The Mystery of History

As the well-known adage goes, those who don’t learn from history will repeat it!  I agree. And so, with the U.S. soon marching off to the polls, I thought this a good time to examine “Poisonous Politics” found in socialism, communism, and Marxism.  Join me, Linda Lacour Hobar (author of The Mystery of History) , for a biblical and historical look at relevant issues facing Americans today. Covering...

As the well-known adage goes, those who don’t learn from history will repeat it!  I agree. And so, with the U.S. soon marching off to the polls, I thought this a good time to examine “Poisonous Politics” found in socialism, communism, and Marxism.  Join me, Linda Lacour Hobar (author of The Mystery of History) , for a biblical and historical look at relevant issues facing Americans today. (This is...

It’s been 23 years since the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers of New York City.  While some parts of the horrid event will stay forever in the hearts of Americans, the passing years make it hard to retain the details.  So, I offer this audiobook excerpt from The Mystery of History Volume IV, written about 10 years ago, to help you and your mature students remember 9/11.  If you’re interested in more...

You may be geared up and ready for the 2024-2025 school year (or not) but that doesn’t mean you’re entering an easy season! Join me, Linda Lacour Hobar, author and veteran homeschool mom, for “Top Tips for Homeschooling – Part 2” that may help with the little things or remind you of the significance of the big things. The tips offered in Part 1 (our last episode), were practical in nature; the tip...

You may be geared up and ready for the 2024-2025 school year (or not) but that doesn’t mean you’re entering an easy season! Join me, Linda Lacour Hobar, author and veteran homeschool mom, for my “Top Tips for Homeschooling (Part 1)” that may help with the little things, like “what’s for lunch?”These tips are above all practical in nature, so use what you can and skip over what you can’t.  (There a...

Have you heard? Our publisher, Bright Ideas Press, has just released The Mystery of Science!   We are so excited to see this new addition to the Bright Ideas family. Designed for 4th-8th grade, the first book in the series, Biology, is available now and will soon be followed by physics, chemistry, and more! Join me today for an introduction to The Mystery of Science and a personal interview with t...

Do you struggle with your summer to-do list? Do the weeks of summer slip away too fast? Are the kids restless while you’re overwhelmed? I understand. Summer can be fun and frustrating all at the same time. Join me (Linda Lacour Hobar, author of The Mystery of History ) for “Salvaging Summer” — a podcast on how to carve out some productive days for Mom and memory-filled days for the kids. 

Let’s be honest; some of you need help with world history for students 13 years and up—especially if you’re counting credits for high school! Why? The reasons are varied, but some of you feel pressured to homeschool and ill-equipped for the job. Some of you are experienced homeschool teachers, but nervous about calculating high school credits. And some of you are interested in home education but l...

From time to time I post an audiobook excerpt from our series and convert it to a podcast, because I’m passionate about world history and don’t want you to miss some of the best stories we have. Well, when it comes to best stories, and most important stories, of course nothing is better or more important that what Christ did on the cross for you and me! And nothing is more significant in the etern...

Are you overwhelmed by curriculum choices? Do you get stressed over daily lesson plans? Do you worry when you don’t finish a program? We understand. We’ve all been boxed in and stressed out by curriculum that didn’t quite fit our lives.  Well, at The Mystery of History , we strive to offer freedom, flexibility, and fun in our curriculum—by allowing YOU to choose your “side dishes” to go with your...

When is the best time to use The Mystery of History? We think any time is a good time to study history, but there are some variables and best practices you may want to consider. Join the author of The Mystery of History , Linda Lacour Hobar, for a casual conversation on how, when, and why you can teach world history with the whole family. For a pre-recorded video on the topic of Scope and Sequence...

It’s hard not to notice that Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us. Every year the retailers bombard us with candy, cards, and heart shaped chocolates boxes. But it begs the question, what has any of that to do with the real man named Valentine?  I’ll answer that today in an audiobook lesson from The Mystery of History Volume II.  I hope you’ll gather the children around to listen to this true story f...

