Famous Men of Modern Times Student Guide, Memoria Press
Modern history—history, that is, after the fall of Constantinople in 1453—can sometimes seem like a confusing jumble of unrelated events. As a result, many curricula needlessly avoid this exciting period of history. Memoria Press’ Famous Men of Modern Times will bring the events of the last 500 years to life. These stories provide great insight into the foundations of the modern world. Balanced and well written, with many interesting details and beautiful color illustrations, the Famous Men of Modern Times is, perhaps, Haaran and Poland’s best work yet. It covers men from all over the world—from Lorenzo the Magnificent to Count von Bismarck.
Why study history through its famous men? Haaren and Poland answer in their preface: “The study of history, like the study of a landscape, should begin with the most conspicuous features. Not until these have been fixed in memory will the lesser features fall into their appropriate places and assume their right proportions. In order to attract and hold the child’s attention, each conspicuous feature of history presented to him should have an individual for its center.
The child sees himself as this individual. It is not Romulus or Hercules or Caesar or Alexander that the child has in mind when he reads, but himself, acting under the prescribed conditions. Prominent educators, appreciating these truths, have long recognized the value of biography as a preparation for the study of history and have given it an important place in their scheme of studies.”
