A History of Childhood: Children and Childhood in the West from Medieval to Modern Times
'...Colin Heywood'sA History of Childhoodis an interesting addition to the growing literature on children.'Children's Geographies'...A History of Childhoodrepresents a fine achievement and undoubtedly deserves a wide audience. It is an accessible text that is far more than the sum of its parts. This book is to be strongly recommended to anyone with an interest in the history of childhood.'Children's Geographies'Even-handed, accurate and well-crafted, this admirable survey strikes the right balance: simple enough for a first-year student, sophisticated enough to do justice to the material.'Roy Porter, Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine'A rich and timely account of a subject too long over-simplified by artificial chronologies and generalizations neglectful of economic and cultural diversities. The infinite diversity of experience from the birthing process to the grave, the trials and joys of parenting, changing concepts of what is appropriate and morally fitting are here set in context. The child at school, the child at work, the child as target of parental, church and state concern as well as the child at play and the child making sense of the world about him are all present in these pages.'Professor Olwen Hufton, Merton College, Oxford"This book is an invaluable addition to students on childhood studies, play, youth work and early years courses who wish to ground their concept of childhood in an historical analysis of the topic."Keith Cranwell, Thurrock College