In keeping with my fascination with the macabre, I took a small detour to some nonfiction this time. (I fully acknowledge that I need to read more nonfiction.)
This one of the slim volumes in Scholastic’s “A Wicked History” series.
—————
Vlad the Impaler: The Real Count Dracula (A Wicked History) by Enid A. Goldberg & Norman Itzkowitz
Franklin Watts (September 2009)
Pretty standard cover fare. I like the graffiti-style scrawl overlay.
Also available in the Wicked History Series:
-
- King George III: America’s Enemy
-
- Vlad the Impaler: The Real Count Dracula
-
- Sir Francis Drake: Slave Trader and Pirate
-
- Robespierre: Master of the Guillotine
-
- Genghis Kahn: 13th Century Mongolian Tyrant
-
- Tomas de Torquemada: Architect of Torture During the Spanish Inquisition
-
- Napoleon I: Emperor and Conqueror
-
- Francisco Pizarro: Destroyer of the Inca Empire
-
- Henry VIII: Royal Beheader
-
- Mary Tudor: Courageous Queen or Bloody Mary?
-
- Attila the Hun: Leader of the Barbarian Hordes
-
- Alexander the Great: Master of the Ancient World
-
- Otto von Bismarck: Iron Chancellor of Germany
-
- Hannibal: Rome’s Worst Nightmare
-
- Catherine the Great: Empress of Russia
-
- Ivan the Terrible: Tsar of Death
-
- Leopold II: Butcher of the Congo
-
- Cixi: Evil Empress of China?
-
- Grigory Rasputin: Holy Man or Mad Monk?
-
- Julius Caesar: Dictator for Life
b
As biographies go, Vlad was pretty straightforward. It’s clearly a series built on the premise of snaring readers with a bit of sensationalism. But, from the viewpoint of a teacher and librarian, I can’t say I completely disapprove.
Strengths: The publishers hearts appear to be in the right place. Get them reading. I think we can all appreciate that it sometimes takes some pretty flashy stuff to get the attention of younger readers. This is a good way to whet their appetites for reading nonfiction. There will probably be more than a few morbid-minded readers in the audience that may be driven to read more. There are maps, glossaries, timelines, etc., all of which are good additions.
Potential Flaws: What appears to be a boon is also something of a weakness here. As a sampling, it’s somewhat interesting, but they do lack depth. There is only so far you can go in a volume so slim. A number of reviews I found (none by major publications, unfortunately) cite the viewpoints of these books to be pretty negative and one-sided.
My Rating:
If you take these books at face value, they’re at least a way to get some readers to foray into nonfiction. While they rely on some sensationalism, it’s somewhat watered down. Readers expecting a spectacle will be disappointed.
mezzowriter
