Then and Now by Perring and Perring {Book Review}

Then and Now: The Wonders of the Ancient World Brought to Life in Vivid See-Through Reproductions by Stefania Perring and Dominic Perring is a well-regarded educational and visually engaging book. Published in 1991, it is praised for its innovative use of acetate overlays that vividly recreate ancient architectural sites. 

Then and Now by Perring and Perring: Core Concept and Content

The central feature of Then and Now is its comparison of 20 ancient sites, showing them as they exist today and then overlaying reconstructions of what they might have looked like in their prime. 

The book covers a wide range of global sites, including:

• European landmarks: The Roman Forum, the Parthenon in Athens, and the Palace of Knossos in Crete.
• North and South American structures: Machu Picchu and the Aztec Temples of the Sun.
• Middle Eastern sites: The Second Temple in Jerusalem and the Assyrian city of Nimrud. 

Each site receives a detailed section that includes:

• A high-quality, full-page photograph of the site’s present-day state.
• An acetate overlay with an artist’s reconstruction, allowing readers to flip between the ruin and its imagined former glory.
• Informative text that provides historical context for the site. 

An In-Depth Look at Nimrud

The first page of each chapter is focused on giving some facts about the area/culture, with accompanying photos of objects/paintings of interest. In this case, the Perrings describe the geographical area which is accompanied by a beautiful painting of how Nimrud was thought to have looked, in addition to a small photo of the archeological remains.

This is where Then and Now by Perring and Perring comes into its own. An acetate lies on top of a large area photograph of the archeological site as it is today. The acetate contains an accurate, colour reconstruction illustration of the same area.

As you lift the overlay, you will be able to see the corresponding archeological site:

This is very helpful to imagine what goes where (if you see what I mean?). It is this tactile and interactive addition which makes this book stand out.

And lastly, there is a double page of facts, illustrations and quality photographs.

Critical Review of Then and Now by Perring and Perring

The book has a solid educational value and unique, interactive format. It could be used in many ancient culture unit studies. This makes it an excellent choise to have on your book shelf.

• Visually compelling: The overlays are beautifully curated and interactive. It is a unique and brilliant way to help imagine and appreciate the history of ancient ruins.
• Highly educational: It is a great book for those interested in archaeology and ancient history, as the text and visuals make the history accessible for a wide range of ages. It would be useful across many cultural unit studies.
• Well-suited for younger readers: The interactive overlays make the book particularly effective for engaging young people. My children have all enjoyed flicking through it and were fascinated by the overlays even when they were perhaps a little too young to appreciate what they were looking at!
• Timeless appeal: Despite being published decades ago, the book has aged well. I think this is due mainly to the excellent overlay idea which our whole family enjoyed!

Then and Now by Perring and Perring is a valuable addition to any homeschool library. It brings to life the past in an interesting and interactive way.

For homeschooling parents planning a Mesopotamia Unit Study this book has a lovely chapter on Nimrud. However, it is more of a dip-in-dip-out sort of book, useful for any ancient world study.

I am currently curating an in-depth Ancient Mesopotamia Unit Study. Whilst I will be selling the final product, I have included many of the activities and downloads for free in my Mega Ancient Mesopotamia Unit Study post. Enjoy!