When I was preparing for my trip to China last year, I read everything I could get my hands on. Two books I particularly enjoyed were by one of my favorite authors of nonfiction, Russell Freedman.
Confucius: The Golden Rule is a painstakingly researched biography that led the author to the Chinese city of Qufu, formerly the state of Lu, where Confucius was born, spent much of his life, and died. In this fascinating work, Freedman presents biographical information about Confucius, along with a bit of Chinese history. Drawing heavily on The Analects of Confucius, readers gain remarkable insight into a man for whom “little is known for certain about the actual events of his life.” While he is known for what we call today his philosophy, it is his teaching that inspired me. Here is an excerpt.
He took his students from every background, welcoming barefoot peasant boys into his circle along with the sons of princes, hoping to shape them into statesman. His revolutionary stand would earn him a saint’s reputation among future generations of Chinese teachers. “I never denied my teaching to anyone who sought it,” he said, “even if he came to me on foot with nothing more to offer as tuition than a package of dried meat.”
He had just one requirement: A student had to demonstrate a passion for learning. “I teach only those who burst with enthusiasm. I guide only those who are struggling to learn themselves. If I explain one corner of a subject, I expect the student to discover the other three for himself, and if he doesn’t, I don’t continue the lesson.”
Accompanied by the magnificent paintings of Frédéric Clément, readers can immerse themselves in a bit of Chinese history while learning about one of the greatest thinkers of all time.
Since I’d been hearing stories about Marco Polo since I was a child, I thought a book about him and his (alleged?) travels to China would make for interesting reading. The Adventures of Marco Polo did not disappoint. It begins:
As Marco Polo lay dying, friends and relatives gathered anxiously by his bedside and begged him to confess. They pleaded with him to tall the truth, to renounce his exaggerations and lies, so he might meet his maker with a clear conscience.
He was known in some circles as “the man of a million lies.” And all because of a book in which he told fantastic tales about his travels and adventures.
In an age when the Earth was said to be flat, Marco claimed that he had visited a distant and unknown land so far away, so difficult to reach, that no European had been there before and come back to tell the tale.
Extraordinary traveler or liar? The bulk of Freedman’s book draws heavily on Polo’s own accounts of his travels to describe this fantastic journey. However, Freedman never lets us forget for one moment that many doubt the veracity of these claims. Near the end of the book is a section entitled Did Marco Polo Go to China?, where Freedman helps readers understand the scholarly debate that still wages on this subject. This is followed by an extensive author’s note, where Freedman discusses the original manuscript, translations of the book, and attempts to dispel some myths. The text is illustrated in the style of an illuminated manuscript, with images representing either the European or eastern culture being described. This is a fascinating biography that will leave readers with much to think about long after the cover is closed.
I recommend both of these books as extraordinarily well-researched and thoroughly engrossing biographies.
Book: Confucius: The Golden Rule
Author: Russell Freedman
Illustrator: Frédéric Clément
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication Date: 2002
Pages: 48 pages
Grades: 4-8
ISBN-10: 0439139570
ISBN-13: 978-0439139571
Source of Book: Personal copy purchased from local independent bookstore.
Book: The Adventures of Marco Polo
Author: Russell Freedman
Illustrator: Bagram Ibatoulline
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 64 pages
Grades: 4-8
ISBN-10: 043952394X
ISBN-13: 978-0439523943
Source of Book: Personal copy purchased from local independent bookstore.
This post was written for Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to Anastasia Suen’s blog and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.