It Takes a Village - wikipedia It Takes a Village It Takes a Village : And Other Lessons Children Teach Us Front cover Author Hillary Rodham Clinton Language English Publisher Simon & Schuster Publication date January 1, 1996 Media type Hardcover Pages 352 ISBN 1 - 4165 - 4064 - 4 OCLC 76838574 Dewey Decimal 305.23 / 10973 22 LC Class HQ792. U5 C57 2006 Followed by Dear Socks, Dear Buddy : Kids ' Letters to the First Pets ( 1998 ) It Takes a Village : And Other Lessons Children Teach Us is a book published in 1996 by First Lady of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton. In it, Clinton presents her vision for the children of America. She focuses on the impact individuals and groups outside the family have, for better or worse, on a child 's well - being, and advocates a society which meets all of a child 's needs. The book was written with uncredited ghostwriter Barbara Feinman. Contents 1 History 2 Contents 3 Synopsis 4 Proverb question 5 Ghostwriter controversy 6 Picture book 7 References 8 External links History In January 1996, Clinton went on a ten - city book tour and made numerous television appearances to promote the book, although she was frequently hit with questions about her involvement in the Whitewater and Travelgate controversies. The book spent 18 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List during 1996 including three weeks at number one. By 2000 it had sold 450,000 copies in hardcover and another 200,000 in paperback. The theme of the book, at least as perceived from its title, aroused immediate opposition within the United States. A well known instance of this occurred during the 1996 presidential election when, during his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, Republican Party nominee Bob Dole said : ``... with all due respect, I am here to tell you, it does not take a village to raise a child. It takes a family to raise a child. '' Criticism of Clinton 's notion would continue to be made by American conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh, Andrea Tantaros, and Jonah Goldberg through the next two decades. In 1997, Clinton received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for her audio recording of the book. The book is parodied in Tim Wilson 's 1999 song `` It Takes a Village to Raise a Nut ''. In 2005, Senator Rick Santorum wrote a rebuke to the book, It Takes a Family : Conservatism and the Common Good. In 2006, It Takes a Village was republished as a 10th Anniversary Edition with a new cover design and an introduction by the author. Clinton did not shy away from its conclusions ; during her own presidential campaign during 2007 she said `` I still believe it takes a village to raise a child. '' And during her second presidential campaign during 2015 she said `` Fundamentally, ( Republicans ) reject what it takes to build an inclusive economy. It takes an inclusive society. What I once called ' a village ' that has a place for everyone. '' Contents Introduction It Takes a Village No Family Is an Island Every Child Needs a Champion The Bell Curve Is a Curve Ball Kids Do n't Come with Instructions The World Is in a Hurry, Children Are Not An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Intensive Care Security Takes More Than a Blanket The Best Tool You Can Give Your Child Is a Shovel Children Are Born Believers Childhood Can Be a Service Academy Kids Are an Equal Employment Opportunity Child Care Is Not a Spectator Sport Education = Expectations Seeing Is Believing Every Business Is a Family Business Children Are Citizens Too Let Us Build a Village Worthy of Our Children Synopsis The book emphasizes the shared responsibility that society has for successfully raising children, by looking at a number of angles as indicated in the chapter titles noted above. Clinton describes herself in the book as a Moderate, which is evidenced by a combination of advocating for government - driven social reforms while also espousing conservative values. Clinton notes in the book many institutions responsible in some way for raising children, including : direct family, grandparents, neighbors, teachers, ministers, doctors, employers, politicians, nonprofits, faith communities, businesses, and international governmental groups. Some of the goals and institutions that Clinton advocates for in the book include : the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, Community Policing, the Brady Bill, Amber Alerts, immunizations, State Children 's Health Insurance Program, financial regulation, expanded Child Tax Credits, Minimum Wage increases, Universal health care, personal responsibility, uniforms in schools, Goals 2000 academic framework, music warning labels, sexual abstinence, Plan B contraception, family planning, and marriage. Proverb question The book 's title is attributed to an African proverb : `` It takes a village to raise a child. '' The saying and its attribution as an `` African '' proverb were in circulation before it was adopted by Clinton as the source for the title of her book. Indeed, the saying previously provided the source for the title of a children 's book entitled It Takes a Village by Jane Cowen - Fletcher, published