Product Description

It was a simple incident in the life of James Clavell -- a talk with his young daughter just home from school -- that inspired this chilling tale of what could happen in twenty-five quietly devastating minutes.  He writes, "The Children's Story came into being that day.  It was then that I really realized how vulnerable my child's mind was -- any mind, for that matter -- under controlled circumstances.  Normally I write and rewrite and re-rewrite, but this story came quickly -- almost by itself.  Barely three words were changed.  It pleases me greatly because I kept asking the questions....



Questions like, What's the use of 'I pledge allegiance' without understanding?  Like Why is it so easy to divert thoughts? Like What is freedom? and Why is so hard to explain?



The Children's Story keeps asking me all sorts of questions I cannot answer.  Perhaps you can--then your child will...."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #231625 in Books
• Published on: 1989-11-02
• Released on: 1989-10-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 96 pages

From the Publisher
It was a simple incident in the life of James Clavell -- a talk with his young daughter just home from school -- that inspired this chilling tale of what could happen in twenty-five quietly devastating minutes. He writes, "The Children's Story came into being that day. It was then that I really realized how vulnerable my child's mind was -- any mind, for that matter -- under controlled circumstances. Normally I write and rewrite and re-rewrite, but this story came quickly -- almost by itself. Barely three words were changed. It pleases me greatly because I kept asking the questions....

Questions like, What's the use of 'I pledge allegiance' without understanding? Like Why is it so easy to divert thoughts? Like What is freedom? and Why is so hard to explain?

The Children's Story keeps asking me all sorts of questions I cannot answer. Perhaps you can--then your child will...."

Customer Reviews

Still Powerful
When I was 10, my mom and I saw this movie on television about the power a teacher or any well respected adult who comes in contact with children may have over them. We still talk about it today, 25 years later, such was the impact this story had on us. Today, at a seminar for teachers, the guest speaker started by reading a short story and as he read I remembered this movie. Yes, the movie I remembered was adapted from this story. The book was just as gripping to me as an adult as it was when I was young. I won't go into details. Its a short read but very thought provoking. I discovered the story was published in the 1960's, but I think that the questions can be applied to new contexts in today's world. Love it or hate it. I'm sure that it will inspire you to think.

Chilling and plausible
I first saw a "real time" teleplay of this back in the early 80's before I ever started having children, and made it a point to get a copy of the book when I was only 17. It was obviously written during the Cold War, but it's easy to see the parallel to events of today, unless a person is in complete denial. It's chilling and frightening, and should raise the awareness of anyone with children in school to start asking questions about what is going on in the classroom.

A MUST READ FOR ALL NEW PARENTS
I READ THIS BOOK MANY YEARS AGO AND HAVE REREAD IT MANY TIMES. THE MESSAGE IT SENDS IS POWERFUL. I GIVE THIS BOOK AS A GIFT TO ALL NEW PARENTS. MANY OF THEIR CHILDREN ARE GROWN NOW AND I HAVE EVEN GIVEN TO THEM AS A BABY SHOWER GIFT. IT IMPARTS A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE. DO NOT LEARN FROM WROTE BUT UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF WHAT YOU ARE LEARNING. THIS SHOULD BE MANDATORY READING FOR ALL.