aman757's reviews
145 reviews

i do appreciate the opportunity to read about the life of queen victoria of britain, along with the period in the history of the nation that her reign in part gave rise. though i didnt make the association before reading this book, an earlier part about the victorian era in britain being associated with qualities like rigidity or severely strict morality is a sweeping interpretation i believe i’ve been exposed before. that said, the book suggests that while not necessarily a direct result of strict moral discipline, there are some possible connections to several technological advances made during this time, such as the printing press and the bicycle, along with various architectural innovation. nonetheless, it is necessary to recognize, as the book does, that progress made by britain during the rule of queen victoria including much of the industrial revolution period, exists in correlation with imperial efforts and colonization, tempering the recognition that is deserved for such innovation. however, to end on a more positive note about the victorian era, i do find it remarkable the level of commitment the book suggests queen victoria maintained for her late husband king albert long after his passing.

i like the summary this book gives of knights, particularly those in the middle ages. through this information, along with that in another usborne book i read about castles, but especially this book, i have a more layered knowledge of the role knights have played through history, with the section about the knights hospitalars being of interest to me in learning knights utility hasnt only been in fighting and peace time competition like jousting tournaments, but also healing during battle , and this aspect of roles of knights during christian wars against muslims also seems to me to provide some foundation for more contemporary medical organizations like the red cross. also notable to me is the details the book includes about different coats of arms, and some discussion of the symbolic meanings these different illustrations contain, even reminding me of egyptian hieroglyphics in the aspect of being organized pictatorial expression.

this is the first disney yearbook i read since the 1999 yearbook is published before my day of birth. there are a few sections that stand out to me in this book, each being different in type and content. the first story is a sort of preview to the content of the book, though certainly not an extensive summary. it is a preview in that it discusses potential futures which the authors believed the new millennium may bring, most of which focuses on the potential use of computers in shaping progress of civilization. the next part of the book of which i take note is that of the story featuring the cartoon character donald duck and his partner daisy, who it seems to me has a strong desire to give donald the best opportunities possible, though parts of the story it seems she doesnt recognize the aggravation this causes donald at times, making for comedic events. and the last section of the book, right after the story with donald and daisy, is also notable to me as it provides relevant information about the launch of an international space station in the years leading to the millenium, much of which i have not learned about to the present day.

i like that this book includes distinct stories from adventures of knights, specifically knights of the round table. the first story told resonates with me in part for the fictional leap a reader must take to imagine an entirely green knight who requests his head be cut off and lives to be able speak to speak after this request is fulfilled. the second story presented is my least favorite of the three, though the scene the knight finds the captured princess does make me think of similarities to the story about rapunzel. and last, the third story about a deceptive witch is one i appreciate for young readers in learning principles of chivalry, though the simple moral of this story is definitely not the only lesson necessary in loving a woman.

i like this book as a succinct summary of the ancient egyptian cultural expressions of mummies and pyramids. although this book does not provide as much detail as the usborne  ancient egypt encyclopedia i read previously, the condensed book might be preferred for learners just being introduced to ancient egyptian history and culture. or also, there may be an appeal in this book between the two for the focus it places on the specific cultural components of mummies and pyramids, rather than a more comprehensive history involving details about foreign affairs and archaeological excavation as in the encyclopedia. that said, there is some information about archaeological discovery, which reminds me of a quote i read from the explorer who found the tomb of king tut, describing to his exploration team what he was seeing in the tomb as “wonderful things.”

i like a few different aspects of this book. first, though it is not the most interesting section to me, i do like learning some about the different styles of castles built through time, especially in how it relates to historical developments like war demanding strategy or a higher value placed on other values like comfort or aesthetic. also, i find it fascinating to learn about castles being built in countries and regions outside of europe. though i previously had some recognition of palaces or other versions of royal estate existing elsewhere in the world, i do appreciate learning specifically about castles and where these structures exist or have existed through history.

i like how this book focuses specifically on the discovery and excavation of the tomb of tutankhamen, while still including multiple aspects of the story of this child pharoah. further, after reading an encyclopedia about ancient egypt before reading this book, one in which archaeological exploration of the ancient civilization is the subject of one section, it is complementary and refreshing to me to read about the obvious passion this author has for such excavation activity. i also appreciate the detail given about the relationship between the pharaoh and his wife, one that does not seem to be commonly recognized in accounts of the story of tutankhaman.

this encyclopedia contains a very comprehensive summary of various aspects of ancient egyptian civilization and cultural traditions. i believe the section about egyptian history is probably the most informative to me, though I appreciate how there are other components to the book, such as a distinct history of archaeological activity in the region. while i do think i learned many facts from this book, to me probably the most notable information i read is that early rulers of the upper egypt region and lower egypt region, wore red and white hats respectively, with the former having a cobra emblem and the latter having a vulture emblem, and the associated colors especially reminding me of the different group distinctions of red stick or white stick given to an individual member of the muskogee creek nation.

this book reminds me in some ways of a book i read previously called the arabian nights in that it is a collection of stories and fables reflective of a geographic region of the world, though certainly with differences between the two books and two cultures involved. also, this book is probably more appropriate for a younger reader around elementary to early middle school age, in comparison to the arabian nights which some students of that age might be capable of reading but would likely be outside grade level. further, regarding specific stories I like from this collection, there are a few characters and lessons that stand out. one is a character who appears in multiple stories as a worker for the emperor, and though i dont remember his name immediately, the recurring appearance of this person in the collection of stories reflects to me a historical significance of this character, specifically in folklore of india .

the next example i recall of a story i appreciate in this book is that of a monk who grabs the tail of a bull and finds himself on a cloud eating a lavish meal. while i’m not completely sure as to the moral of this story, i do recognize layers of meaning to it, including a suggestion of an ephemeral nature to pleasure, along with a private component of joy .

and lastly, a third memorable aspect of this book to me is a story that includes the previously mentioned recurring character of a servant or worker to an emperor.

in the particular story which i’m referring, the emperor asks the worker to bring back to him ten fools, and the worker brings back eight men and challenges assumptions about how one must address an emperor by making bringing the emperor in on the joke he perceives by suggesting he the servant is a fool for carrying out such a task, and the emperor himself is a fool for assigning such a ridiculous task.

as a closing note, i’d say too, i like how the concluding chapter of the book to an extent situates the stories into a historical context, while still maintaining a level of timelessness and intrigue by including a story about how a mortal being receives endless stories from overhearing a conversation between two gods.

i like this as a condensed summary of different math concepts spanning from elementary level to high school level. there are some concepts that i did not remember learning exactly as it is taught in this book, and many lessons and concepts that remind me of parts of my education i’d forgotten. also, regarding how i see this book being potentially useful as reference is, for one, as a reference to someone taking a comprehensive exam in a higher level math course like trig or algebra, though additional practice examples might be necessary . or additionally, i could see this being a helpful resource for a parent or teacher helping a child or student with school work and needing a refresher on concepts that are learned progressively.