in 1994. The authenticity of the proverb is debatable as there is no evidence that this precise proverb genuinely originated with any African culture. However, numerous proverbs from different cultures across Africa have been noted that convey similar sentiments in different ways. As one poster on a scholarly list wrote, `` While it is interesting to seek provenance in regard to the proverb, ' It takes a village to raise a child, ' I think it would be misleading to ascribe its origin to a single source... Let me give a few examples of African societies with proverbs which translate to ' It takes a village... ' : In Lunyoro ( Banyoro ) there is a proverb that says ' Omwana takulila nju emoi, ' whose literal translation is ' A child does not grow up only in a single home. ' In Kihaya ( Bahaya ) there is a saying, ' Omwana taba womoi, ' which translates as ' A child belongs not to one parent or home. ' In Kijita ( Wajita ) there is a proverb which says ' Omwana ni wa bhone, ' meaning regardless of a child 's biological parent ( s ) its upbringing belongs to the community. In Swahili, the proverb ' Asiyefunzwa na mamae hufunzwa na ulimwengu ' approximates to the same. '' The origin of the popular saying `` It takes a village to raise a child '' is a mystery. Some people believe the saying originated in an ancient African proverb ; others believe it came from a Native American Tribe. Ghostwriter controversy Clinton has been criticized for not giving credit to a ghostwriter in connection with It Takes a Village. The majority of the book was reportedly written by ghostwriter Barbara Feinman. When the book was first announced in April 1995, The New York Times reported publisher Simon & Schuster as saying `` The book will actually be written by Barbara Feinman, a journalism professor at Georgetown University in Washington. Ms. Feinman will conduct a series of interviews with Mrs. Clinton, who will help edit the resulting text. '' Feinman spent seven months on the project and was paid $120,000 for her work. Feinman, however, was not mentioned anywhere in the book. Clinton 's acknowledgment section began : `` It takes a village to bring a book into the world, as everyone who has written one knows. Many people have helped me to complete this one, sometimes without even knowing it. They are so numerous that I will not even attempt to acknowledge them individually, for fear that I might leave one out. '' During her promotional tour for the book, Clinton said, `` I actually wrote the book... I had to write my own book because I want to stand by every word. '' Clinton stated that Feinman assisted in interviews and did some editorial drafting of `` connecting paragraphs '', while Clinton herself wrote the final manuscript in longhand. This led Feinman to complain at the time to Capitol Style magazine over the lack of acknowledgement. In 2001, The Wall Street Journal reported that `` New York literary circles are buzzing with vitriol over Sen. Clinton 's refusal, so far, to share credit with any writer who helps on her book. '' Later, in a 2002 article for The Writer 's Chronicle, Barbara Feinman Todd ( now using her married name ) related that the project with Clinton had gone smoothly, producing drafts in a round - robin style. Feinman agrees that Clinton was involved with the project, but also states that, `` Like any first lady, Mrs. Clinton had an extremely hectic schedule and writing a book without assistance would have been logistically impossible. '' Feinman reiterates that her only objection to the whole process was the lack of any acknowledgement. A 2005 Georgetown University web page bio for Barbara Feinman Todd states that It Takes a Village was one of `` several high - profile books '' that she has `` assisted, as editor, writer and researcher. '' Feinman Todd wrote more about the collaboration in her 2017 memoir `` Pretend I 'm Not Here ''. Picture book The year 2017 saw efforts under way to render It Takes as a picture book. References Jump up ^ Nadine Brozan ( January 17, 1996 ). `` Chronicle ''. The New York Times. Retrieved July 28, 2007. ^ Jump up to : Carvajal, Doreen ( January 14, 1996 ). `` On Book Tour, Mrs. Clinton Defends Herself ''. The New York Times. Retrieved July 28, 2007. Jump up ^ Todd S. Purdum ( January 17, 1996 ). `` With Resolve, First Lady Lays Out Defense ''. The New York Times. Retrieved July 28, 2007. Jump up ^ See results of this New York Times archive search. On list January 28 through May 26, 1996. At number one February 4, 11 and 18. Jump up ^ Roxanne Roberts ( October 4, 2000 ). `` White House Welcome ''. The Washington Post. Jump up ^ `` Bob Dole 's Acceptance Speech ''. NewsHour. August 15, 1996. Retrieved July 28, 2007. Jump up ^ Amanda Marcotte ( June 18, 2015 ). `` Hillary Clinton Defies Right - Wing Critics, Endorses Universal Pre-K ''. Slate. Jump up ^ Vankin, Jonathan ( October 25, 2016 ). `` Why Did Hillary Clinton Win a Grammy Award ? ''. Heavy. Retrieved June 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Democrats embrace League 's 10 - point plan, promise change ''. