look at their POV.

http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage


/ l i z a, nyc
============================
http://culturekitchen.com
http://liza.typepad.com

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/23/03 10:11:08 PM Central Daylight Time, leschke@...
writes:
> Back issues of National Geographic.
>
> The articles on the Middle East were frequent throughout the past forty
years
> (probably always, but the time I'm remembering), in depth, CURRENT, and
had
> great photos.
>
> We can find National Geographics at thrift stores for a quarter to 45
cents.
> Well worth it.

That's one I hadn't thought of. Thanks.
Tia
leschke@...
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Tia,
I have about 20 some odd years of back issues of National Geographic. If you
know what you want and can't find it near you, feel free to let me know and if
I have it I would be happy to send it to you. (You've gotta send it back
though! <g>) If your son wants to talk to someone who lived in the middle east I
know there are many people, me included who would be happy to do so. Let me
know if I can help with the magazines.

~Nancy

He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered
whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.
Douglas Adams


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Julie Bogart

--- In [email protected], Tia Leschke
<leschke@s...> wrote:
> Lars has told me he'd like to learn more about history. When I
pinned him
> down a bit, it seems he'd like to understand the history leading
up to the
> current events he sees on the news, particularly the Middle
East. Does
> anybody have any favourite sites, movies, or books to
recommend? I think
> he's just interested generally at this point rather than focussed.
> Tia
> leschke@s...

The Thousand Year War in the Middle East and How it Affects
You Today

By Richard Maybury

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0942617320/qid=106
4403250/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-2574396-2457569

Readable (from what I'm told) for teens. I've read other Maybury
books and enjoyed them.

Julie B

Tia Leschke

> I have about 20 some odd years of back issues of National Geographic. If
you
> know what you want and can't find it near you, feel free to let me know
and if
> I have it I would be happy to send it to you. (You've gotta send it back
> though! <g>) If your son wants to talk to someone who lived in the middle
east I
> know there are many people, me included who would be happy to do so. Let
me
> know if I can help with the magazines.

Thanks for the offers. I'll keep them in mind. I'm going to go up to the
Sally Ann today and see what I can find.
Tia
leschke@...

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tia Leschke

> Have you checked out the BBC website? OODLES of information. Their
> world news section is great and they have an education one for all ages
> as well. Want to learn some arabic or hebrew? They've got that covered
> as well. They even have a version of the site in Arabic and country
> profiles for what looks like every country in the world.
>
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/index.shtml

Thanks. I found some good stuff about the Arab/Israeli conflict with
timelines and maps. He is so visual that graphics help him learn more than
anything.
>
> Which reminds me of Al-Jazeera in English. If you want balance, you
> might as well take a look at their POV.
>
> http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage

I'm sending him that link as well. We'll see where he takes all this.
Tia
leschke@...

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Liz in AZ

Lawrence of Arabia. Though it deals specifically with events in WWI -
and from a largely British perspective - it really gets into the
tribal issues that are at the heart of the region's conflicts.

Liz
--- In [email protected], Tia Leschke
<leschke@s...> wrote:
> Lars has told me he'd like to learn more about history. When I
pinned him
> down a bit, it seems he'd like to understand the history leading up
to the
> current events he sees on the news, particularly the Middle East.
Does
> anybody have any favourite sites, movies, or books to recommend? I
think
> he's just interested generally at this point rather than focussed.
> Tia
> leschke@s...
>
> "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
> there is no path and leave a trail."
> - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tia Leschke

> The Nation Public Radio website (www.NRP.org) has a great series on all
> aspects of what's going on in the Middle East, particularly Israel and
> Palestine, that you can listen to for free using a free downloadable
> RealAudio player. Its mentioned on their homepage, so it's easy to find
> (the title is "The Mideast: A Century of Conflict"). I don't know how a
> kid will feel about it, but it helped ME understand a little better
> what's going on over there.

Oops! Typo. I clicked on that and got something about Minneapolis
neighbourhoods. <g> Ah, now I've got it, and it looks good.
>
> Also maybe geared more towards adults, but in a very accessable format
> (the comic book!) is Marjane Satrapi's book about growing up before and
> during the Islamic revolution in Iran , "Persepolis, the story of a
> Childhood". (Yes, it was reviewed on NPR!).

Darn! Neither library system that I use has that one. Maybe they'll buy it
soon.
Tia
leschke@...

