I’m a history buff – I love reading about the middle ages, the distant past, the wild west. I’ve read about British colonial women in India, weather in the dark ages, the impact of diseases on culture and civilization, ancient Israel, and early European explorers in South America and Africa. All of which you will probably learn more about in future editions of this series.

The part of history that was most vivid for me in school were the years around the American Revolution – probably because the bicentennial was a big thing when I was a kid, and that’s where schools tended to focus their energy. I remember waiting in the railyard to board The Freedom Train, and I played a rebellious colonist in my school history re-enactment. (My one line: We shall not disperse! I flubbed it.)

But I feel like everything before the American Revolution, and everything in the 20th century was overlooked. Having lived anywhere in the US, I could tell you about the Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria, Jamestown, Plymouth Rock, the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, and then the Civil War (everything happening between being of little importance, apparently). Having lived in Arizona, I could tell you about the Spanish invading the southwest (that is not how it was presented). Having lived in California, I could tell you about the 49ers (the original 49ers, not the football team). Having lived in Washington, I put my foot down and refused to learn anymore state history. But I did take the underground tour of Seattle and own – though I have not yet read yet – Sons of the Profits.

My understanding of Vietnam – which my father didn’t talk about much, having been stationed in the DMZ – and Watergate, and other history of the 60s, 70s, and 80s came from Doonesbury, because that was fun to read about. Doonesbury was the gateway drug that got me into All the Presidents Men and other “serious” books that explained recent American history.

And Larry Gonick filled in the ancient history gaps.

Starting with the big bang and gossiping microbes in the ocean, quickly progressing through early evolution, dinosaurs, and the various early humanoids – all of which he makes amusing – Gonick shines when it comes to civilizations. He covers early history from all areas of the world, not sticking to a purely Eurocentric perspective. My favorite part is a running joke when these various civilizations come into conflict, which he heralds with a full-page cartoon proclaiming, “Here come the barbarians!” And the funny part – every civilization is someone else’s barbarian, at some point.

He winds up the journey at the end of the third volume, just before the history I started learning in school.

And here’s the best part: these are real cartoons, not some graphic novel version – think Bloom County, not Prince Valiant. Gonick makes history funny: historical characters are lampooned, he puts thoughts in their heads and words on their lips that are sometimes quotes and sometimes jokes. And he covers entire millennia in 2-3 panels, and I’m sure “serious historians” object to how quickly he skims through their favorite period in history. But Gonick is actually a historian, the kind of historian that cites original sources. This isn’t some guy on the internet who tells you what other historians summarized – this is a guy who goes back to original sources and quotes them.

It’s not unusual for me to re-read Cartoon History of the Universe, find myself captivated by some character or event I haven’t paid much attention to before, and go find a history book that specializes in that time period.

I highly recommend these books. They’re fun to read. And, if you’ve got kids, it may just suck them into being interested in history.

But shhhh – that’s our little secret.