Ivan the Terrible

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up These three books adopt similar non-judgmental tones toward the excesses and eccentricities of their subjects. In what seems to be typical of the practices of warfare of his day, Genghis Kahn's troops publicly massacred every man, woman, and child in the captured city of Khwarezmian in a four-day bloodbath. Humphrey notes, ``Despite the gory carnage, Genghis Kahn and his followers believed that they were behaving justly and appropriately.'' All three authors make an admirable attempt to place their subject in the broader, and often complex and confusing, political and social context of the times. This complexity presumes some prior knowledge on the part of readers. The black-and-white illustrations are a helpful addition, but there are not enough maps with detail to assist in an understanding of the vast military operations described. Recommended for more advanced students who have the background to view human brutality and cruelty in its historical perspective. David N. Pauli, Northern Waters Library Service, Ashland, Wis.