Book Review: The Teenage Liberation Handbook

Hate school?

Can't stand your teacher?

Don't see the point in all of those late nights spent on Chem 101?

Quit school.

     That's exactly was Grace Llewellyn advocates in her Teenage Liberation Handbook.  Llewellyn, an ex-school teacher who went through school herself, presents a rarely considered option to typical school: unschooling.  Following in the footsteps of John Holt and John Gatto, Llewellyn explains the horrible way American compulsory schooling attempts to teach young adults.  TLH presents autodidactism, or self-teaching, as a legitimate and deceptively simple way to prepare for life.

     The book is not perfect; in teens who cannot leave school it could make a bad situation unbearable.  Some of the language feels like it's coming from a hippie who has not yet out grown peace and natural living, however I thought it refreshing to hear someone saying something that desperately needs to be said to someone who desperately needs to hear it.

     I am already a largely self-taught homeschooler, but this book made me excited about my education all over again.  I had been content with my four-years-of-high-school-then-go-to-college-get-married-etc. plan. Suddenly, I wanted to travel the world, start a business, and go to college early.  That sounded so much more interesting than school!  Come to think of it, it might even be considered more "educational".

Pros:

*Explains the evils of the formalized school and provides a clear alternative.

*Presents practical advice and answers many questions.  (About parents, legality, college, among others.)

*One of the few homeschooling or unschooling books that speaks directly to teenagers.

*Demonstrates how life counts as education.  (I have a small gardening business, lets see, that's economics, writing, marketing, biology, agriculture. . . .)

Cons:

*Has the potential to make you feel horrible if you're still in school, went to school, are sending your kids to school, heck, even if you're a relaxed homeschooler.  (Good if you can fix your situation, BAD if you can't.)

*Occasionally comes off as condescending or hippie-ish.
*Mild language.

*It costs an awful lot on Amazon.  (Get it at your library.)