The Palace of Versailles: ISBN 978-1-60152-684-7 / eBook: 978-1-60152-685-4
The Panama Canal: ISBN 978-1-60152-710-3 / eBook: 978-1-60152-711-0
Roman Roads and Aqueducts: ISBN 978-1-60152-634-2 / eBook: 978-1-60152-635-9
Stonehenge: ISBN 978-1-60152-712-7 / eBook: 978-1-60152-713-4
Booklist, February 1, 2015
Whether for their timeless beauty, engineering feats, or enduring mysteries, the books in the History’s Great Structures series pay tribute to some of the world's most fascinating architectural achievements. Complemented by color photos and reproductions, the interesting and accessible texts describe each structure's significance, the materials and engineering skills used, and the workers behind the construction. The Palace of Versailles explains how King Louis XIV expanded a royal hunting lodge outside of Paris into one of the most ornate palaces in the world. The Panama Canal not only focuses on the American ingenuity used in building this revolutionary shipping canal but also the political conflicts between the two vested nations. Roman Roads and Aqueducts contends that “the chief Roman art was engineering” as it expounds on the elaborate network of waterways and roads that helped create an empire before modern technology. Stonehenge concentrates on the numerous theories surrounding its builders, construction, and usage, from religious ceremonies to alien visitation. A concluding chapter always looks at the future of each structure, including its legacy and continuing environmental and human threats. Other features include a time line, maps, related sidebars, facts about the architecture, and a bibliography. Students will find this series useful for world history, art, and science alike.
The Eiffel Tower ISBN 978-1-60152-532-1 / eBook: 978-1-60152-533-8
The Great Wall of China ISBN 978-1-60152-534-5 / eBook: 978-1-60152-535-2
The Medieval Castle: ISBN 978-1-60152-536-9 / eBook: 978-1-60152-537-6
The Parthenon of Ancient Greece: ISBN 978-1-60152-538-3 / eBook: 978-1-60152-539-0
The Roman Colosseum: ISBN 978-1-60152-540-6 / eBook: 978-1-60152-541-3
Shakespeare's Globe Theater: ISBN 978-1-60152-542-0 / eBook: 978-1-60152-543-7
The World Trade Center ISBN 978-1-60152-544-4 / eBook: 978-1-60152-545-1
Library Media Connection, August/September 2014
Gr 6–10 In this series, interesting and historically significant structures are detailed, described, and placed in an appealing and well-explained historical context. Each book is organized chronologically, with a strong focus on historical facts, cultural significance, and any controversy or challenge that surrounds the structures. The books feature vocabulary boxes for challenging words, strong color pictures and diagrams, as well as boxes throughout with additional detail and primary source material. These books would appeal to students interested in archeology and architecture, and could provide strong extension materials for teachers looking to supplement a history text. Bibliography. Websites. Index.
—Sarah Applegate, NBCT Teacher Librarian, River Ridge High School, Lacey, Washington
Recommended
Shakespeare's Globe Theater: ISBN 978-1-60152-542-0 / eBook: 978-1-60152-543-7
Booklist, October 1, 2013
The History's Great Structures series is a comprehensive look at some of the world's most recognizable
man-made edifices, and this volume describes the turbulent history of the infamous playhouse built on the
banks of the Thames River in London in 1599. Through the tale of the creation, destruction, and recreation of the building, readers are exposed to a history of theater, the seminal works of the Bard,
England's golden age and Civil War, and American actor Sam Wanamaker's tenacity in raising funds for
the theater's restoration in the 1990s. This is a study of recapturing the material heritage of buildings, as the Globe's modern rendition was planned by scholars who examined original plans, maps, and papers. Unfamiliar words are included in the marginalia, helping makes this a solid resource on a fascinating topic.
—Erin Anderson
The Medieval Castle: ISBN 978-1-60152-536-9 / eBook: 978-1-60152-537-6
The Parthenon of Ancient Greece: ISBN 978-1-60152-538-3 / eBook: 978-1-60152-539-0
The Roman Colosseum: ISBN 978-1-60152-540-6 / eBook: 978-1-60152-541-3
School Library Journal, January 2014
Gr 6–8 Each of these slender volumes introduces a recognizable structure, explaining its social and historical context and why it is remarkable for its architecture and its impact on its society. The texts follow a logical progression from plans to build, through the building process, to ample description of how each one was used in its time and then to the destruction and current plans for restoration. Photographs, images, and drawings, some of which serve to explain the occasionally difficult vocabulary, appear throughout. Medieval Castle traces the development of castles from wooden buildings to massive stone constructions that served as fortresses, social centers, and living quarters for noblemen. The Parthenon is described as "the most perfect structure ever erected," and the genius of its design, which has been copied for centuries, is being closely studied as restoration continues. The Colosseum was once the site of extravagant performances and some of the bloodiest exhibitions ever staged. Although these volumes are fact-filled and would provide ample information for reports, they read like stories, with historical and anectodotal passages that add interest to the technical and historical data. Despite their challenging content, these titles will interest readers of history and fans of art and architecture.
—MaryAnn Karre, West Middle School, Binghamton, NY
The Great Wall of China ISBN 978-1-60152-534-5 / eBook: 978-1-60152-535-2
Shakespeare's Globe Theater ISBN 978-1-60152-542-0 / eBook: 978-1-60152-543-7
The Eiffel Tower ISBN 978-1-60152-532-1 / eBook: 978-1-60152-533-8
The World Trade Center ISBN 978-1-60152-544-4 / eBook: 978-1-60152-545-1
School Library Journal, January 2014
Gr 6–8 Buildings that have captured the hearts, minds, and imaginations of their respective builders and visitors for centuries and have become emblematic of their cultures are featured in these titles. The colorful and dramatic historical, political, and social forces underlying their construction are well explained. The slim volumes capture the period in which the structures were created and help readers understand why they are still important and relevant today. Students will glean many useful and fascinating facts about the actual construction processes. Especially noteworthy are the well-written titles about the Globe Theater, which will be useful for units on Shakespearean literature, Elizabethan history, and drama; and about the World Trade Center, which will supplement studies on New York City and current political and social movements. The writing in The Great Wall is not as felicitious as in the other titles, and a pronunciation guide in this work, as in Eiffel Tower, would have been helpful. All four books include time lines, though their layouts are confusing: words defined in context, but not always on the page on which they first appear; and lists of fast facts.
—Carol Goldman, Queens Library, NW