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tia Leschke

> The Thousand Year War in the Middle East and How it Affects
> You Today
>
> By Richard Maybury
>
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0942617320/qid=106
> 4403250/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-2574396-2457569
>
> Readable (from what I'm told) for teens. I've read other Maybury
> books and enjoyed them.

I think this is going to be my week for interlibrary loans.
Tia
leschke@...

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/24/03 11:35:19 AM Central Daylight Time, leschke@...
writes:
Darn! Neither library system that I use has that one. Maybe they'll buy it
soon.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Interlibrary loan? I just got a book my library doesn't have and it came all
the way from the California Orange County library system! I love interlibrary
loan!

~Nancy

He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered
whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.
Douglas Adams


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Tia Leschke

> Lawrence of Arabia. Though it deals specifically with events in WWI -
> and from a largely British perspective - it really gets into the
> tribal issues that are at the heart of the region's conflicts.

Ah, movies are his medium. I'll get that one for sure. Any others?
Tia
leschke@...

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tia Leschke

In case anyone else is looking for this stuff, I found a page with tons of
links we can explore about the Middle East.
http://www.ecb.org/surf/mideast.htm
Tia
leschke@...

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/23/2003 10:52:56 PM Eastern Standard Time,
leschke@... writes:
When I pinned him
down a bit, it seems he'd like to understand the history leading up to the
current events he sees on the news, particularly the Middle East. Does
anybody have any favourite sites, movies, or books to recommend? I think
he's just interested generally at this point rather than focussed.
This wouldn't cover current stuff in the middle east, but I can't recommend
highly enough the "Cartoon History of the Universe" books. I heard about them
on this list and the kids are devouring the first book. I guess there's 3
volumes (so far) and the kids are currently passing around volume I. I hope he's
thinking about a volume 4.

Nancy B. in WV


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nellebelle

I'm currently reading Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong.

Hi major critique of high school history texts and course is that they try to cover everything, and in so doing, don't give enough detail and background to make the students care about any of it. I'm learning a lot from this book!

Mary Ellen
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CRU92/
Unschoolers in Tri-Cities

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

nellebelle

>>>>>>And instead of trying to "expose" kids to everything, if they could
just get them excited about a few things they might be happily curious enough to find the rest>>>>>

He says that too! I thought history was the dullest subject in school. I used to have nightmares that at the last minute I found out I wouldn't graduate from college because I hadn't taken the required history courses.

Not that it's the greatest thing ever written, but reading the Little House series (by LI Wilder) to my kids was the key to getting me excited about history. A lightbulb went off when I realized that real history consists of stories - the stories of all the people who lived before us.


Mary Ellen

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nellebelle

<<<<<Is it mostly US history?>>>>>>

Yes.
I don't know if Lars would enjoy it, but I am :-)

Mary Ellen



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Tia Leschke

> I'm currently reading Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American
History Textbook Got Wrong.
>
> Hi major critique of high school history texts and course is that they try
to cover everything, and in so doing, don't give enough detail and
background to make the students care about any of it. I'm learning a lot
from this book!

I've heard of that one. Is it mostly US history?
Tia

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/28/03 7:28:56 PM, nellebelle@... writes:

<< I'm currently reading Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American
History Textbook Got Wrong.

<<His major critique of high school history texts and course is that they try
to cover everything, and in so doing, don't give enough detail and background
to make the students care about any of it. I'm learning a lot from this
book!>>

True! And instead of trying to "expose" kids to everything, if they could
just get them excited about a few things they might be happily curious enough to
find the rest.

But that's just unschooling advice. School isn't designed to get kids
happy, curious or excited. It's designed to help them pass tests, and so some
facts are better than lots of curiosity.

Bummer!

Sandra

Robyn Coburn

<<Not that it's the greatest thing ever written, but reading the Little
House series (by LI Wilder) to my kids was the key to getting me excited
about history. A lightbulb went off when I realized that real history
consists of stories - the stories of all the people who lived before
us.>>



I purchased the boxed set at the Conference and was eager to read the
books. The detailed explanations of how things were made or done are
very interesting history. However I was horrified and shocked by the
stories of the parenting - mainly because somewhere I had gotten the
idea that these were books about enlightened and wonderful parenting.
Instead I found that Pa beat Laura with a belt, that she grew up
incessantly believing the idea that she was "bad inside", and that she
must constantly repress all that was authentic and spirited about
herself in order to keep her parents' approval. I guess compared to
other parents at the times these two were not authoritarian in the same
extreme, but it seemed to me that Laura's admiration of her parents was
by no means unmixed with a great deal of fear. Almonzo also lived in
absolute terror of beatings during his childhood.



