Samuel Willard Crompton

Though "100 Families Who Shaped the World" did present interesting snapshots on many of the families that shaped world history, I did have a few problems with it.

1) There were errors (the dates listed for Robert E. Lee's lifespan, had his dying before he was born).

2) Also, the bold print that was supposed to be used to signify the important members of the family being talked about, was used inconsistently and sporadically.

3) In addition, there were several families, that really didn't show more belong in this book, having one or two members that contributed to world history does not automatically mean that your family as a whole contributed. For example, the "Bruce" family of Scottish rulers, really only had one member, "Robert the Bruce", first king of an independent Scotland, that was noteworthy, afterwards, the rulers were the "Stuart" family of Scottish rulers.

Overall, the book was interesting and I learned a little but about some family contributions that I didn't know, but I don't trust the book. If I was able to discovered errors, then I question everything that the book puts forth. An interesting read, "100 Families Who Shaped the World", but I wouldn't recommend it to a person serious about learning history or for its use in a research capacity. Use with caution. show less

Review by Margaret Orto (Children's Literature):
Barry Sanders’s humility was evident from the beginning of his football career, as were his amazing athletic prowess and speed. As this book in the “Football Superstars” series reveals, Sanders is arguably the fastest running back ever to play in the National Football League and certainly the NFL’s best runner of the 1990s. Sanders’s rise to football greatness, as well as his modesty, was apparent when he won the Heisman Trophy for show more Best College Player in 1988, where he downplayed its importance, and remembered to thank his teammates who helped him rack up his amazing statistics. While clearly loving the sport of football, Sanders always felt it was second in importance to being a good person. This biography reveals the personal as well as professional life of Sanders, from his childhood through his surprising retirement at the height of his career, and attempts to sort out Sanders legacy to the game of football. Sanders played for ten years with the Detroit Lions and consistently gave his all to a team that was inconsistent from season to season. Clearly, Sanders’s upbringing shaped who he was as a person; he grew up with ten siblings, a gentle and hardworking mother, and a formidable father who demanded that each of his children bend to his will. Sanders’s difficult relationship with his father is traced from his early childhood through his days as a professional athlete. In addition to the compelling narrative, statistics, a chronology, full-color photographs, a timeline, sidebars, a glossary, a “for further reading” section, and an index are all included here, making this a high interest book for those looking for an absorbing account of one of the greats of football history. 2008, Chelsea House/Infobase Publishing. Ages 12 up. show less

Though "100 Families Who Shaped the World" did present interesting snapshots on many of the families that shaped world history, I did have a few problems with it.

1) There were errors (the dates listed for Robert E. Lee's lifespan, had his dying before he was born).

2) Also, the bold print that was supposed to be used to signify the important members of the family being talked about, was used inconsistently and sporadically.

3) In addition, there were several families, that really didn't show more belong in this book, having one or two members that contributed to world history does not automatically mean that your family as a whole contributed. For example, the "Bruce" family of Scottish rulers, really only had one member, "Robert the Bruce", first king of an independent Scotland, that was noteworthy, afterwards, the rulers were the "Stuart" family of Scottish rulers.

Overall, the book was interesting and I learned a little but about some family contributions that I didn't know, but I don't trust the book. If I was able to discovered errors, then I question everything that the book puts forth. An interesting read, "100 Families Who Shaped the World", but I wouldn't recommend it to a person serious about learning history or for its use in a research capacity. Use with caution. show less

Though "100 Families Who Shaped the World" did present interesting snapshots on many of the families that shaped world history, I did have a few problems with it.

1) There were errors (the dates listed for Robert E. Lee's lifespan, had his dying before he was born).

2) Also, the bold print that was supposed to be used to signify the important members of the family being talked about, was used inconsistently and sporadically.

3) In addition, there were several families, that really didn't show more belong in this book, having one or two members that contributed to world history does not automatically mean that your family as a whole contributed. For example, the "Bruce" family of Scottish rulers, really only had one member, "Robert the Bruce", first king of an independent Scotland, that was noteworthy, afterwards, the rulers were the "Stuart" family of Scottish rulers.

Overall, the book was interesting and I learned a little but about some family contributions that I didn't know, but I don't trust the book. If I was able to discovered errors, then I question everything that the book puts forth. An interesting read, "100 Families Who Shaped the World", but I wouldn't recommend it to a person serious about learning history or for its use in a research capacity. Use with caution. show less