Reviews for The McGuffey Readers: Selections from the 1879 Edition, Vol. 1

The average rating for The McGuffey Readers: Selections from the 1879 Edition, Vol. 1 based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-08-30 00:00:00 John Bingley Reading The McGuffey Readers, Selections from the 1879 Edition shook my world and also helped me make sense of some recent experiences. It wasn't the selections that shook me, but the introduction and analysis by Elliot Gorn on the history of education and the McGuffey Readers. Apparently, the values I've held and the mores I've respected aren't values in and of themselves, but are merely white middle class Protestant values which have been evilly foisted on millions to oppress and stifle them into submission as work monkeys. It's very true that many of the early McGuffey lessons are heavy handed and overly moralistic, teaching that lazy insolence in youth will have someone "joining a party of tramps before he was thirty years old". There's no surprise that McGuffey, a white professor and Protestant Minister would include white middle class Protestant values in his textbooks, while reflecting the current stereotypes and exclusions of his day for men, women, social classes, races, and religions. And I am very grateful to Mr. Gorn for his extensive and thoughtful analysis. What is surprising is that the value of teaching kindness, thoughtfulness, generosity, respect of others, helping others, preserving nature, being honest, and appreciating beauty are seen as somehow oppressing non-whites. This lesson was brought home to me by a recent art exhibit of scenes of Lake Tahoe. What begins as a display of beautiful old paintings that show nature's majesty, ends with modern art made to make the viewer realize that any appreciation of the beauty of the early works is to show one's ignorance of the fact that Native American lives were destroyed by whites coming to the area, Chinese railroad workers were killed in building the railroads, and Euro-American mankind's hand ruins everything it touches. Yes. It's true that lives and cultures have been abused and destroyed. Yes. Their stories need to be told, and art is an effective storyteller. But there is a dangerous subtext I see creeping in... Am I actually being told that non-whites don't value kindness, thoughtfulness, generosity, respect of others, preserving nature, honesty, and beauty? No! I cannot accept that! Human values are human values. It is true that our history and views need to be expanded to be more inclusive. It is true that we need to open our past, present, and future to the voices and experiences of a far greater swath of cultures. But simply assuming that the opposite stance is the correct and more respectful one is far off the mark. Famed Tahoe area basket-maker, DatSoLaLee, actually preferred to be called by her English name, Louisa Keyser. So the Washoe name that seems more respectful to us now isn't actually her preference, but the name used to increase sales by the Trading Post. Keep what is good, broaden the definition of what is good to include values that hold true for multiple people, cultures, and societies, and teach what is good. If going to an extreme opposite helps our society break the barriers that have led to oppression, then I am all for it. I can't deny that the white middle class Protestant doctrine doesn't have a core of insensitivity and bullishness that tramples others in its path. But I see my day and my values of Pollyanna goodness and gladness passing away. I hear my voice valuing beauty in art and nature being silenced. And it makes me very sad.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-07-27 00:00:00 Tony Dipalma My existing reading skills gave me an excellent opportunity to skim through this full of pop-psy garbage and annoying illustrations in a matter of minues.