The Groovy Greeks

This history of the Greek civilization is written for young people, so the writing style is very light and humorous. However, that has no affect on the amount of history that can be learned from reading it. The author combines a sense of humor, a bit of wordplay and a set of historical facts into a fun educational experience. It starts with a timeline of the Greek civilization, from the Mycenaean civilization based in Crete until the Romans conquer the Greek areas and a Roman soldier kills Archimedes. Major events such as the Trojan War and the rise of Alexander are covered, but the most impressive part of the book is the coverage of the social mores of the Greeks. Their superstitions, customs and social structure are all examined in great detail and to some extent made fun of. The contrasting social structures of Athens and Sparta are compared, and their differences demonstrate that the term ancient Greeks is indeed a very broad one. This is an excellent history book for young children. Written in an engaging style that children will love, this is history with a joyous twist.

You have no idea how much I love this book! I got it at a book fair in elementary school, and it was my absolute favorite! But when we moved, it got lost, and I had given up looking for it. Now, I was looking for something and happened upon it...I bought it right away and, even though I am not in elementary any more, it is still a really great book. I think anyone who wants to learn about greek anything should start with this book which makes the facts fun!

My name is Cassie and I live in australia. I have read every horrible histories book I can get my hands on and this is deffinently one of the best.

the absolutely hysterical illustrations caught my eye at first(martin brown- I'm a huge fan now!) . then I started reading it and I was hooked by the great style in which it introduces the basic history. humorless people that expect a serious historical textbook need not bother- this hilarious series just gives you an outline of the period. I also recommend the "terrible tudors". I loved it!

The GROOVY GREEKS is one of my favorite HORRIBLE HISTORIES book . It's really funny and gory and (best of all ) Terry Deary words his books very much unlike textbooks , but still gives you the information . TO MR. DEARY :I AM YOUR MOST ADORING FAN! - Charlotte Alter