The Awakening of Europe

Story of the World #3

by Margaret Bertha Synge

This excellent introduction focuses on the period from the Reformation in Europe to the founding of the American colonies to the rise of Frederick the Great and Maria Theresa of Austria. Richly illustrated throughout to enhance the reading experience.

Contents include:

Story of the Netherlands
Brave Little Holland
A Wealth of Herrings
A Dutch Reformer
The Story of Martin Luther
The Diet of Worms
An Historic Scene
How the Trouble Began
The Storm Bursts
Beggars of the Sea
Massacre of Bartholomew
The Siege of Leyden
William the Silent
England
Elizabeth's Sailors
Drake's Round World Voyage
The Great Armada
Among the Icebergs
Sir Humphrey Gilbert
Virginia
Story of the Revenge
Sir Walter Raleigh
The Fairy Queen
The Great Dramatist
Days of Good Queen Bess
The East India Company
The Story of Henry Hudson
Captain John Smith
The Founding of Quebec
The Pilgrim Fathers
Thirty Years of War
The Dutch at Sea
The Great South Land
Van Riebeek's Colony
Oliver Cromwell
Two Famous Admirals
De Ruyter
Founder of Pennsylvania
The Pilgrim's Progress
The House of Orange
William's Invitation
The Struggle in Ireland
The Siege of Vienna
The Greatness of France
The Story of the Huguenots
Greatest General of His Age
The Battle of Blenheim
Peter the Great
Charles XII of Sweden
Frederick the Great Boyhood
Anson's Round World Voyage
Maria Theresa
The Story of Scotland

Genres: History, Audiobook, Classics

146 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1903

About the author

D 1939

Reviews

[Ebookwormy1 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an inconsistent work. Some chapters are good, most are okay, and a few are totally inadequate to learn about the events and/or people discussed. In addition, the timeline is wonky and difficult to follow - the author seems to skip around without alerting the reader.

The audience for this book is children and we need to be able to explain things simply and without talking down to them. This author lacks consistency in this skill.

What is a bad chapter? The author repeatedly makes reference to the significance of the person/event without illustrating the impact of their life, or giving concrete events to explain them.

If you need a broad sweep overview type book, this might do it for you. You might want to get a copy from your library and read it before you purchase. Now that we have it, we will probably keep it, but in our curriculum we have used the internet and other books to fill in the chapters that are lacking.

[Tech Nossomy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A work written for both children and adults that unfortunately suffers from so many factual inaccuracies that it does not stand up to even basic scrutiny. It reads more like a set of short stories that the author has collected without doing any of the research herself as to the veracity of them. Also the grander context of the period she describes is lacking, emphasising milestones such as battle victories and achievements of heads of state rather than the lives of ordinary people.

[Hristina Ivanova-Petrova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this detailed, albeit a bit romanticised account of Europe's history. I really like the poetic tone of the author.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This history of important people of European countries tells about events from the 15th through the 18th centuries. Chapters are short and the history is presented as stories.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seems biased, or not very balanced, favoring some religion and countries.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touching on a plethora of historical people and events. Free podcasts available.