Nonfiction Monday: If Stones Could Speak

If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking The Secrets of Stonehenge. Marc Aronson. 2010. March 2010. National Geographic. 64 pages.

Stonehenge, Near Salisbury, England.
It is a typical September day in western England--we had heavy rain yesterday, and the sky is still slate gray, but when the clouds break there are sudden moments of clear sunlight. I keep noticing the changing light because I am dashing to stay out of the way of a Japanese film crew. They are following the archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson as he leads them around Stonehenge--the mysterious circle of stones that was built on Salisbury Plain 4,500 years ago and is now a World Heritage site.
Somebody went to a great effort very long ago to shape these stones and then lift them into place. But unlike the Egyptians who were raising their great pyramids at the exact same time, the builders did not know how to write. All they left behind was this beautiful circle of stone. And so we walk around it, snapping photos, and wonder, What are you telling us, stones? What did you mean to those who put you here? We want the stones to speak. We sense that if we could only understand them, we would be able to reach back in time. We would be in the world of Ancient Britain.

This one just fascinated me! I loved learning more about Stonehenge. About the various theories people--mainly archaeologists--have come up with. About how this place has fascinated so many for so long. I loved reading about the new insights, the new discoveries made just recently.

This one had everything I look for in a nonfiction. The writing was engaging. It was full of information. And the photos and illustrations were great!


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews