Descripciones mejoradas de Syndetics:

Historical examination of the building of China's Great Wall.

Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 6-8‘It takes monumental effort to build a monument. These two volumes investigate what it took to build the pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China. Both books are dense with information; they answer many questions on building techniques (known and hypothesized) and provide background history for the constructions. Sometimes there's almost too much information here. It's hard to remember which leaders built what because much of the material is similar and repetitive. The design of the books is lackluster, and the drab black-and-white photos do little to spice up the texts when they drag. Most readers will prefer James Putnam's Pyramid (Knopf, 1994) or Jacqueline Morley's An Egyptian Pyramid (Peter Bedrick, 1991) for their more attractive illustrations. But there's little besides Leonard Everett Fisher's The Great Wall of China (Macmillan, 1986) on the Chinese world wonder, and that covers much less, and addresses a younger audience, than McNeese's more substantial volume.‘Cathryn A. Camper, Minneapolis Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Gr. 6^-10. These two titles in the fascinating Building History series detail the construction of two seemingly diverse structures--the New York subway system and the Great Wall of China. Chock-full of anecdotes about the building processes; old photos, maps, and illustrations that illuminate working conditions and the structures themselves; and excerpts from other history books, both books are long on detail about the technological and scientific processes used in the construction. Conceived to help young people understand the "close relationship between a society's historical character and its buildings," each title contains a time line of events surrounding the building project, lengthy sidebars and insets that provide information about the people involved and the construction process, and bibliographies. Although readers may have a tough time distinguishing the various Chinese dynasties and may lose interest in the final chapter of the New York subway's history--its decline--these books are well worth purchasing. They illuminate humankind's problem-solving brilliance and its ability to carry out long-term projects to reach equally long-term solutions. --Frances Bradburn