I've enthused about The Mystery of History for years now. Before we stumbled on this gem of a curriculum, we'd been using another curriculum very popular with Christian Classical educators, combined with lots of literature. I'd had to buy a Bible supplement for the Ancient history volume, and I was a little overwhelmed by all the projects in the project book. (No, you don't have to do them, but if they're there, staring you in the face...)

We were halfway through a repeat of Ancient history (we'd gone through the whole cycle with the oldest of our students and now it was time for another go-round) when we were introduced to Mystery of History Volume 1 (see related review). I was thrilled! History started with Creation (well, of course) and Bible people and events were woven in where appropriate, with a little discussion of how different scholars set different dates for very-long-ago events.

We went through Volume 1 and then Volume 2 but had to turn to other resources while Volume 3 was being written.

It was worth the wait!

The Mystery of History Volume 3 has a different format from its two softcover all-in-one-volume predecessors. The course is so meaty that it's been split into two main pieces, the Student Reader and Companion Guide (see accompanying review).

The Student Reader is a beautifully rendered hardcover textbook. Well, it looks like a textbook from the outside, anyhow. However, this is not a book written by committee, but by an author who is passionate about her subject and a decent storyteller, too. I like her approach: She teaches history in the context of the lives of the people who lived it. Thus the Student Reader reads like a series of biographies. The language is student-friendly but not dumbed-down. Lots of interesting tidbits are thrown in that make for vivid narrations. The author is not afraid to state her opinion (clearly phrasing it as opinion) and writes from a Christian worldview. For example, following an excerpt from Christopher Columbus' journal:

Considering the controversies that surround [Columbus] as to why he sailed and for whom, I think these words are powerful. Perhaps they contain clues to the real heart and soul of the Admiral. Unless he was protecting his reputation, or trying to impress the king and queen, Cristobal Colon sounds like a man on a mission for God – torn by his own selfishness.

The Mystery of History Volume 3 is presented as a world history course, with an emphasis on Western history. There are chapters devoted to African, Middle Eastern and Asian empires existing during the timeframe. Historical figures are neither put on a pedestal nor dragged through the mud, but presented for who they were: fallen men (some of them Christians) who had their good points and their bad. One more thing worth mentioning: The author has tried to present both Protestant and Catholic perspectives in her discussion of the Reformation, a tricky business. The Mystery of History Volume 3 covers the period of history from 1455 – 1707. You'll look into the lives of rulers and explorers, artists and reformers, philosophers, theologians, and scientists. It's a tall order, and no wonder Volume 3 had to be split into two! Together the 400-plus-page Student Reader and the Companion Guide (with activities, tests, worksheets, teacher helps, and more) comprise over 1,000 pages!

Don't let it overwhelm you. This is good stuff! You might even take two years to go through it as you savor the journey.

The Student Reader is sturdily made of high quality materials. The pages are silky to the feel and generously illustrated with full-color photographs and Amy Pak's figures from History through the Ages published by Homeschool in the Woods. Endnotes are included to document sources and an index helps you to quickly find people, events, and objects of historical significance. (I was surprised to find “potatoes” in the index, for example, and turned to the page indicated to read about how Walter Raleigh introduced them to Ireland!) You can use the Reader alone, enjoying the stories, or combine it with the Companion Guide for a full World History course.

I gulped a little at the price, compared to the first two volumes, but after going through the material I'd say Volume 3 is an excellent investment.

History is our favorite subject, and Mystery of History gets a lot of the credit. Highly recommended.