Home education is a journey with lots of twists and turns. One of many ways to help navigate the good days and the bad is to incorporate audiobooks! For inspiration, join me and my guest, Jim Hodges (an audiobook creator) for “The Awesomeness of Audiobooks.” Be amused and encouraged by the popular voice and fun personality of Jim Hodges.                      Subscribe to Jim's email list, and...

Since the U.S. celebrates Martin Luther King Day on January 15, I thought it appropriate this week to give you and your students the audiobook story of MLK from the brave beginning to the tragic end. I hope you find inspiration in the life of Dr. King, not because he was a man without flaws, but because he courageously sought to undo one of America's greatest flaws! (The flaw of racial discri...

You may know the tender Christmas carol titled “Good King Wenceslas.”  But you may not know the tragedy behind this true medieval story!  Join me this Christmas season for an audio narration of “Good King Wenceslas” from The Mystery of History Volume II, to learn this story of faith and forgiveness from the Middle Ages. For your copy of The Mystery of History Volume II, click here: https://themyst...

Many a student has wondered why the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor about halfway through World War II. I confess that the incident seems "out of place" in World War II where Europeans and Russians were battling Adolf Hitler and his regiment of Nazis!  To better understand the scene, I'll first explain in this audio recording (from The Mystery of History Volume IV) the strange relation...

Interested in hosting a Medieval feast, but don’t know how?  Join Linda Lacour Hobar and her guest Shelley Noonan (author of Legends of King Arthur and His Court) for the benefits of hosting a medieval feast or tournament, tips for planning, and inspiring resources on chivalry. It is Linda’s opinion that the month of February is perfect for a large-scale project, like a Medieval Feast, so tune in...

Since our headlines are swirling with "anti-semitism," it's important we remember the Holocaust! The history of the Holocaust is difficult to learn, difficult to grasp, and difficult to teach. But—to prevent it from happening again—it is history that demands our examination! Join Linda Lacour Hobar for a pensive look at the Holocaust and what teens and ‘tweens should know about it....

American Heritage Girls has been at the forefront of Christian leadership development for girls ages five to 18 for nearly 30 years. Want to meet the founder, Patti Garibay? You can by joining me for this special podcast on “Navigating Girlhood.” With a mission to build women of integrity through service to God, family, community, and country, AHG is the premier national character development orga...

I’m going to interrupt our regularly scheduled podcasts to bring you “Understanding the Middle East (Parts 1-3).” These audiobook excerpts are designed to help with “some” understanding of today’s headlines.  While I can’t make full sense of the current war in Israel, I can provide some historical background to the conflict. This background won’t provide commentary on recent events, but it’s a sta...

Welcome to “Understanding the Middle East” (Part 2.)  This audiobook excerpt is designed to help with “some” understanding of today’s headlines.  While I can’t make full sense of the current war in Israel, I can provide some historical background to the conflict. This background won’t provide commentary on recent events, but it’s a starting point for those that might not be familiar with the Islam...

This is “Understanding the Middle East (Part 3.)  This audiobook excerpt is designed to help with “some” understanding of today’s headlines.  While I can’t make full sense of the current war in Israel, I can provide some historical background to the conflict. This background won’t provide commentary on recent events, but it’s a starting point for those that might not be familiar with Egypt’s relat...

Planning to teach ancient history? Need help integrating the Bible? Listen to Linda Lacour Hobar, author of The Mystery of History , as she takes you from Creation to the birth of Christ in a 30-minute podcast placing Biblical and secular history onto one amazing timeline. Like pieces of a mosaic, listen to how the Ice Age, King Tut, Buddha, Cleopatra , and more come together in one picture to rev...

If you like Read-Alouds in your family, or need help liking read alouds in your family, you will love hearing from our guest Dr. Michelle Dunham, the founder of Ruby Reads. Michelle has gone a step further than most and used her gifts, talents, and advanced degree to create beautiful and informative coloring posters for some of the best pieces of children’s literature on the market today. Learn mo...

Why did I write The Mystery of History ? What are its distinctions? If you’re new or returning to our world history series, it may interest you to know the heart and the mind behind it. So, I’m kicking off our third podcast season with a slight rebranding—and a personal testimony of how God worked in my life to bring you The Mystery of History. My hope is that it inspires you in your journey teach...