Examines the evidence surrounding some of history's unsolved mysteries, from why the pyramids were built to whether or not there was a conspiracy to kill President John F. Kennedy.

Amazon.com Review

The past holds many secrets. We don't know whether the Chinese beat Columbus to America or why the pharaohs built the pyramids of Egypt. How much truth is there to the whole King Arthur legend? Did the Greeks really build the legendary Trojan horse? Why did the Hindenburg explode? The thoroughly engrossing, heavily illustrated, 192-page Mysteries of History, written by historian Robert Stewart, Ph.D., with Clint Twist and Edward Horton, examines several historical mysteries that span almost 5,000 years. Declassified top secret documents provide insights about whether the attack on Pearl Harbor was really a surprise. A lock of Napoleon's hair offers clues about whether or not he was murdered. Each section of the book is devoted to a lingering historical question. For example, the 10-page section "Did Rome Really Fall?" is full of wonderful photographs of artwork and of Rome, a map of the Roman Empire, a timeline of both the Roman Empire and the world, and various quotations from historical sources. Stewart writes, "What historians now think is that, rather than asking why the Roman Empire fell, it is more fascinating to speculate on why so much managed to survive." A perfect launching point for further investigative work--and who knows?--maybe more of these mysteries will be solved in the future by readers of this book. (Ages 10 and older)

From Booklist

Gr. 7-12. This large, well-illustrated volume presents 19 historical topics that have intrigued generations. In some cases, it's because there are no written records of what happened. In others, the available sources are incomplete, confusing, suspect, or contradictory, or they have inspired research, discussion, and interpretation by historians that is at variance with popular perception. Mysteries presented run the gamut from Stonehenge and Custer's Last Stand to the Lost Colony, the explosion of Hindenburg, and Napoleon's death. Well organized and well argued, the book doesn't simply offer the evidence for various points of view; it also draws reasonable conclusions on some of the issues. The beautifully reproduced color illustrations include photographs of sites as well as reproductions of period paintings, prints, and documents. Attractive enough for browsing, this volume is a good starting place for exploring any of the questions raised, and the extensive bibliography suggests books for further reading on each topic. Carolyn Phelan

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