Why Read Historical Fiction and Why Buy Second Hand Books

Our homeschool includes a lot of historical fiction. Reading historical fiction, in our opinion, considerably improves our comprehension of history as well as our retention of historical facts. That said, you'd be shocked to learn how that flame was sparked. It all began when we were in high school. We'd study a topic in the textbook, but we'd also have to read one historical fiction book from each unit. We wrote about them, listened to each other deliver them, and gained a lot of knowledge. In fact, my all-time favorite book is one I read for history that year. 

What Are the Benefits of Reading Historical Fiction? Needless to say, our history instructor and his methods of instruction left a lasting impression on me. For the following reasons, we encourage you to consider historical fiction as a reliable and valuable method of learning history: 

Getting to Know History 

Readers can have a better understanding of history by reading historical fiction. By the time we graduated from primary school; we had a basic understanding of the sequence of events in American history. We knew the American Revolution came before the Civil War, pioneers lived in the 1800s, and World War II came after the Great Depression. Having that underlying knowledge gave me access to a plethora of educational opportunities. When we read the news, Iwe still use facts we learned from historical fiction works to put things in context. 

Dates, people, and facts come to life in historical fiction. 

Historical fiction brings facts to life. It offers history's heroes and villains a variety of personalities, bringing to life what were once just names and maps printed in black and white. 

Learning that lasts a lifetime 

Historical fiction should be a part of your reading life if one of your reading goals is to continue learning throughout your life. Retelling history through the eyes of fictitious characters might help people relate emotionally to historical events. We have a better knowledge of different time periods by witnessing history through the eyes of characters we care about. The politics of Eastern Europe in the early 1990s may appear mundane. But, like in Sara Novic's "Girl at War," reading through the eyes of a young soldier in Croatia gives you a much better grasp of the political turbulence of the time. 

Historical Fiction Is Thought-Provoking 

Reading historical fiction teaches empathy and compassion to children. It aids them in recognizing the connections that exist beneath our differences. It helps kids dig deeper and think about the wider picture in their lives and times when they can show similarities and differences in historical movements, time periods, and people. 

The Untold Tales 

As an adult, continuing to read historical literature has introduced me to new time periods that I was previously unaware of. You can only learn so much in history class. In the United States, a large portion of our high school social studies curriculum is devoted to American history and government. Ruta Sepetys is one author who has really opened my eyes to new history. The Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk in 1945, and her novel "Salt to the Sea" informed us about it. Despite the fact that it killed more people than the Titanic, we had never heard of it. "The Fountains of Silence," her most recent novel, is set in 1950s Spain, during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. This novel pushed me to conduct some background reading to obtain a better knowledge of the historical period because I knew little about Spanish history. 

Historical fiction illuminates a variety of viewpoints. 

When you read a textbook, you usually only get one point of view because of the author's or editor's bias. Children get to see diverse perspectives when they read various works of historical fiction on a person or time period. When we were learning about the Titanic, for example, we came across a book called Ghosts of the Titanic. It was told from the perspective of those dispatched to remove the dead from the water, rather than from the perspective of a passenger aboard the ship. This is a part of the story that we had never seen before or even knew existed. We were able to perceive the matter from a fresh perspective after reading that book. 

For these reasons, we recommend that you investigate a literature-rich curriculum or, at the very least, incorporate historical fiction into your history plans. Even if you just add a book here and there to supplement your history studies, it could be the spark that ignites your child's curiosity or opens up a fresh perspective. 

Historical fiction is important because it brings history to life. 

When children can mentally place themselves in a historical environment while reading a narrative, they gain a whole new perspective on the names and dates on the page. Historical fiction brings history to life and makes it personal. 

Second Hand Books 

What could be better than getting the book you've always wanted at a significant discount just because it's been previously owned? Used books are fantastic for yourself or as a present, and many individuals donate books they no longer want or need. This is a fantastic way to supplement your collection. This is also a wonderful option to get your college textbooks. There are numerous advantages to purchasing second hand books, whether in a used book store or online. Getting your books secondhand, especially if you're a student, is a terrific way to save money. 

Why Should You Buy Second Hand Books? 

Second hand books are good for the environment. 

One of the most significant advantages of purchasing old second hand books is that it reduces the need for new books to be printed, resulting in less environmental damage. It all begins with one individual opting to donate a book or textbook that they no longer use, and it may make a significant difference. This is a fantastic method to contribute to the preservation of our world. 

Second hand books are less expensive. 

Second hand books are a way to get around this problem, whether you don't have a lot of money or simply don't like buying brand new books at retail pricing. You don't have to pay full price to acquire what you desire when it comes to old used books. You may not only buy secondhand books for a lower price, but you can also sell them once you've completed them. 

There is no unnecessary packing when it comes to second hand books. 

Have you ever purchased something new only to arrive home and attempt to open it only to find that there is too much plastic to cut through? Perhaps you ordered something new online and are having trouble finding the item you ordered among the cardboard and packing peanuts? New books usually come with some type of packaging, and not all of it is recyclable. 

One advantage of buying second hand books is that there is no waste or mess. The old books you buy will not arrive with all of the extra packaging that is usually thrown away or that requires a crowbar to open. You may start reading your new-to-you secondhand books without worrying about the packaging. 

Locating unique second hand books 

The thrill of the quest is half the fun of thrifting, perusing consignment shops, or walking into a vintage store. When you buy new books, you're usually selecting from a selection of mass-produced titles that you and your neighbors may already own. Why should you try to be like everyone else? You receive the added benefit of owning second hand books that you won't find anywhere else, in addition to the obvious benefits of buying used books. 6 one-of-a-kind works of art 

You may make money by selling second hand books. 

There's no better time than now to clean out your closets, dust up your old bookshelves, and get them ready to sell for some additional cash. There are websites where you can not only acquire used or second hand books, but also sell the ones you already have. This is a fantastic way to supplement your income in your spare time. There are countless persons seeking for books that you may already own for every second hand book that you are interested in locating. This kind of book trading allows you to maintain your collection fresh at all times. 

This is unquestionably a win-win situation. It's really that simple. If you want to sell books, all you have to do is look for sites that accept second hand books. Then all you have to do is advertise the books you have for sale and wait for purchasers to come knocking on your virtual door. Believe it or not, books aren't the only sort of material you can purchase and sell.  

When you're getting ready to sell your old books, do some research to see what the prevailing rates are for the books you have. You may not realize it, but you may be sitting on your bookshelf with a masterpiece worth thousands of dollars collecting dust. Who knows whether you're interested in becoming a buyer. You might come across a book you've always wanted and have something to hand down to your children that will only increase in value with time.