Xerxes

The book Xerxes by Jacob Abbott nowadays is in the public domain but a great work has been done by Publisher to this version to make an electronic book that contrasts favorably to the original version. A lot of errors that exist in the free versions have been corrected; proper navigation is available or shortly the ASCII text has been converted into a proper e-book. And the most important in addition to original illustrations were added many new illustrations that help us to see how the History comes to Life.. Jacob Abbott (1803 – 1879) was a prolific American writer with vast and complete bibliography. It was not until about 1848 that he and his brother John Stevens Cabot Abbott embarked on the idea of doing a series of biography targeted to young people. His target audience was age 15 to 25 and the Abbott brothers eventually produced a set of biographies that were critically acclaimed and widely read. Within a few years of their publication the Abbott biographies became standard reference works of history and were available in libraries throughout America. They were originally published as the ‘Illustrated History’ series but were republished many times during the next sixty years in various collections entitled ‘Famous Characters of History’ ‘Famous Queens of History’ and others. They were most recently republished in the early 1900’s as the ‘Makers of History’ series. In addition to these series Jacob Abbott wrote at least thirty additional children’s books as well as many books and articles regarding education for the young directed at parents and educators. He also wrote several explicitly Christian books teaching the tenets of Christian theology and moral instruction to the young. Here is what Abraham Lincoln wrote of Abbotts historical series: I want to thank you and your brother for Abbott’s series of Histories. I have not education enough to appreciate the profound works of voluminous historians and if I had I have no time to read them. But your series of Histories gives me in brief compass just that knowledge of past men and events which I need. I have read them with the greatest interest. To them I am indebted for about all the historical knowledge I have.