How Lincoln Learned to Read

Starred review from December 1, 2008
This extended essay, in the form of a dozen entertaining profiles of great Americans—an unexpected cross-section, from Ben Franklin to Elvis Presley—provides an unusual look at the varieties of educational experience that shaped these groundbreakers. Along the way, many of the prejudices and misunderstandings that are part of the American fabric are shown to be overcome by each through his or her mode of learning. Poet Wolff (4th of July, Asbury Park) shows how the studied yokel Ben Franklin created an American archetype, and how Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan would inspire Maria Montessori on the instruction of all children. Wolff wears his learning lightly, and there is a subtlety to his contrasting biographies. For example, the education of Lincoln, whose formal schooling ended at the age of 15, could not be further from the privileged world of JFK's; auto pioneer Henry Ford and environmental pioneer Rachel Carson, both Midwesterners, could not be more different. Above all, Wolff observes that in our national tradition “an American education is going to bear the marks of rebellion.”

March 1, 2009
Adult/High School-Wolff allows that several factors are involved in achieving greatness, but his focus here is on the role of childhood education (roughly toddler to teen) in the success of 12 notable Americans, discussed chronologically from Benjamin Franklin to Elvis Presley. He examines the education, both in school and out, of Abigail Adams, Andrew Jackson, Sojourner Truth, Sarah Winnemucca, Henry Ford, W. E. B. Du Bois, Helen Keller, Rachel Carson, and John F. Kennedy. Employing a lively narrative style and impressive research, Wolff presents the interlocking stories that together form a brief history of what it means to be successful in this country. These individuals range from having no formal education to attending the best schools in the land, from having a reverence for book learning to having a reverence for tinkering, from facing enormous challenges to having specialized interests. But what they all hold in common is that they managed to learn what they needed to know, often against tremendous odds. All were consistently true to themselves and to their deepest interests. And from that starting point they pursued the particular education that best suited their needs. This provocative book is not only an important addition to the history of education in America, but also a valuable contribution to the history and understanding of the country's ideas and culture. It should appeal especially to those teens who wonder where their particular education might lead."Robert Saunderson, formerly at Berkeley Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 2, 2009
Verdict: Though Wolff falls into the historian's trap of overusing phrases like must have and would have, rendering some passages rather dull, this collection is generally informative and easy to read. Background: In this series of 12 linked essays, Wolff (4th of July, Asbury Park) explores the formal and informal education of 12 famous Americans, from Soujourner Truth to Henry Ford to Elvis Presley, chronologically from the early 18th- to the mid-20th century. He details the learning experiences, in and out of the classroom, that helped these men and women become great historical figures. He also probes the myths surrounding their early years, explaining how they each spoke of their education as they gained fame or power, and including snippets about their parents' and grandparents' education. Throughout, he offers relevant statistics-and the ideals-of the local, state, and national educational systems, linking such details from essay to essay.-Erica L. Foley, Clinton-Macomb P.L., Clinton Twp., MI

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.