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Magical Child (Plume) [Paperback]

Joseph Chilton Pearce
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)

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Book Description

March 1, 1992 Plume
Magical Child, a classic work, profoundly questioned the current thinking on childbirth pratices, parenting, and educating our children. Now its daring ideas about how Western society is damaging our children, and how we can better nurture them and oruselves, ring truer than ever. From the very instant of birth, says Joseph Chilton Pearce, the human child has only one concern: to learn all that there is to learn about the world. This planet is the child's playground, and nothing should interfere with a child's play. Raised this way, the Magical Child is a a happy genius, capable of anything, equipped to fulfill his amazing potential.

Expanding on the ideas of internationally acclaimed child psychologist Jean Piaget, Pearce traces the growth of the mind-brain from brith to adulthood. He connects the alarming rise in autism, hyperkinetic behavior, childhood schizophrenia, and adolescent suicide to the all too common errors we make in raising and educating our children. Then he shows how we can restore the astonishing wealth of creative intelligence that is the brithright of every human being. Pearce challenged all our notions about child rearing, and in the process challenges us to re-examine ourselves. Pearce's message is simple: it is never too late to play, for we are all Magical Children.


Frequently Bought Together

Magical Child (Plume) + Magical Parent Magical Child: The Art of Joyful Parenting + The Biology of Transcendence: A Blueprint of the Human Spirit
Price for all three: $34.49

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is the brilliant, provocative, humane synthesis we've been waiting for. I hope Magical Child is read by every parent and parent-to-be, every educator, everyone interested in the future of our society."
—George Leonard, author of Mastery

"An innovative, philosophical restructuring of modern child psychology."
Publishers Weekly

"A profound, readable, and exciting book."
Library Journal

"This is one of the most important and beautiful books I have ever read. . . . The book is written with the passion of a man who not only cares but knows."
—Colin Turnbull

About the Author

Joseph Chilton Pearce is the father of five children and the author of The Crack in the Cosmic Egg, Exploring the Crack in the Cosmic Egg, The Bond of Power, and The Magical Child Matures. A former humanities teacher, he now devotes his time to lecturing and writing.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Plume; Reissue edition (March 1, 1992)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0452267897
  • ISBN-13: 978-0452267893
  • Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

I read this book during my first pregnancy and have reread it or skimmed it several times since. SubversiveMama  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
I am an avid reader, as much as I like this book, it is hard to read. Pahdme  |  1 reviewer made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
45 of 46 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars What is to be a child? November 6, 1997
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
A very important book, especially for those with children or expecting them. In a very reasoned manner reflecting a great deal of knowledge and research, Pearce discusses the phases every child goes through as it matures. He describes it as a succession of matrices, beginning with the womb-matrix, then the mother-matrix, the earth-matrix and so on. What it boils down to is the there is a time for everything, and we need to support the child's natural unfolding as much as we can. This means not 'abandoning' the infant in the crib, not pushing the pre-schooler too learn to read (ultimately a harmful thing), limiting television viewing and encouraging fantasy and play.

There seems to be so much misunderstanding and ignorance with regard to children these days, from tv overload to little league pressure to accelerated academic preparation--all harmful activities because they block a child's healthy development. Wake up everybody!

In the final chapters, Pearce goes beyond childhood to explore the possibilities of the human mind per se and give us a glimpse of what lies beyond the self-imposed limits of our reality. A deeply significant work. I also recommend Betty Staley's Between Form and Freedom for a look at what awaits in the adolescent years.

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57 of 64 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The education for a new and gently brilliant world December 31, 1998
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the best childhood education book I have ever read. Since first picking this book up in the late 70s, I've read it again and again and have probably given away 50 copies to new parents and to educators. If you want a plan to bring your children to golden wisdom, if you seek the roadmap to unfold the mind of genius which lives in your child and in the children around you, read this book. Then give it to your friends and relatives and the teachers at your schools. In this you will know that, like planting a tree, you've sent another messenger to that kind and better future we pray for in our hearts.
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80 of 92 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Some readers will love this book January 3, 2004
Format:Paperback
The overall message of this book is important for parents and babies; we need to let babies and children grow and develop. We need to provide stimulation and new experiences. We need to keep the little ones close, provide them security and not force Western-style "independence" on them. This keeping close means a natural birth, breastfeeding, holding and talking to- not getting our children attached to things.

I'm just not certain the author reached his conclusions in a way that I endorse since he says many things I absolutely disagree with. In the first chapter, he says about our brains and grey matter, "the amount we have is just what we need for certain goals nature has in mind, such as our dominion over the earth."! I really have a hard time believing that evolution is goal directed, and that humans should have "dominion" over the earth. We have no right to that, and we are destroying the earth as a result of trying to be in control of this planet.

The chapter on "maintaining the matrix", or how to birth babies naturally, is taken right out of LeBoyer's work "Birth without Violence"- a fine book but not without it's flaws. This chapter also explores the development of the naturally birthed and nurtured infant, or at least the ones the author observed in Uganda. These babies are developmentally ahead of the medically birthed babies in Western society, so he says. They push up at birth, sit up at a couple months, run (not just walk!) at 7 months of age. Humph! Amazing babies, right? My baby born by c-section walked and talked much earlier than my naturally born-at-home babies. What happened?!

I don't particularly like the language of this book, but it will work for a lot of people. Many of us in breastfeeding advocacy work learn that people don't always learn intellectually, but they do learn *emotionally*. If some mothers learn to nurture their babies in a hands-on way because of the emotional discussion in this book, more power to them. For those of us who learn differently, "So That's what they're For!" or "Attachment Parenting" might do the trick.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars good book
I had this book back in the late 70's, it blew me away. I re-purchased for my children who are now parents. I am hoping they can benefit from it as I did. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Pahdme
5.0 out of 5 stars perfect
This is much too long to write if I write I love it that enough thank you for your understanding
Published 3 months ago by Caroline Oligny
5.0 out of 5 stars Great view of the world of children
All parents and teachers shoul read this book. This book
with Evolutions End and his Bond Of Power, are top of the line.
Published 4 months ago by Writer Ed
5.0 out of 5 stars Magical Author
This book brings everything together that is important about raising a child. The innate knowledge within us all is sparked to life by this excellent presentation by Joseph Chilton... Read more
Published 7 months ago by guy
5.0 out of 5 stars Parental Must Read
LOVE this book, what you really need to know about being a parent and raising a healthy child.
Published on January 5, 2010 by Summer Spinks Marasco
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read for Parents-to-Be!
I read this book during my first pregnancy and have reread it or skimmed it several times since. So much information, inspiration, and insight - one of the most influential... Read more
Published on October 5, 2009 by SubversiveMama
5.0 out of 5 stars The Classic Text
This book broke new ground and set the standard. Read it first if you want to nurture and educate a sane and healthy child.
Published on February 28, 2009 by Ger Agrey-thatcher
1.0 out of 5 stars dubious source dubious informaiton
Who is this man?

Per the book, he is a father of 5 and a former humanities teacher. Research on the internet claims he has a Master's degree but fails to specify from... Read more
Published on January 22, 2009 by M. Dean
3.0 out of 5 stars not for the lay man
I'm sure this book has a great message, but I couldn't understand it. From Pierce's use of language I might have had an easier time understanding it had it been written in... Read more
Published on January 4, 2005 by Mary Wese
5.0 out of 5 stars Every parent should read it!
An excellent book. Every parent should read it!
Published on November 13, 2003
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