QUESTION: Good Ancient World History literature

[Kimberly Hawks]

By the request of my principal, I need to create a curriculum for an elective world history course. She wants an American Literature kind of a feel to it...but a world history course.  So I'm going to start with basic content knowledge and then build on it with literature and readings.  I am trying to add more primary sources, secondary sources, and historical fiction to give students a variety of ways of approaching history through literature.  The unit I am working on right now is ancient civilizations (like Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans).  I have a couple of books that I know would be great, but I am looking for some more ideas in the high school reading level or even higher in anything from non-fiction to fiction.  Have you read anything that you would recommend?

[Phyllis Ain]

Are you set on high school only?  There are some middle grade books and some graphic publications that may be interesting and/or helpful.

[Kimberly Hawks]

I am not set on high school only, I would be happy to see the middle school books too. I mentioned it because I teach high school and a few of my students have college reading levels so I want to give them something to challenge them.

[Jeremy Greene]

Ancient makes it a bit harder.

Focusing on the 19th and 20th C. would make it easier.

 

You can check out my list of books here:

 http://mcpopmb.ning.com/group/worldhistory/forum/topics/feedback-bo...

 

I like the Epic of Gilgamesh and of course certain Bible stories - I recommend the Schocken Bible for Torah literature:http://www.bible-researcher.com/schocken.html  .

A unit on comparative myths, especially origin stories would be useful.

Greek poetry is accessible.

 

But I think you should push back on your principal.  A world history should not privilege literate over pre-literate societies.  So you'll want students to read art and objects as well as words.  For instance check out the British Museum's "History of the World in 100 Objects": http://www.britishmuseum.org/ahistoryoftheworld

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/

Or the Atlas of World Art:  http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-World-Art-John-Onians/dp/0195215834

And definitely the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History at the Met:  http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/

 

Good luck!

 

[Ryan Goble]

A quick thought - instead of fretting over content knowledge why not begin with some big essential questions students can dig their teeth into or themes?  If you create scaffolding around really tough questions and have students read around those questions they will really engage deeply and explore a wide range of content. Here's my favorite list of "big questions" to help people brainstorm from Harper’s MagazineMarch 2011.

Also have you thought about doing some Fact vs. Fiction film comparisons to start off - that is a bit easier for them to sink their teeth into before you get to the lit.  See these books to get you started:

Reel V. Real: How Hollywood Turns Fact into Fiction
Past Imperfect: History According to the Movies (Henry Holt Referen...
History Goes to the Movies: A Viewer's Guide to the Best (and Some ...
Troy: From Homer's Iliad to Hollywood Epic

See also (at MC POP)...

 Looking for recommendations: Comics for 9th grade Global Studies cl...

1.27.09 ILLUSTRATING WORLD HISTORY?

Hope these give you some more ideas!

[John Hader]

I still think that Howard Fast's novel, Spartacus, is one of the best examples of historical fiction.

[Ryan Goble]

Kimberly - you should keep your eyes open for this wild sounding film in the future - Rome, Sweet Rome: Could a Single Marine Unit Destroy the Roman Empire? - if it is PG-13 it would probably be very high interest for some students.

[Liz Spalding]

Oh my gosh!  This is my FAVORITE subject!  I'm in a hurry--all of Colleen McCullough's books in her series on ancient Rome, the Stacy Schiff biography of Cleopatra and the historical fiction Cleopatra's daughter.  The new Song of Achilles.  Songs on Bronze, cool contemporary retellings of Greek myths.  The whole historical fiction series by Mary Renault on Theseus and Alexander the Great.  How to Mellify a Corpse (humorous vignettes of ancient science).  All the mysteries of ancient Rome by Lindsay Davis.  Gotta go!  Good luck!
 

[John Padula]

Hi, Kimberly:

I just came across this post today, so I am sure it's a bit late.  I was interested to learn what you finally settled on.

If you were not set on high school level material, I think you might get away with covering all three of the major civilizations you mentioned (Egpytians, Greeks, Romans) by looking at Rick Riordan.  His Lightning Thief series put Greek gods into a modern context.  His latest series (The Lost Hero) does the same for Roman gods.  And the series he wrote in  between (The Red Pyramid), focuses on Egyptian gods..!  Just a thought.  Good luck!

[Khadi King]

Sorry this is coming much after the fact, but I just came across the post and this is a specialty area of mine....I highly recommend The Ethiopian Tale by Heliodorus. It is a very relevant and colorful book which displays the multicultural aspects of the ancient world. I use the last chapter along with additional unit content in a community college Humanities course. Student feedback on the book and related coursework has been positive.