I would love if you all would share your favorite upper level (jr. high-high school, preferably high school level) American History books. I’m putting together our 9th grade American History course and am trying to supplement the spine text with engaging living books. Even if there is a younger level book that is excellent, please do share it as we can maybe do it as a read aloud as a family.
A little bit ago, I put my Am Hist stuff for high school on the other post “Coming from Sonlight with High Schooler” or something like that, but I thought of another book to add.
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
Also we used They Made America by Harold Evans a bit and
My Life in Advertising
May 25, 2011 at 7:52 pm
Anonymous
Inactive
Thanks art. I’ll go check your reply on the other post right now. 🙂
David McCullough’s biography of John Adams is IMO a must-read for a high schooler. He has other well-done biographies as well, of Teddy Roosevelt and Harry Truman and other books. Undaunted Courage also, by Stephen Ambrose, is also one I loved. Miracle at Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Bowen is excellent as well. There are so many! I’ve read many superb biographies that I wish I had time to have my kids read, there is so much out there now that is good (as opposed to the 70’s when everything seemed to be revisionist.)
I absolutely love the Prelude to Glory series about the Revolutionary War…it is long, but WOW! I learned so much!
I really like the David McCullough’s books too. We have the illustrated edition of his book 1776, and it is full of parchment envelope style folders that are full of antiquidated-looking copies of things from that era, like the first newspaper printing of the Declaration of Independence, a letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, etc…(fascinating!), as well as the text. I can spend hours if I am not careful with it… =)
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry and its sequel Let the Circle be Unbroken, Across Five Aprils, Carry On Mr. Bowditch, Moccasin Trail were some of my favorites from our first time around (we used Sonlight) when my kids were 7-12, but I think they would have gotten more out of these if they had been a little older and I would certainly use them now (they are 15-18) had I not done it then.
Definitely McCullough’s bios as Bookwrom mentioned and those at Wallbuilders. I alo like Joseph Ellis bios; esp. the Thomas Jefferson and J. Adams one.
The letters between John Adams and Abigail and John Adams and Thomas Jeffrson are fun and fascinating.
The Real George Washington; Washington Irving also wrote a bio
The 5000 Year Leap
The Federalists and Anti-Federalists Papers
The Forgotton Man
Books by Rose Wilder Lane ((HF) Freeland – Pioneer 1880’s; (HF) Old Hometown-Pre-WW I; The Discovery of Freedom (NF))
Common Sense by Thomas Payne
Samuel Adams: A Life
ONe I saw recommended by someone else: Glory, PAssion and Principle: The Story of Eight Remarkable Women at the Core of the American Revolution
ONe I saw recommended by someone else: Glory, PAssion and Principle: The Story of Eight Remarkable Women at the Core of the American Revolution
I recommended this book a while ago, and forgot to put it on this list. =) It is an amazing book about the girls and women who had the strength of character to do what they knew was right, even at great personal cost. I am thankful to know about some of the brave women in our heritage. It helps me to have the courage to be better.
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