Originally written for the authorās children, the book explores the history of civilization beginning with early man and taking the reader through the creation of art, writing, religion, and more. All in short, simple to understand chapters.
To qualify for inclusion in the book, Van Loon asked a simple question: āDid the person or event in question perform an act without which the entire history of civilization would have been different?ā
āThe Story of Mankindā (1921) was awarded the Newbery Medal for its outstanding contribution to children's literature.
The result is an informative, insightful, and entertaining story of mankind that is suitable for readers of all ages.
Hendrik Willem van Loon (1882 ā 1944) was a Dutch-American historian, journalist, and author, best known for his young adult novels that famously brought historical events vividly to life.
Some of his other notable works include: āThe Fall of the Dutch Republicā, āThe Rise of the Dutch Kingdomā, āThe Golden Book of the Dutch Navigatorsā and his 1947 autobiography, āReport to Saint Peterā.
Loon also famously illustrated his own work and was knighted by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in 1942.