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. July 28, 2007. Retrieved July 28, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Transcript : Read the Full Text of Hillary Clinton 's Campaign Launch Speech ''. Time. June 13, 2015. Jump up ^ `` It Takes a Village ( Hardcover ) ''. Amazon.com. Retrieved December 1, 2007. ^ Jump up to : From `` Proverb : It Takes a Whole Village to Raise a Child ''. H - Africa ( a member of H - Net 's consortium of scholarly lists ). Retrieved December 1, 2007. Jump up ^ Tim Cornwell ( June 5, 2003 ). `` I wanted to wring the President 's neck ''. The Scotsman. Retrieved December 2, 2007. Jump up ^ Mary B.W. Tabor ( April 22, 1995 ). `` Meet Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Traditional First Lady ''. The New York Times. Retrieved November 2, 2007. Jump up ^ Tomas Kellner ( July 7, 2003 ). `` Under Cover ''. Forbes. Retrieved December 2, 2007. Jump up ^ It Takes a Village, p. 319. Jump up ^ Susan Threadgill ( June 1999 ). `` Who 's Who ''. The Washington Monthly. 31 ( 6 ). Archived from the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved December 2, 2007. Jump up ^ Al Hunt ( April 7, 2001 ). `` A Tale of Two Clintons ''. The Wall Street Journal Editorial Page. Retrieved December 2, 2007. Jump up ^ Barbara Feinman Todd ( September 2002 ). `` Ghost Writing ''. The Writer 's Chronicle. Retrieved December 2, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Barbara Feinman Todd, M.A ''. Georgetown University. February 14, 2005. Archived from the original on February 14, 2005. Retrieved December 2, 2007. Jump up ^ Kevin Canfield ( February 11, 2017 ). `` Ghostwriter for Hillary Clinton, Carl Bernstein tells stories of betrayal in memoir ''. Kansas City Star. Jump up ^ http://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/27/hillary-clinton-new-book-what-happened-241024 External links Booknotes interview with Clinton on It Takes a Village, March 3, 1996 Complete transcript and audio of Hillary Clinton 's ' It Takes a Village ' Speech at the 1996 DNC AmericanRhetoric.com Hillary Clinton 67th United States Secretary of State ( 2009 -- 2013 ) U.S. Senator from New York ( 2001 -- 2009 ) First Lady of the United States ( 1993 -- 2001 ) Secretary of State Tenure as Secretary Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review Foreign policy of the Obama administration Hillary Doctrine Email controversy U.S. Senator Senate career Family Entertainment Protection Act Flag Protection Act of 2005 First Lady 1993 health care reform Hillaryland Travel office controversy FBI files controversy `` Vast right - wing conspiracy '' Vital Voices Save America 's Treasures State Children 's Health Insurance Program Adoption and Safe Families Act Foster Care Independence Act White House Millennium Council National Millennium Trail Arkansas Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families Rose Law Firm Legal Services Corporation Whitewater controversy Cattle futures controversy Philanthropic Clinton Foundation State Department controversy Onward Together Speeches and policies Political positions `` Women 's Rights Are Human Rights '' ( 1995 ) `` Basket of deplorables '' ( 2016 ) Writings Bibliography Senior thesis ( 1969 ) It Takes a Village ( 1996 ) Dear Socks, Dear Buddy ( 1998 ) An Invitation to the White House ( 2000 ) Living History ( 2003 ) Hard Choices ( 2014 ) Stronger Together ( 2016 ) What Happened ( 2017 ) Electoral history New York senatorial election, 2000 2006 Democratic Party presidential primaries, 2008 campaign endorsements debates convention United States presidential election, 2016 campaign endorsements political non-political Democratic primaries debates convention General election debates Hillary Victory Fund Legacy Awards and honors Books about Saturday Night Live parodies Family Bill Clinton ( husband presidency ) Chelsea Clinton ( daughter ) Hugh E. Rodham ( father ) Dorothy Howell Rodham ( mother ) Hugh Rodham ( brother ) Tony Rodham ( brother ) Socks ( cat ) Buddy ( dog ) Whitehaven ( house ) Book Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album ( 1990s ) Gilda Radner - It 's Always Something 1991 George Burns - Gracie : A Love Story Ken Burns - The Civil War Earvin `` Magic '' Johnson, Robert O'Keefe - What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS Maya Angelou - On the Pulse of Morning 1995 Henry Rollins - Get in the Van Maya Angelou - Phenomenal Woman Hillary Clinton - It Takes a Village 1998 Charles Kuralt - Charles Kuralt 's Spring 1999 Christopher Reeve - Still Me Complete list ( 1959 & 1960s ) ( 1970s ) ( 1980s ) ( 1990s ) ( 2000s ) ( 2010s ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=It_Takes_a_Village&oldid=810862426 '' Categories : 1996 books Books by Hillary Clinton Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album Simon & Schuster books American political books Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from November 2017 Articles with permanently dead external links Use mdy dates from November 2016 Pages to import images to Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Edit links This page was last edited on 17 November 2017, at 22 : 56. 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Question: who wrote the book it takes a village
Answer: Hillary Rodham Clinton