Book Review – The Persecutor by Sergei Kourdakov by Colleen Hroncich

Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, which launched the beginning of one of the most brutal regimes in human history. Beginning with Vladimir Lenin and continuing with Joseph Stalin and beyond, tens of millions of people were killed as a result of political purges, man-made “famines,” slave labor camps, and more. Despite these appalling facts, most of the students in your classroom are probably largely ignorant of the horrors of communism. 

One very effective way to illustrate the brutality of the Soviet Union for your students is to have them read The Persecutor by Sergei Kourdakov. This powerful autobiography was written by a KGB agent whose job was to hunt down and kill “Believers” – the government’s name for Christians. It details his life growing up in Russia: being orphaned at a young age; practically raising himself as he bounced from the streets to group homes and back to the streets; and eventually finding a “family” in the Communist party. I don’t want to give away too much here, so I’ll leave it at that.

Not surprisingly, The Persecutor is incredibly brutal and sometimes contains graphic violence. You would definitely want to preview it to ensure it is age appropriate for your class. However, I can almost guarantee that you and your students will be forever impacted by Sergei’s story. I was introduced to it by my then 14 year old daughter, who read it as part of her English curriculum. She has a much deeper understanding of totalitarianism and the importance of freedom than do most kids her age, and much of that stems from this book. 

Colleen Hroncich loves that homeschooling allows her to learn right alongside her children. A published author and former policy analyst, Colleen’s favorite subjects are economics/public policy and history. She has been active in several homeschool co-ops and is a speech and debate coach.

Six Drinks that Changed the World by Andy Jobson

I’m grateful to my sister for sending my A History of the World in Six Glasses as my birthday present this year.  I highly recommend it to you, no matter what you may teach.  Tom Standage examines various epochs by considering the role of a particular drink.  For the ancient world (think Sumer and Egypt), he provides a discussion of beer.  (In particular, I was intrigued to gain some insight as to why we offer toasts at ceremonies.)  The Greeks, of course, grew in power in part due to the wine they were able to produce and trade.  World history teachers would learn some interesting tidbits and find some useful materials for students to read.

I teach British literature from a sequential, historical perspective, and so one unit is on the Enlightenment.  Standage’s discussion of coffee houses as the ‘internet’ of the seventeenth century, helping to spark the scientific advancements that took place, was quite interesting.  There was also some very interesting material about how western Europe managed to procure and grow its own coffee when the Arab world proved to be very proprietary over its resources.  He also noted the resistance to coffee posed by various religious leaders.  No discussion of Britain would be complete without reference to tea, and Standage provides a helpful unit explaining the rise of the East India Company.  I couldn’t help but think of “Too Big to Fail,” izzit’s video on that company, as I read.  Those chapters provided some very helpful additional information about the collusion between the British government and that behemoth company, including some very unsavory dealings.

Another unit deals with distilled liquor (‘spirits’), in particular rum.  While there is discussion of the triangular trade and reference to the American colonial period, there is also some entertaining material on the British navy.  Did you know that “grog,” that sailor’s mixture of rum, water, and limes, may have played a role in British mastery of the seas?  Read the book to find out why!

You might not be surprised to learn that Standage chooses Coca-Cola for his sixth influential drink, noting how it came to be inseparably associated with American values in the “American Century.”  These chapters provide quite useful fodder for discussions about the values of capitalism vs. communism (or the potential pitfalls, to some people, of a truly free market.  Throughout, Standage tells interesting and entertaining anecdotes, mixing in some broad ideas of how cultures change and adapt.

So whether you teach economics, history, or literature, you may find this to be a valuable book.  If you teach none of these things but use the izzit videos in your classroom, you may find portions of it helpful in providing additional background information.

Happy Reading!

An educator of 22 years, Andy Jobson has taught government, economics, and U.S. History. Currently teaching English literature at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, GA, he’s also been an administrator, a STAR teacher twice, and taught elementary school with Teach for America.

My Life Before (and After) izzit by James Buchanan

As a teacher of economics, it’s sometimes difficult to get the conversation started on topics like freedom, free markets and taxation. Before I found izzit.org, the reality was hard: my students didn’t really want to know about this stuff. Back then, good economics questions usually came from discussing the lunch menu and perhaps other choices they might face that day.

As I continued my relationship with izzit.org (and as my video library expanded), so did the interest from my class. In 2008-09, I showed them “Freedom’s Sound,” which tells the story of the Estonia Piano Company after communism’s fall. Students began to ask astonishing questions.

How could such a little country rise from the depths of communism into a flourishing economy? A gem of Europe in just a decade? They wanted to know. That question led to an analysis of the country’s economic policy, which led to questions about taxation issues there, as well as at home…

What? I was stunned. Students formerly interested only in the lunch menu were now participating in a debate about state and federal tax law!

In 2009-10 I looked forward to using the video again--this time in hopes of steering the students down the path of a more efficient taxation policy debate. Well that didn’t happen. Now they wanted to know how a small country they never heard of could be doing so well, while the US was about to implode due to a financial housing crisis. Was it capitalism’s fault? Still, I saw this as an opportunity.

I jumped at the chance to have them investigate all of the culprits involved in the financial crisis. As the students began to ask better questions, our investigation led to the 30-year evolution of a law passed by government officials back in the 1970’s. This revelation led many to an understanding of the importance of limited government, as well as how laws passed by our elected officials can create incentives for businesses and individuals to act recklessly. My former “lunch menu questioners” were now delving into issues that they would soon inherit as adults. They were becoming true American citizens--asking tough questions about our financial system. 

There are so many other stories I could share with you. From watching “UnstoppableSolar Cycles” and discussing pending cap and trade legislation, to wrestling day to day with issues offered via izzit’s Current Events service – I could go on. My contact with izzit.org even led to the fulfillment of a life long dream of mine: to meet Nobel Laureate James Buchanan. My space is limited. Suffice it to say “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

I consider izzit.org and their products as my side kick. They set up the debate, get my students warmed up, and all I have to do is step in and guide the inquiry to new heights. So it is with my deepest and most sincere convictions that I urge each and every teacher that reads this message, to take advantage of everything this organization has to offer.