The Battle of Lepanto: Blood-Red Crescent

The Blood-Red Crescent

by Henry Garnett

This historical fiction novel follows a young man who sails on his father's galley to fight against the Ottoman Turks. It is recommended at the grammar level of volume 3 in Connecting with History.

There are descriptions of death, mayhem, and destruction, so it is appropriate to wait for the grammar level (roughly grades 4-6) to read this novel. Second Daughter will read it independently for fourth grade. (It will be optional for First Daughter, in sixth grade.)

Though written explicitly from the Christian perspective, the author allows the main character and the reader to contemplate the Turkish perspective a little. I wouldn't say it's necessarily balanced, but it leaves room for compassion. At the end of the novel, Guido (the young man) says:

Then I don't understand how these miracles come to be mixed up with death, cruelty, and suffering.

In order to understand, he returns to the monastery of his education to learn and study more.


Links to RC History are affiliate links. I received nothing for this post which reflects my honest opinions. I purchased this book used from a member of the Cathswap Yahoo group.

The Vietnam War for Level 4: 10,000 Days of Thunder

10,000 Days of Thunder: A History of the Vietnam War

by Philip Caputo

In the last six weeks of our year (which I have condensed a little), First Son is studying Gandhi, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Afghanistan. Mater Amabilis™ provides some lesson plans for History in Level 4 (eighth grade) and suggested resources for these weeks, but I opted to use library books instead.

You can see our original plans in this post.

This book turned out to be an excellent choice. The author is a Vietnam veteran and a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist. His powerful introduction impressed First Son:

The war began for me on March 8, 1965, when my battalion landed at the port city of Da Nang. I was rotated home on July 12, 1966, but that is not when the war ended for me, because wars have a way of going on and on in your mind and your soul long after you've left the battlefield.

He shares how the war ended for him, through poetry and vodka with a North Vietnamese veteran.

Each two-page spread in the book has text on the left-hand side and a full page carefully selected illustration on the right-hand side. Smaller photographs and "quick facts" boxes provided additional information that range from the historical to the quirky. One quick fact sure to appeal:

Infantrymen could not wear underwear while on patrol in Vietnam. The heat and humidity were so intense that wearing underwear caused the men to develop jungle rot--skin rashes that could get so severe the men would have to be hospitalized.

Though this is an overview of the war written for young adults, it introduces every topic relevant to the Vietnam War: history of French colonialism, rise of Communism in the north, events at home in America, and the reality of life in Vietnam for soldiers and citizens of all nations and propensities. Though the author's feelings about decisions made by politicians and generals in the war are obvious, so is his desire to help readers understand the different points of view. He seems to feel like the American public would have supported the war if they had been better informed by President Johnson. I don't know enough to disagree with him, but I did assign an essay by Wendell Berry (which you can find in the original plans) which provided a counterpoint.

Caputo manages to convey compassion for the North Vietnamese, the South Vietnamese, and the soldiers caught between them. When describing some of the atrocities of the war, he explains they were committed on both sides but:

American atrocities were spontaneous and random acts in direct violation of U.S. military law and MACV directives. In contrast, North Vietnam and the Viet Cong had a written policy that sanctioned and encouraged these acts, including assassination, massacre, and torture.

Understandably, many of the photographs and descriptions in the text are of a graphic nature, but they are not unnecessarily so. The book was written in 2005 and includes information right up through the publication on the relations between Vietnam and the United States. I didn't feel like I needed to add anything to the study to cover the time between the war and the present day.

The end of the book includes an extensive bibliography, a list of web sites, and a detailed index. There is also a timeline at the front of the book.

I was satisfied with our original assignments and don't intend to change them for First Daughter. (Again, the original plans are here.) First Son also read Escape from Saigon, which is a very short easy read. I will probably provide other books during the six-week study for First Daughter, though perhaps not about Vietnam.

I checked this book out from our library. The links to Amazon above are affiliate links. I have received nothing for writing this post and these opinions are my own.

Our Level 4 (8th Grade) Six Week Study on Asia

Mater Amabilis™ gives some lesson plans for History in Level 4 (8th grade) in which a student studies national history for twelve weeks followed by four six-week terms chosen from six options.

Here's how that's going to look for First Son:

• Term 1 - Mater Amabilis™ study, modified only a little to add in a few Kansas-related books. I've posted those plans in the Mater Amabilis™ facebook group for those that are interested.
• Term 2
• Six weeks on World War I
• Six weeks on World War II
• Term 3
• Six weeks on Russia and the Collapse of Communism, plans posted in the Mater Amabilis™ facebook group
• Six weeks on Asia - plans below

Everyone's budget hits a limit and I decided not to invest quite as heavily in this six weeks as others. Because the study is spread over a few "units" focused on different ares, I decided to find library substitutes for the Mater Amabilis™ recommended books. I have no reason to believe these are better; they were just available.

As with the other history plans I wrote for the year, there's a good chance I've scheduled more than my rising eighth grader will be comfortable doing in the time suggested for history.

Mater Amabilis™ says history at this level should take about 45 minutes each day three times a week. In addition, a supplemental reading book should be chosen from the recommended books. I'm still deciding on our supplemental reading books.

Our Main Resources

• Kingfisher HistoryEncyclopedia, as recommended in the Mater Amabilis™ plans (I bought this used from a mom in my local homeschool group.)
• Mahatma Gandhi by Michael Nicholson (from our library)
• The Korean War (Snapshots in History) by Brian Fitzgerald (from our library)
• 10,000 Days of Thunder by Philip Caputo (from our library)
• Afghanistan (Global Hot Spots) by David Downing (from our library)
• I printed to PDF the articles linked in the plans and placed them in a binder before the term began.
• Movies or audio files I linked in a Google doc I shared with my son.

Optional Resources

• MapTrek Modern World (previously owned)
• Gandhi, the Ben Kingsley production (good for middle school and up, available at our library)
• A Statement Against the War in Vietnam by Wendell Berry, p 64-75 in The Long-Legged House (from our library)
• The Arrival by Shaun Tan (from our library)

Week 1: India

Lesson 1

Kingfisher History Encyclopedia p 366-367, 421, 424 – Narrate. (Southeast Asia 1800-1913, Indian Independence 1945-1947, British Commonwealth 1914-1949)

Mahatma Gandhi  p 5-17 (stop before The first struggles) - Narrate.

Gandhi DVD – watch a little of these in the evenings each day this week, after the younger children are in bed.

Lesson 2

Mahatma Gandhi p 17-42 - Narrate.

Lesson 3

Mahatma Gandhi p 43-60 – Narrate.

MapTrek Modern World Map 37: Independence for India

Read an eyewitness account of the assassination of Gandhi in1948 at Eyewitness to History

Listen to Jawaharlal Nehru’s extempore broadcast on All India Radio announcing the news of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination on January 30, 1948 and read the text of the speech he gave three days later, found in your Google Doc.

Notebook – Write a brief biography of Gandhi.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Week 2: Korea

Lesson 1

MapTrek Modern World Map 41: The Korean War

Kingfisher History Encyclopedia p 444-445 – Narrate. (Wars in Asia 1950-1988)

The Korean War p 8-37 - Narrate.

Lesson 2

The Korean War p 38-69 - Narrate.

Lesson 3

The Korean War p 70-85

Notebook – Briefly share what you know about the Korean War.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Week 3: Vietnam (week 1 of 2)

Lesson 1

MapTrek Modern World Map 42: The Vietnam War – review this map in your binder from earlier this year

10,000 Days of Thunder p 6-30 - Narrate.

Lesson 2

10,000 Days p 31-59 – Narrate.

Lesson 3

10,000 Days p 60-85 – Narrate.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Week 4: Vietnam (week 2 of 2)

Lesson 1

10,000 Days p 86-87.

A Statement Against the War in Vietnam by Wendell Berry, pp 64-75 in The Long-Legged House

Notebook – Write a position paper on the war in Vietnam.

