Of making quotation books there is no end. Do we need another on children? Never mind. This is not a quotation dictionary, but ``a historical collection of observations, opinions, and reminiscences'' drawn primarily from the autobiographies of some 380 writers, most of them prominent in Western European culture and most from the 19th and 20th centuries. African Americans are included; East Asians and Native Americans are not. The selections, found under 168 headings (e.g., ``Boredom,'' ``Solitude''), are not the usual one-liners or bon mots; most consist of about 150 words of thoughtful prose. An index to authors is included. A splendid sampler for browsing, albeit with limited reference utility.-- Joan H. Worley, Maryville Coll. Lib., Tenn.
A thoughtful collection of some 900 excerpts, from one line to half a page, arranged under 150 subject headings, and representing the insights of thinkers across a broad span of times, places, and perspectives. The quotations were chosen to enable the reader to understand childhood more profoundly and intimately--beyond the limitations imposed by modern child-care theories. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
