But nowadays stories have been relegated to the realm of the frivolous. Indeed, the earliest form of education was the telling of stories. It follows, then, that the basic task of education is the care and feeding of the imagination. But I’m growing more and more to believe that our fundamental task as human beings is to seek out connections– to exercise our imaginations. I do not have the kind of certainty that Barth had. I think it was Karl Barth who said that he was more of a fundamentalist that the Fundamentalists, because he knew what was fundamental. It demonstrates the flow, humor, intelligence, and connection that run throughout the book:
Here’s an excerpt form the essay “The Spying Heart” that demonstrates how integrated the subjects are and her intellect and humor. Even if none of her topics interest you, the prose alone will tempt you. She touches on children’s literature, theology, art, education, politics, history, being a child, imagination, and other important subjects. TSH is a collection of essays, book reviews, and lectures it has distinct parts and some repetition of ideas and themes. In TSH, we get to experience the full impact of both. As any Katherine Paterson fan can attest, she has a keen mind and a warm heart. If you love a true reading teacher, give her or him this book. If you love to read, you will love this book.
The Spying Heartby Katherine Paterson lives up to the awesome title.
Life requires imagination and the ability wade the mysteries of evil and pain. The complexity of life demands the ability to understand beyond effectively processing information. Not that STEM isn’t important, but the idea of scientists and engineers that haven’t developed their souls and imaginations through reading stories scares me. The unintentional consequences of educational establishment’s emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) frighten me. This book is important because it offers a view of education and children that is so often drowned out.
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