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The Story of Mankind

Publisher: W.W. Norton Author: Hendrik Willem Van Loon (updated by others) Review last updated: 2009

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The Story of Mankind seems to be used as a core or spine world history by an increasing number of homeschoolers, particularly those looking for a history written from something other than a Protestant perspective. While the author is himself a Protestant, this history reads as if it was written by a secular humanist for the most part.

Originally published in 1921, it was updated in 1926, then at least two or three more times to where it now ends with the final decades of the twentieth century. The book begins with an evolutionary story of the development of man. The actual history begins on page 17, but the evolutionary perspective continues to crop up from time to time. Religions as well as mythology are treated with an even-handed tolerance, praising them for their good effects and criticizing their evils.

The style of writing is likely the most appealing aspect of this book. The author occasionally addresses his audience directly, and he maintains a story-telling attitude. For example, a chapter titled "How the Greeks Lived" begins, "But how, you will ask, did the ancient Greeks have time to look after their families and their business if they were forever running to the market-place to discuss affairs of state? In this chapter I shall tell you."

Despite the somewhat casual writing style, this history is written for children at least fifth or sixth grade reading level. It likely works best as a read aloud for even those levels so parents can expand upon references unfamiliar to children or discuss abstract ideas. For example, there's an extended discussion about a court case brought to argue for "Open Sea" in contrast to the previous widely held doctrine of "Closed Sea" that gave sovereigns control over seas surrounding their countries (p. 272). Van Loon introduces the argument since it lays the groundwork for understanding conflicts that arose during the colonial period, but the ideas might be challenging for younger children to grasp. However, older students can read it independently, and The Story of Mankind might even serve as a history text for high schoolers. Occasional maps and black-and-white sketched illustrations are moderately helpful to students..

Note that the added chapters to update the book through 1984, written years late than the original, seem to be at a more challenging reading level than the earlier parts of the book—definitely high school level. They also have a more liberal political perspective than is apparent through the rest of the book. (I have not read the newest chapters added to the 1999 edition.) The original book most likely ended at p. 466 in the 1984 edition. In this "final chapter" of the original book Van Loon summarized with his personal assessment of historical developments and the future that reads very curiously given what happened with the rise of Hitler only a decade later. Van Loon wrote: "The world is in dreadful need of men who will assume the new leadership—who will have the courage of their own visions and who will recognize clearly that we are only at the beginning of the voyage, and have to learn an entirely new system of seamanship [carrying on a metaphor of navigating the Ship of State] …. They will have to fight their way to the top against every possible form of opposition. When they reach the bridge, mutiny of an envious crew may cause their death. But some day, a man will arise who will bring the vessel safely to port, and he shall be the hero of the ages" (p. 465 in 1984 edition).

Overall, this a very engagingly written history, but it is most supportive of a secular worldview.

[Note: in updating this review I found a 2009 editon published by Book Jungle. It is pictured to the right of the Norton edition at the top of this review. I cannot locate that publisher's website and have no idea whether this edition builds only on the original or on the updated W.W. Norton edition. Norton's edition is still in print.]

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