• The Lessons of History © 1968
• Simon and Schuster
• 117 pages

When you need advice about your car, you talk to a mechanic. If you need financial advice, you speak with a banker. What should you do if you want to learn from history? Read this essay from the husband and wife duo that produced a massive 10 volume history of civilization!

The Lessons of History meanders through a variety of topics: religion, morality, war, and race to name a few. While I obviously don’t agree with all of their conclusions—the chapter on race was unnerving, and they viewed religion as a purely natural phenomenon—they approached each topic with respect and a wealth of illustrative knowledge.

In the last chapter, the authors questioned whether or not progress is real. While the point could be argued both ways, each age is richer for having that much more history to explore.

• The Mother Tongue ©1990
• Perennial: HarperCollins
• 270 pages

Have you ever wondered why Bill Bryson is such an interesting author? Maybe it’s because of his encyclopedic knowledge of the English language. In The Mother Tongue, Bryson takes the reader on a tour through the formation and the use of the most common language in the world.

Every page—I’m not exaggerating here—had something on it that made me either laugh or think. If you’re a fan of trivia, this book is especially geared toward you. Here’s my favourite tidbit: the “k” in knight was not originally silent. Do you realize what that means? The French Knight in England in Python’s Quest for the Holy Grail is actually historically accurate in calling down those English kuh-ni’-gets. Awesome.

Any English speaking person should enjoy this substantial treatment of our mother tongue.

• Canada: The Foundations of its Future © 1941
• Gazette Printing Company
• 257 pages

In Canada: The Foundations of its Future, Leacock wrote an informative and entertaining tale of the history of Canada. He began the account before humans walked the continent and ended at World War II.

This book was published during WWII, partially as propaganda to evoke patriotic pride in our nation. The final chapter contains some wildly wrong predictions such as the need for one superpower to rule the European continent following the war. If you keep the context of its publication in mind, the book is mildly entertaining as well as informative.

It was difficult to stomach Leacock’s inherent disdain toward the “Indians” which lived here before the European colonists arrived. Here’s the sort of  thing I’m referring to: “There could have been many compensations and more civility [from the surveyors dividing the North-West]. A cigar goes a long way, even with an Indian.”

The book stands out because of the high production value. The pages are printed in two colours, with light brown footnotes in the margin beside their relevant references. The binding is sewn well, and the covers are cloth bound with a beautiful crest of the Dominion of Canada in full colour. My edition (that I picked up second hand somewhere) came in a slip-case to protect the work.

If you can still find a copy somewhere, it’s well worth picking up.

• Five Cities that Ruled the World: How Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and New York Shaped Global History © 2009
• Thomas Nelson
• xx+236 pages

This book is a rare find: a history that’s interesting to read. Wilson stands in the company of Thomas Cahill in his ability to make centuries of history read like a gripping plot.

The book’s title is self-explanatory. Wilson surveyed the history of five major cities, with particular attention given to the major innovation each one offered the world: Jerusalem’s spiritual freedom, Athens’ democratic ideal, Rome’s wrestling with law and justice, London’s literary prowess, and New York’s free-enterprise spirit.

Although Wilson’s field of expertise is Christian theology, he seems equally adept discussing the battle of Salamis as he is the history of Second Temple Judaism. It’s important to note that his worldview is thoroughly Christian. The epilogue explains the marriage of the city of God with the city of man in the incarnation.

My only qualm about this book is its Western bias. It could be more aptly titled “5 cities that ruled the West” since Jerusalem is the only semi-eastern city on the list. Mumbai, Honk Kong, Muscow, and Tokyo have also made a solid mark on the world.

That said, it’s an excellent survey of the history of Western Civilization as represented in five major cities. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I received this book as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program.

• The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World © 2009
• Thomas Nelson
• 273 pages

Where do you go after writing best-selling books about the faith of George W. Bush and Barack Obama? To beer, of course! This fascinating volume delves into the history of the most iconic family in brewing.

After a chapter on the history of beer and civilization (hint: it’s far more important than you suspect), Mansfield traced the various branches of the Guinness family tree. He found a family that made wise decisions, gave liberally to the poor, and practiced their god-given talents in the pursuit of the perfect stout.

I’ll be honest: as an evangelical believer, I snagged this  book for the shock value of the title. I was happily surprised to find a work of history—not some overworked religious diatribe on the morality of drinking.

My only qualm was a slight misbranding on the cover. The subtitle should read: “a biography of the family who changed the world”. The book’s more about people than beer.

Read and enjoy this great story about how one family used their god-given talents to the utmost, while simultaneously caring deeply for the poor.

. . .

Disclaimer: I received this book as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program.

This book is pretty obscure. So obscure, in fact, I couldn’t find an image of it anywhere online. Since I’m currently moving and my scanner is packed, there’s no picture on this post to refer to. If that’s a problem, just imagine a brown and yellow schoolbook from the early 70s with some abstract art on the cover.

I found this volume by accident while looking through a stack of books at Willow Books in Uxbridge. It’s volume 21 in a curriculum series from 1971. I bought it because one of the case studies is my hometown: Bancroft.

I found a lot of fascinating demographic data along with a few pictures of my hometown. The other main study in the book is on Chesley, Ontario.

This book isn’t for most people, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

• The Catholic Church: A Short History (Modern Library Chronicles)
  © 2001, 2003
• Translation by John Bowden © 2001, 2003
• The Modern Library
• 227 pages

I bought this book to fill some gaps in my knowledge of church history. It did the trick!

Küng’s a loyal rebel in the church, which endeared him to me immediately. He reminded me of Charles Wesley, calling for Anglican reform from within. This book is not only a compelling look at the history of the church, it talks about contemporary church issues as well. Küng’s call for reform in the spirit of Vatican II is visionary.

If you’ve ever wondered about doctrines like the infallibility of the Pope, or enforced celibacy for priests, this book is for you.

It was four nights of reading well spent!