Regan
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Hidden History: Lost Civilizations, Secret Knowledge, and An
Hidden History: Lost Civilizations, Secret Knowledge, and Ancient Mysteries
Brian Haughton
2007 © New Page Books
Review by Regan Vacknitz
January 7, 2008
I had the liberty to read this insightful and amazingly educational book. I was so thrilled with this book, that before I opted to review it I wanted my 11 year old son to read it. Because of the insightful and educational aspect, I felt it would be beneficial for him to read. Especially since the book is not written in a stuffy textbook manner, but more so in a creative and easy to read through manner.
The book is broken into four parts: Mysterious Places, Unexplained Artifacts, Enigmatic People, and Some Further Mysteries to Ponder. I found that within each of these sections were stories I had heard growing up and learned in school, stories I was familiar with the name but not content, and stories I had never heard of before. It was a delight to read through and learn to ancient mysteries, or tales of wonderful people.
In Mysterious Places, I was absolutely fascinated with the story of El Dorado: The Search for the Lost City of Gold. I was familiar with the tale, but was completely unaware of all the vast research, expeditions, and history behind seeking out this mythical city. I found myself enjoying Mr. Haughton’s narration of the documented history, without the personal influence a lot of writer’s are incorporating now. In Unexplained Artifacts, I was intrigued by the story of the Crystal Skulls of Doom. I was able to relate what was written to a program I had watched with my son on the History Channel. This opened the door for a wonderful, over dinner discussion with my son.
In each of the sections I can easily pull out a few favorites, which made it nice to sit over dinner and discuss with my child. It was nice to sit over dinner and hear him ask questions about “Was there really a real Robin Hood?” We found that it was a great conversation starter, and to see his enthusiasm in going to the library to follow up on some of the stories that really had him pondering. I was grateful that this book created a bonding experience with my child.
I recommend this book for any body that has a library filled with mysteries, histories, and tales of our childhood.
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