Robyn Coburn






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Tia Leschke

>
> Yes.
> I don't know if Lars would enjoy it, but I am :-)

Too bad. World history or Canadian history would be wonderful for us now.
Tia
leschke@...

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/28/2003 9:42:27 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
dezigna@... writes:
Pa beat Laura with a belt, that she grew up
incessantly believing the idea that she was "bad inside", and that she
must constantly repress all that was authentic and spirited about
herself in order to keep her parents' approval.
If it's not a good example of current enlightened parenting, maybe it will be
good for kids to hear how common that used to be in the U.S. (and still is,
honestly).

Sandra


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Julie Solich

>> Instead I found that Pa beat Laura with a belt, that she grew up
incessantly believing the idea that she was "bad inside", and that she must
constantly repress all that was authentic and spirited about herself in
order to keep her parents' approval. I guess compared to other parents at
the times these two were not authoritarian in the same extreme, but it
seemed to me that Laura's admiration of her parents was by no means unmixed
with a great deal of fear.>>

I have read 5 books of the series to my boys. They enjoyed them up to The
Long Winter which they became bored with so we didn't finish it. Halfway
through Little House on the Prairie, Jess began to say how rude Ma was and
that he didn't like her. He would get really indignant at the way she spoke
to her girls and thought she was terrible for telling Laura she HAD to be a
teacher because she wanted one of girls to be one. A homeschooling mum I
know wishes she could be like Ma, gentle and kind....but Jess thinks she is
the worst mum ever and if he ever meets her, she is going to get a piece of
his mind! <g>

Julie


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[email protected]

In a message dated 9/28/2003 11:17:17 PM Central Daylight Time,
mjsolich@... writes:

> I have read 5 books of the series to my boys.

I was a huge Little House fan as a child of the 70's and I always remember a
big controversy when Laura wanted to wear blue ribbons in her hair instead of
pink. Ma said, No, Laura could only wear pink because her hair was brown and
Mary had to wear blue because her hair was blond. What was THAT all about? As a
child, I always wondered "What's the big deal? Why can't she wear whatever
color she wants?"
Amy Kagey
<A HREF="http://www.ubah.com/ecommerce/default.asp?sid=Z0939&gid=1684902">Free shipping on </A><A HREF="http://www.ubah.com/ecommerce/default.asp?sid=Z0939&gid=1684902">Usborne Books</A> !
Join Usborne for only $29.95 in Sept!


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Robyn Coburn

<<Halfwaythrough Little House on the Prairie, Jess began to say how rude
Ma was and that he didn't like her. He would get really indignant at the
way she spoke
to her girls and thought she was terrible for telling Laura she HAD to
be a
teacher because she wanted one of girls to be one. A homeschooling mum
I
know wishes she could be like Ma, gentle and kind....but Jess thinks she
is
the worst mum ever and if he ever meets her, she is going to get a piece
of
his mind! <g> >>



Good for him!!!

Robyn Coburn





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Betsy

**
Too bad. World history or Canadian history would be wonderful for us now.
Tia**

Hi, Tia --

I don't know if Lars would like it, but I like listening to NPR. Shows
like Talk of the Nation discuss current events, sometimes with a strong
historical slant. There are archives of old shows available on the
internet, at www.npr.org and then select the name of the show and the
topic or date. These are playable on the computer with the free version
of the Real Player from Real Audio. (You have to look in the footnotes
to find the free version on the Real Audio site.)

I know very little about the historical situation in Iraq, but I know
that the boundaries of countries in the Middle East were redrawn right
after WWI, so that might be a place to start.

If you and he don't know any history enthusiasts with better ideas, then
you might want to go to Amazon and search for books about Iraq and look
at the reviews and the related purchases.

Betsy

Heidi

wow, looks like it's time for another look at the LIttle House
Series! LOL I introduced them to my oldest girl when she was about
seven, and she couldn't get into them at all (she was already a
Tolkien freak by this time, having read The Hobbit...tut, giving her
such rich fare so early, spoiled her palate for other things LOL)

and I read them as an older teen and liked them well enough, I
suppose. It's cool to go back to books, once you've trod this ground
for a few years, and see how much you've changed. :)

HeidiC


> > I have read 5 books of the series to my boys.
>
> I was a huge Little House fan as a child of the 70's and I always
remember a
> big controversy when Laura wanted to wear blue ribbons in her hair