How Like an Angel Came I Down: Conversations With Children on the Gospels - Softcover

Alcott, A. Bronson

Softcover

ISBN 10: 094026238X ISBN 13: 9780940262386

Publisher: Lindisfarne Books, 1991

Synopsis

"A book all of us who work with children ought to read carefully and "visit" often." -Robert Coles, author of The Spiritual Life of Children "It is sheer reading pleasure, enlightenment, insight, the discovery of a side of children many of us never see, a side of ourselves generally masked, a glimpse of history our school texts never touch, and an enrichment of our own spirit." -Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of The Magical Child Every now and then the past yields up one of its lost treasures. This book is just such a gem. Bronson Alcott, friend and sometimes mentor to Emerson and Thoreau in Concord, was also a visionary educator who believed that the psyche of a child already carries within it the imprint of spirit and wisdom. At his school in Boston in the 1830s, he held this extraordinary series of conversations on such themes as spirit, consciousness, conscience, love, humility, the Holy Ghost, and the knower.

About this title

Review:

'I read these conversations with growing enthusiasm and excitement -- what enormous vitality and thoughtfulness a brave and great teacher can encourage in his students. This is a wonderful and extremely important publishing effort -- a book all of us who work with children ought to read carefully and visit often.' --Robert Coles, author of The Spiritual Life of Children 'Here is one of those priceless, quiet books that we hold up and declare, 'Every parent, every teacher, every lawmaker, should know this work!' followed by the sobering thought that all too few parents and teachers, and perhaps no lawmakers, will. How difficult to explain that the crisis of childhood and education a crisis of the human spirit, and that until the spiritual dimensions of the child is recognized and honored, the crisis can only grow worse.... All these issues aside, Alcott's 'Conversations' is immensely rewarding reading for anyone. It is sheer reading pleasure, enlightenment, insight, the discovery of a side of children many of us never see, a side of ourselves generally masked, a glimpse of history our school texts never touch, and an enrichment of our own spirit. Time and again, it brings a pang of recognition, something long-forgotten tugging beneath our fragmented thoughts. I can only wish the work a wide reading, and will surely do what I can to promote it.' --Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of The Magical Child and Evolution's End

From the Publisher:

The wonder of wisdom ¿ The wisdom of wonder
During the 1830s at his school in Boston, Alcott held an extraordinary series of conversations on such themes as spirit, consciousness, love, humility, conscience, the Holy Ghost, and the "knower. " Those conversations make up this book. Read the words of these six-to ten-year-olds, and allow yourself to learn from their wisdom and hear with wonder what is possible when we approach children with humility and respect. The foreword is by Stephen Mitchell.

"I read these 'conversations' with growing enthusiasm and excitement — what enormous vitality and thoughtfulness a brave and great teacher can encourage in his students. This is a wonderful and extremely important publishing effort — a book all of us who work with children ought to read carefully and 'visit' often." --Robert Coles, author of "The Spiritual Life of Children"

"Here is one of those priceless, quiet books that we hold up and declare, 'Every parent, every teacher, every lawmaker, should know this work!' followed by the sobering thought that all too few parents and teachers, and perhaps no lawmakers, will. How difficult to explain that the crisis of childhood and education a crisis of the human spirit, and that until the spiritual dimensions of the child is recognized and honored, the crisis can only grow worse.... All these issues aside, Alcott's 'Conversations' is immensely rewarding reading for anyone. It is sheer reading pleasure, enlightenment, insight, the discovery of a side of children many of us never see, a side of ourselves generally masked, a glimpse of history our school texts never touch, and an enrichment of our own spirit. Time and again, it brings a pang of recognition, something long-forgotten tugging beneath our fragmented thoughts. I can only wish the work a wide reading, and will surely do what I can to promote it." --Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of "The Magical Child" and "Evolution's End"

About this edition

• Publisher: Lindisfarne Books
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 094026238X
• ISBN 13: 9780940262386
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 388
• Editor: Howell Alice O.