New Features for 2009

Heritage History was launched in early 2008. After introducing our site to a variety of users, we received considerable feedback, and have added several new features as a result.

These new features are of two types. First, we have established a History Store, where users can buy books and CD's that reflect the contents of much of our library. Secondly, we have created a number of new features that we hope are especially helpful to novice users—that is, those new to our website whose history backgrounds are not particularly strong. Although we believe most of these new facilities will be useful to history buffs as well as rookies, we are especially interested in providing support for those who are interested in learning more about our library but are not certain where to begin.

The following tables lists most of the new features we have added to Heritage History in 2009. More information about each is provided by selecting the appropriate link.

Novice Favorites

Under each civilization category, Heritage History has organized dozens of books of all genres and reading levels. For the purpose of helping begining students figure out which of these resources provides the best initial introduction, we have designated two or three books from each civilization as Novice Favorites. These are usually particularly well-written comprehensive histories at a grammar or middle school reading level. We believe they are appropriate selections for adults as well as younger students who would like an easy-to-read introduction to a particular civilization.

A complete list of all of the Novice Favorites from all civilization categories can be found here. In addition, links to Novice Favorites are provided on the top of each of the book lists organized by civilization, such as Roman, British, and European.

We believe that these books are exceptionally good introductions to history for young and old alike. Persons of any age who don't know history should start at the beginning, and not attempt to jump into "adult" history without first grasping the basics. Reading a detailed analytic history when one has no real background in a particular area is usually a futile effort and is likely to be dull, whereas reading a well-written introductory history intended for a middle school student is likely to be an effortless delight.

We especially encourage parents who are trying to direct their children's education to learn along with them. Most of us, who are currently of parenting age, had very little access to first rate history books when we were in grammar school and discovering the riches of old-fashioned history is just as delightful for a forty-year-old as it is for a twelve-year-old.

Many, but not all of these selected books are available at the History Store as print-on-demand books. All of them are available in one of our Compact Libraries.

Most sites that have a great deal of content, such as Heritage History, provide a Google style search mechanism. Heritage History already had a variety of search facilities, but we have elected to add a Google search because most people are familiar with google searches, and they are generally useful.

The problem with google searches of course, is that they only work if you already know what it is you are looking for. They are terrific for searching for resources related to Alcibiades, but useless if you are simply looking for Peloponnesian war heroes, or don't remember how to spell Alcibiades (or Peloponnesian for that matter).

Heritage History's propriety search tools, which do not depend on text strings, are more flexible than Google searches when browsing a broad range of information, but both types of searches are good to have available.

The Heritage website has search tools that facilitate searches for wars, characters, maps, images, books, and many other resources. Instead of relying only on text strings, we allow searches by date, occupation, topic, geographic area, and various other categories.

The best way to learn how to use our search tools is simply to jump in and start searching. The menus involved are fairly self-explanatory. A certain amount of background information may be helpful in understanding the capabilities and limitations of our database however. Additional information about Heritage Searches is provided here, including step by step instructions for searching for books, characters, wars and battles, maps, and images.

Heritage History contains hundreds of entertaining history books ranging from short stories for grammar school children, to comprehensive, general-interest histories. Most of these books have been out-of-print for many years, but in the last few years about a third of these books have been republished, mostly in print-on-demand versions.

Heritage History has now established an online History Store in order to make these books available at the lowest possible price. We currently offer about twenty of our most popular books and hope to expand our selection in the future. A list of the books we offer for sale can be found here.

In order to facilitate users who wish to purchase books which we do not currently carry, Heritage History provides links from its website to all of the books in our collection that are available on Amazon from print-on-demand retailers. A complete list of all of the Heritage History books that are currently in print can be found here.

The primary mission of Heritage History, is promoting traditional history, not just selling books. If there is a less expensive, more convenient way for our users to get their hands on these books, we will pursue it.

We understand that for most people, reading entire books online is not appealing. Yet the cost of obtaining copies of all of the worthwhile books on our website is prohibitive—many are still out-of-print; the original versions of these books are very expensive; and sometimes are they are unavailable altogether.

We have therefore produced a collection of Compact Libraries on CD's, each of which contains at least 60 to 90 books, presented in an easy-to-read, ready-to-print format, in hopes that this will solve the difficult problem of producing affordable printed copies of all of our books.

We believe that the ready-to-print books available in these libraries provide a practical solution for those users who enjoy our books, but are unable to obtain affordable hard-copies. Each book in our collection has been formated and prepared in such a way that it prints 2 pages-per-sheet on regular 8 1/2 by 11 paper. (4 pages-per-sheet for double-sided copying), and includes an attractive cover, title page, and table of contents.

This means a typical 200 page book can be printed on 100 sheets (50 if double-sided) of regular copy paper. Anyone who has access to a high speed printer can print their own books, and there are various binding options that range in cost from about $3 per book to almost free.

Each Compact Library is organized by subject and reading level, and contains at least 50 books, so the per-book cost is very inexpensive. Information about printing and binding options is included on the CD, along with short descriptions of all of the books and series included in each set. More information about the Compact Libraries currently available from Heritage History are can be found here.

Heritage History was conceived of as a library rather than a curriculum. We did not originally intend to offer advice—only resources and learning tools that could be useful to persons with a wide variety of backgrounds and interests.

After introducing our website to various users, however, we received numerous requests for advice, recommendations, and general direction. These apparently simple requests however, have caused us some consternation. We would like to provide useful tips and recommendations, but our own experience in teaching and learning history is not particularly mainstream, and our philosophy of education runs directly counter to prevailing modern notions.

In short, we seek to promote history as engaging entertainment, rather than as an academic chore. Modern culture, however, has no time or patience for such personally enriching, but non-renumerative activities. Most people seek their entertainment elsewhere, and desire only minimal competence in history—if that. They want a low hassle, "lesson-plan-in-a-can", history checklist, not an exhortation to make learning history into a life-long endeavor. They want to travel by high-speed rail to El Dorado, not meander along well worn trails on an eternal journey through a boundless panorama. In other words, we are not sure there is a "market" for what we are trying to "sell."

We do, however, desire to be useful to anyone who shares our interest in history, and does not require a highly structured approach to learning. We have taught world history for several years to a group of homeschoolers, and can offer pragmatic, real-world advice for engaging young people's interest in stories of the past.

In order to present our recommendations in a helpful fashion, we have established an official Heritage History Soapbox. From these lofty heights we may dole out gems of practical history-related wisdom, and promote our subversive, and starry-eyed theories regarding the value of traditional history, without bothering anyone who does not care to listen.

Sound, hard-headed counsel, combined with broad-ranging, history-related philosophical rants. Who could ask for more.

In conjunction with the Heritage Soapbox, which features short essays giving a broad overview of our philosophy of learning, we have established a monthly advice column, called Ask Heritage History. This allows the users of our web page to ask specific questions on almost any topic related to history. We will do our best to give practical advice and suggestions, particularly for teachers and parents who desire to enrich their students' history experience.

In order to submit a question to Ask Heritage History send us email at askheritage@heritage-history.com.