A Short History of Discovery: From the Earliest Times to the Founding of Colonies in the American Continent

Hendrik Willem Van Loon

Sep 2007 · Cosimo, Inc.

About this ebook

The inimitable style of Hendrik Willem van Loon, the renowned early-20th-century popularizer of all things historical, is at its best in this 1917 book for children. His language is more than merely simple and readable: he brings to life distant times and remote places with an enthusiasm that inspires. The Greeks "lived in a beautiful land of sunshine and temples"; the Norse sailors "dared to leave the sight of land"; Columbus "was no chance explorer who hit upon his discoveries by luck." More than just an account of discovery, it encourages the reader to set out to discover more for himself, too. Fully illustrated with the author's sketches, maps, and color illustrations. ALSO AVAILABLE FROM COSIMO CLASSICS: van Loon's The Fall of the Dutch Republic (1913), The Rise of the Dutch Kingdom (1915), The Golden Book of the Dutch Navigators (1916), and Ancient Man (1920) Dutch-American author, journalist and illustrator HENDRIK WILLEM VAN LOON (1882-1944) was the first winner of the prestigious Newbery Medal for outstanding American children's book for his The Story of Mankind. Acclaimed for his ability to depict history in a lively and entertaining manner for children and adults alike, he was a popular lecturer and radio personality, equally comfortable on informational programs and celebrity quiz shows.

About the author

Hendrik Willem van Loon was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on January 14, 1882. He immigrated to the United States in 1902 and attended Cornell University, where he received a bachelor's degree in 1905. After graduating, he became a news correspondent for the Associated Press. He reported from Russia on the Russian Revolution in 1905 and from Belgium during World War I in 1914. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Munich in 1911. His dissertation, The Fall of the Dutch Republic, was published as a book in 1913. He lectured at Cornell University on European History from 1915-1917 and served as the Department Head of Social Sciences at Antioch College, Ohio from 1921-1922. He was an author, historian, and illustrator. His wrote about 40 books during his lifetime including The Rise of the Dutch Kingdom, The Golden Book of the Dutch Navigators, Report to Saint Peter, and The Story of Mankind, which received the Newberry Medal in 1922. During World War II, he broadcast speeches to the Netherlands. For his contributions during the war, Queen Wilhelmina, the Dutch queen, knighted him in 1942. He died on March 11, 1944 at the age of 62.