Edward Garboczi
Tag: Book Review
Geoffrey Trease was a British writer, mainly of junior historical fiction, covering a broad range of history, from ancient Greece and Rome to World War II. He was known for his careful treatment of the historical facts upon which his stories were based, his use of characters who were ordinary people and not necessarily from the upper classes, and lively plots and interesting dialogue. This review introduces five of his novels that are in our library, all of which are set at the upper middle school level but are also readable by high school students. Mr. Trease wrote many more books that are worth reading.
The book Web of Traitors sounds like a current political thriller with conspiracies, spies, treason, and political infighting. However, it is set in ancient Athens! Human nature has not changed over the millenia, apparently. This novel gives a good perspective on ancient Greece, whose culture and achievements, made by real people not very different from us, form such a big part of Western Civilization.
Every British historical fiction writer seems to write at least one book about King Alfred the Great! Mist Over Athelney is Mr. Trease’s contribution. My opinion is that one cannot learn too much about Alfred, King of Wessex, since he was such a great believer and such a great man. In Winchester, England, the heart of old Wessex, I have seen the heroic statue of Alfred the Great in the town square, helping everyone to remember the life he lived.
When Alfred was defeated by the Viking invaders, he did not give up but retreated to Athelney, which was a large marshy region where he hid and rebuilt his army. After the winter had passed, he led forth his rebuilt army, joined by other people from Wessex who had not given up, to decisively defeat the Vikings and reclaim his kingdom. Georffrey Trease tells this great story in a vivid, interesting manner.
Unfortunately, in our modern world we are accustomed to hearing about peace agreements that are immediately violated by one side or the other after the signing. In 1215, King John of England (Prince John that Robin Hood fought against) signed the Magna Carta, a foundation of Western civilization’s rule of law, supposedly bringing peace to England. Not surprisingly, since he was basically forced to sign, King John refused to abide by the document and so civil war broke out between some of the great nobles of the land and the king. The Baron’s Hostage tells the story of this conflict through the eyes of a boy and girl whose lives are mere political pawns – hostages – in the war that is now called the Baron’s War.
Some of the greatest products of England are the plays of Shakespeare, produced in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. But sometimes we forget that this time in history was a complex time in international politics, with moves and countermoves going on between England, Spain, France, and the Netherlands. In 1588, Spain actually tried to invade England with the Spanish Armada. In national English politics, there were plots to assassinate the Queen and overthrow the government. Cue for Treason is set solidly in this time, giving the reader an exciting story that is a mixture of the theater, espionage, and treason.
The French Revolution is an important piece of history underlying the history of France, showing that a revolution against tyranny almost always ends up in a tyranny as bad as what it replaces. France still struggles with maintaining a republic in our modern times, partly due to the legacy of the Revolution.
Victory at Valmy gives the reader a mental picture of the early years of the French Revolution through the viewpoint of young Pierre Mercier, a commoner who is given a home and an education by an aristocratic lady because of his outstanding artistic talent. Pierre meets historic figures of the French Revolution, evil people like Robespierre, and good people including the Marquis de Lafayette, who played an important role in the earlier American Revolution and who was treated as a son by George Washington. This junior historical novel should spark further interest in the French Revolution.