Adam and His Kin

As a supplement for studying ancient history this year, my children and I read Adam and His Kin.

Ruth Beechick has done a fantastic job retelling the Biblical story of Creation through Abram as he leaves Ur (Genesis 1-11.) Reading like living literature, the author fills in some of her own imaginations about how the characters of the Bible might have felt and what they might have said. This may turn some people off as they decide she has “added” to Scripture, but I wasn’t turned off at all. The additions come from a well-researched background (and make for a very powerful story!)

I certainly would put the book in the category of historical fiction, though. It wouldn’t be right to read this rather than the Bible. We read this as an extension after a very solid instruction in what Genesis actually says.

I was amazed to understand several things I never had before!  For instance, the Seed line (those who would directly fall into the genealogy of Jesus later) is explained so that you see not simply a timeline of when each person was born and when they died, but you watch them walk together, teach one another and encourage generation after generation.  As the story unfolds, you see Adam living even into the time of Methuselah – they knew each other, learned together and preached together.

I know I could’ve looked at a simple Bible timeline and seen that Adam and Methuselah lived some time together, but the story builds a picture in your mind that a simple timeline most likely doesn’t.  And this is true for so many other aspects of the book!

I highly recommend adding this to any Bible or ancient history schedule – it was fantastic!  In fact, I’m even going to say you really SHOULD add this to your schedule – no homeschooling family should miss it!

(I read it with a 5th and 8th grader.  I wouldn’t recommend it for children younger for the simple reason that you really want the depth of the story to be able to sink in powerfully.)

Written by Cindy West, eclectically Charlotte Mason mom of 3.  You can find her creative curriculum, homeschooling encouragement, and tons of teaching ideas at Our Journey Westward.