The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem Van Loon
"The Story of Mankind," written by Hendrik Willem Van Loon, is a historical narrative aimed primarily at young readers that chronicles human history in a chronological format. The book begins with the origins of life on Earth and the emergence of humans, setting the stage for a journey through significant events and figures in history, from ancient Egypt to the complexities of modern civilization. Van Loon's style is characterized by a personal and conversational tone, often addressing readers directly to clarify concepts or impart lessons drawn from historical events.
While the narrative is predominantly focused on Western civilization, Van Loon acknowledges the contributions of Eastern cultures, particularly India and China, though these are given less emphasis. The book is recognized for its engaging storytelling approach, making history accessible and interesting without oversimplifying complex topics. It combines vivid characterizations of historical figures with reflections on broader themes such as individual freedom and the cyclical nature of human error.
Honored with the Newbery Medal, "The Story of Mankind" is notable for demonstrating that young readers can engage with history in a meaningful way, making it an enduring and influential work in children's literature. The narrative concludes on a hopeful note, suggesting a belief in humanity's capacity for growth and improvement despite past mistakes.
The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem Van Loon
First published: 1921; illustrated
Subjects: Arts, religion, and war
Type of work: History
Time of work: Prehistory to 1920
Recommended Ages: 13-15
Locale: Major centers of human civilization, especially in Europe
Principal Personages:
Buddha , an Indian religious leaderConfucius , a Chinese moralist and philosopherMoses , a Jewish moral and religious leaderAlexander the Great , a Macedonian conquerorJulius Caesar , the founder of the Roman EmpireJesus Christ , the founder of ChristianityCharlemagne , the first Holy Roman EmperorFrederick the Great , a king of PrussiaLouis XIV , a king of FranceNapoleon , an emperor of France
Form and Content
Hendrik Willem Van Loon’s The Story of Mankind follows a chronological pattern in which each chapter addresses a specific event or series of events in human history. Each chapter is given a highly descriptive heading that provides a brief summary of its contents. The work begins, appropriately enough, with the chapter “The Setting of the Stage,” which briefly outlines the theory of the development of life on Earth and the eventual arrival of humans on the scene; the volume ends with an epilogue.
In between, Van Loon covers ample material with a considerable amount of detail, but in a briskly moving fashion and deft, quick characterizations of major figures that makes the volume read more like an adventure story—which, in a sense, it is—than academic history.
The style of the book, while historical in approach, is personal and even conversational in tone. Van Loon often pauses to address his young readers directly in order to explain his meaning in more detail, correct possible misconceptions, or provide additional examples. He frequently points out certain “lessons” of history, which are almost invariably commonsense conclusions drawn from the facts—such as that glory abroad often means misery at home for nations and that personal liberty, if it does not degenerate into license, is a good thing.
Van Loon envisions human history and civilization as moving in an ever-increasing arc from East to West, starting with ancient Egypt, then finding a second beginning in Mesopotamia (“the land between the rivers,” in a literal translation from the Greek), and after that moving into the wider ranges of first the Aegean Sea, then the Mediterranean Sea, and finally to the Atlantic Ocean. Although he wrote within the context of his times and therefore believed that European civilization had “conquered the world,” Van Loon was certainly not purely Eurocentric in his views: He saw that the civilizations and cultures of the East, in particular India and China, made important contributions. It is significant, however, that he believed he had discharged his duty to them with a single, relatively brief chapter and scattered references throughout the rest of his work. The Story of Mankind is clearly the history of Western peoples.
Nevertheless, given its limitations, the book has considerable power and value. From ancient Egypt onward, the story moves with almost irresistible force, relying on a combination of interesting incident (such as the conflicts between the Greeks and the Persians) and Van Loon’s explication of what those incidents mean (such as the importance of individual freedom over mass conformity) to give the reader a sense of direction and progress in human affairs. Those who, in Van Loon’s view, created this history, whether the great figures or the mass of individual men and women, are presented in sharply defined and characterized portraits.
Van Loon ends his work on a rather somber, yet hopeful note. Following the debacle of World War I and the failure of the League of Nations, the book had to admit that many of the mistakes of the past seemed destined to be repeated. He claimed, however, that he was “enough a believer in the ultimate fate of Man” to forecast a new era in which human beings would rid themselves of their worst enemies: “wilful ignorance and abysmal spiritual cowardice.”
Critical Context
Hendrik Willem Van Loon was one of the most popular authors of books for young readers during his time. His works on geography, the arts, and the history of the United States, written and illustrated by the author, went through multiple reprintings and later appeared in cheaper, often paperback, editions. The Story of Mankind proved to be one of his most enduring works.
Recognized for its merits by being named as a winner of the Newbery Medal, The Story of Mankind was primarily important for three major reasons. First, it demonstrated that history for young readers did not have to be overly simplified or simplistic. Van Loon conveys a considerable amount of information in his work, often in fairly elaborate detail that requires concentration and attention by his readers. Second, Van Loon’s work showed that young readers could be interested in history as history, rather than history disguised as the story of fictitious children living on the fringes of great events from the past. Third, and perhaps most important, The Story of Mankind proved that juvenile and young adult readers could be interested in a serious subject, approached in a serious fashion, when presented to them in an extended format. For these reasons, as well as for its inherent merits and considerable appeal, The Story of Mankind stands as a landmark work.