By G.A. Henty
Greathall Productions, Inc.
www.greathall.com
PO Box 5061
Charlottesville, VA 22905-5061
800-477-6234
Have you discovered Jim Weiss? His recordings of classical literature, Greek myths, legends from around the world, and biographies are favorites among homeschoolers--children and adults alike. Mr. Weiss has been recognized for his storytelling skills, winning more than 75 national awards from The American Library Association, Parents' Choice Foundation, NAPPA, the Parents' Council, The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, The Film Advisory Board, Parents' Guide to Children's Media Award, and more.
In our home (or van, most often), Jim Weiss's storytelling can breathe life into any lesson we're learning at the moment, and both the teenagers and the preschoolers ask--beg--for "More Jim Weiss!" I use this to my advantage, and over the years we've been adding Jim Weiss's CDs to our collection. That collection is oft-used and well-loved.
Likewise, home educators have discovered the excellent classic historical fiction of G.A. Henty. During the nineteenth century, Henty wrote 99 historical fiction works covering events from the fall of Jerusalem to the American Civil War. And because of his adventurous style and factual detail, boys in particular are drawn to Henty's books. We moms of boys are quite happy to find even our reluctant readers engaged in a Henty book for days on end. And of course girls love them too.
Having given Henty the thumbs-up that I have, you'd think I would be working through all 99 titles with my children, wouldn't you? But the truth is, I don't really love to read Henty aloud. Maybe it's because I have read so many "boyish" books (my first three are boys) and am ready for something sweet and "girly." I can't really put my finger on why I don't love to read his books aloud, but suffice it to say that I have been absolutely delighted to discover that Jim Weiss has now recorded Henty's most popular books.
In Freedom's Cause tells the story of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce as they battle the brutal seizure of Scotland by England's King Edward I (1296-1314). With the Scottish heroes is the courageous, young Archie Forbes, whose insightful mind is as sharp as his flashing sword. Henty's boy heroes are worthy of the attention of modern-day boys; they are valiant, trustworthy, and faithful role models.
When I was 12 years old, I had the experience of a lifetime traveling through Scotland and seeing many of the historical sites that shaped Scotland's future. I remember seeing the statue of Robert the Bruce at Stirling Castle and hearing a brief narrative of that man's influence on Scotland. Many of us remember when Mel Gibson's Braveheart came to the screen, but I daresay that for me, neither the experience of actually being where William Wallace and Robert the Bruce walked or seeing such a compelling (and gruesome) film of his life and death compared to hearing Jim Weiss's reading of G.A. Henty's story.
The recording is nine hours in length on eight CDs, and it is certainly a fine addition to the homeschool library. Greathall Productions prices Mr. Weiss's recordings fairly; if you are on the fence about whether you ought to invest in such a purchase for your home, know that you are getting a great value for your dollar.
Rainy days, lengthy car trips, quiet evenings--there are a hundred different reasons for popping a Jim Weiss disc into the CD player. But as home educators, we have the particular advantage of doing so and realizing that not only are we educating our children by way of Mr. Weiss, we are sharing a wonderful experience with them as well.
Product review by Kendra Fletcher, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC, October 2007
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