Lesson 2

10,000 Days p 88-111 – Narrate.

Lesson 3

10,000 Days p 112-119 – Narrate.

Notebook – Briefly share what you know about the Vietnam War.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Week 5: Afghanistan (week 1 of 2)

Lesson 1

Afghanistan (Global Hot Spots) by David Downing p 4-7 – Narrate.

Notebook – Sketch a copy of the map on p 6.

Lesson 2

Afghanistan p 8-13 – Narrate.

Lesson 3

Afghanistan p 14-19 – Narrate.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

Week 6: Afghanistan (week 2 of 2)

Lesson 1

Afghanistan p 20-25 – Narrate.

Lesson 2

Afghanistan p 26-29 – Narrate.

Notebook – What have you learned about Afghanistan in the past few weeks?

Lesson 3

Read The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Notebook – Write a prayer for immigrants and refugees.

Add an event to your Book of Centuries.

There's enough flexibility in this schedule due to the shorter books, that readings could be combined to make the unit shorter than six weeks. That would allow days earlier in the year for exams in previous units and in this one as well. Personally, I've tried to make a kind of "final" notebook entry for each unit to serve as our exam.

Servant of God and War Hero: The Miracle of Father Kapaun

The Miracle of Father Kapaun

by Roy Wenzl and Travis Heying

This book grew out of newspaper articles written by Wenzl and Heying about Father Emil Kapaun, a man maybe little known outside of Kansas, but someone who has inspired the local Catholic population.

Emil Kapaun grew up in Pilsen, a small town in rural Kansas, became a priest, served as a chaplain in World War II and Korea. He died in a prisoner of war camp after inspiring hundreds of men, bolstering their hope and their chances of survival.

Mater Amabilis™recommends in Level 4 a saint biography for each term, one focused on a twentieth century saint to correspond to the literature and history recommendations. Though Father Kapaun is not on the list, as he is not yet a saint, he seemed a natural and really necessary choice for our son growing up in Kansas.

This particular book focuses on Father Kapaun's ministry in Korea, incorporating interviews with surviving POWs and people in his home diocese. Additionally, it describes the actions of those campaigning for Father Kapaun's receipt of the Congressional Medal of Honor (awarded in 2013) and the cause of his sainthood.

Materials have been submitted to the Vatican and many in Kansas pray daily for Father Kapaun's beatification. He has already been named a Servant of God and Vatican has placed him on the expedited list for consideration because he would be the first saint from his diocese. (Expedited for the Vatican means something like seven years to consider the cause rather than fifteen.) Wenzl and Heying describe some of the purported miracles attributed to Father Kapaun's intercession.

The authors are not Catholic; they are journalists. The actions of Father Kapaun in the war and the miracles are often presented with an air of detached amazement. They do not discount the miracles, however.

I did find it a little annoying how the book is often written in snippets, as they try to present multiple storylines simultaneously.

I enjoyed reading the book. The stories of Father Kapaun's courage and hope in the prisoner of war camp are inspiring and reveal what such places are often like. The later chapters about the Medal of Honor and canonization provide information on what those processes can look like, something usually neglected in saint biographies. However, it's not really a proper biography of Father Kapaun. It moves very quickly over his boyhood in Kansas and even his service in World War II. While I would like First Son to read this book, I'm not entirely sure it's the one I'd like to assign. So...off to read another book!

