Jacob Abbott was a prolific author, writing juvenile fiction, brief histories, biographies, religious books for the general reader, and a few works in popular science. Check out the following list of books to take and exciting, informative, and easy to understand stroll through history. Alexander the Great, Alfred the Great, Charles I, Charles II, Cleopatra, Cyrus the Great, Darius the Great, Ghengis Khan, Hannibal, History of Julius Caesar, Margaret of Anjou, Mary, Queen of Scots, Nero, Peter the Great, Pyyrhus, Queen Elizabeth, Richard I, Richard II, Richard III, Romulus, William the Conqueror, Xerxes Jacob Abbott (1803-1879) was an American author, educator, minister, and historical biographer, widely known for his many books for children and general readers. He wrote juvenile fiction, religious works, popular educational books, and historical biographies, including the long-running Makers of History series. Abbott's method was to turn complex historical subjects into readable narrative, giving young and adult readers clear accounts of major figures from ancient, medieval, and early modern history.Abbott's historical biographies helped introduce generations of readers to figures such as Nero, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Hannibal, Alexander the Great, Mary Queen of Scots, and Peter the Great. His prose is direct, instructive, and morally attentive, reflecting nineteenth-century assumptions about character, education, and the lessons of history. For readers of classic juvenile nonfiction, historical biography, ancient history, and public-domain educational literature, Abbott remains an important and prolific figure whose books helped shape popular historical reading in America.