Want some great historical fiction to read to your kids? You've just got to try Joseph Altsheler Books
. They're wonderful. I was first told about this author by Uncle Ancil (above), now in his 80's. He said that they were his favorite books when he was a boy because they're full of adventure. My son has tried them and says the same thing.
Okay. I just had to give you a taste of the historical fiction of Joseph A. Altsheler. This is the first page from The Guns of Bull Run.
It would soon be Christmas and Harry Kenton, at his desk in the
Pendleton Academy, saw the snow falling heavily outside. The school
stood on the skirt of the town, and the forest came down to the edge of
the playing field. The great trees, oak and ash and elm, were clothed
in white, and they stood out a vast and glittering tracery against the
somber sky.
The desk was of the old kind, intended for two, and Harry's comrade in
it was his cousin, Dick Mason, of his own years and size. They would
graduate in June, and both were large and powerful for their age.
There was a strong family resemblance and yet a difference. Harry's
face was the more sensitive and at times the blood leaped like
quicksilver in his veins. Dick's features indicated a quieter and more
stubborn temper. They were equal favorites with teachers and pupils.
Dick's eyes followed Harry's, and he, too, looked at the falling snow
and the white forest. Both were thinking of Christmas and the holiday
season so near at hand. It was a rich section of Kentucky, and they
were the sons of prosperous parents. The snow was fitting at such a
time, and many joyous hours would be passed before they returned to
school.
The clouds darkened and the snow fell faster. A wind rose and drove it
against the panes. The boys heard the blast roaring outside and the
comfort of the warm room was heightened by the contrast. Harry's eyes
turned reluctantly back to his Tacitus and the customs and manners of
the ancient Germans. The curriculum of the Pendleton Academy was simple,
like most others at that time. After the primary grades it consisted
chiefly of the classics and mathematics. Harry led in the classics and
Dick in the mathematics.
Isn’t that beautifully written? Now this is the kind of literature that I want my children to enjoy and learn history from. You can read them for yourself at several sites with free online books including www.gutenberg.org. Then, if you want to have your own copy, you can get them at Joseph Altsheler Books for the best prices I’ve found.