May and June 2017 Book Reports

Richard Halliburton's Complete Book of Marvels: The Orient by Richard Halliburton - link to my post (purchased used copy)

The Breadwinner: An Afghan Child in a War Torn Land by Deborah Ellis is recommended as a possible fiction supplement to a short study of Afghanistan in the Mater Amabilis™™Level 4 history lesson plans. First Son will be using those plans next year for eighth grade, though I haven't decided whether we'll have time to include Afghanistan. It's the story of a young girl who ends up dressing as a boy in Taliban-controlled Kabul to earn money for her family after her father is arrested. Through the course of the story, the reader learns about the changes in Kabul from the wars and the occupation by the Taliban. There are a few graphic descriptions of things like soldiers cutting off the hands of accused thieves, people shot in the streets, and bodies left to be eaten by dogs, but they are not unnecessarily gory or excessively described. (library copy)

Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan is another Mater Amabilis™™Level 4 history supplement book. A young girl in India is married to a sickly boy who dies, leaving her a widow with a mother-in-law who resents her. With the assistance of others, she gradually learns to support herself and begins a new life. This is a sweet story that reveals much about Indian life and culture. When Koly is abandoned by her mother-in-law, she sees poverty and callousness as people live and starve in the streets, but not in a way I'd refuse to share with my 10 year old (though it's the 8th grader that might be reading the book). I did think it odd that Koly didn't consider supporting herself with her exquisite embroidery earlier in the novel, especially because her mother earned extra money that way herself. (library copy)

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo, another Mater Amabilis™™Level 4 history supplemental novel, shows some of the horrors of World War I from the point of view of a remarkable horse. It begs a little in believability if in no other way than that the horse understands a variety of languages. It's a good way to tell the story, though, because while the injuries, deaths, and sufferings of the soldiers and people of Europe are depicted, most of the bloody action of the war is removed from the action. (requested from PaperBackSwap.com)

Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight is the original Lassie book. I read this aloud to the kids (13, 10, 8, 6) and they all adored it. Highly recommended as a read-aloud of adventure, devotion, and virtue. We also watched a few episodes of the Timmy show and the original movie, Lassie Come Home, which did a surprisingly good job of following the book. (book and movie were library copies)

Blessed Miguel Pro: 20th-Century Mexican Martyr by Ann Ball - link to my post (purchased from the publisher)

The King's Thane by Charles Brady, Beowulf by Michael Morpurgo, and Beowulf the Warrior by Ian Serraillier - link to my post (library copies of The King's Thane and Beowulf, Beowulf the Warrior purchased from the publisher)

Old Sam and the Horse Thieves by Don Alonzo Taylor is the sequel to Old Sam, Dakota Trotter, one of our favorite books. I finally bought a copy and read it as we began our summer. Old Sam continues to astound everyone except Johnny, right up to the end when he helps catch actual horse thieves. There is a shootout at the end of the book. Bodies are lying as if on a battlefield. The actual events are just described to the twelve-year-old narrator, though, so it wasn't too gruesome to read aloud. (purchased from the publisher)

Kingfishers Catch Fire by Rumer Godden - link to my post (purchased used on Amazon)

Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol - link to my post (purchased used on Amazon)

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame - I'd tried to read this book a few times to the children and never made it through it, but I kept seeing it as a book that should be read. So I finally got the audiobook which I've found to be a good option for books I have trouble reading aloud myself. Kansas Dad listened to this with us. We found it a rather odd book. I'm glad Toad learns his lesson, but it seems a shame he had to escape prison to do it. (We have a copy illustrated by Michael Hague from years and years ago and an unknown source, but we listened to this Audible audiobook.)

The Long-Legged House by Wendell Berry - link to my post (library copy)

The Book of Saints and Heroes by Andrew and Lenora Lang - link to my post (copy First Son received as a gift)


Books in Progress (and date started)

• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol. 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
• Prayer and the Will of God by Dom Hubert van Zeller (March 2017)
• Joan of Arc by Mark Twain (April 2017, with my book club)
• A Century of Sonnets edited by Feldman and Robinson (May 2017)
• Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery (June 2017)
• A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf (June 2017)
• The Good Master by Kate Seredy (June 2017)

The italic print: Links to Amazon are affiliate links. As an affiliate with Amazon, I receive a small commission if you follow one of my links, add something to your cart, and complete the purchase (in that order). Try Audible - another affiliate link.

Links to RC History and PaperBackSwap.com are affiliate links. Other links (like those to Bethlehem Books) are not affiliate links.

These reports are my honest opinions.