This is one of those books that’s so packed full of insight that I’m not even sure where to start with a review.  Unschooled is, of course, primarily about unschooling, but it goes much deeper than that, making it a must-read for everyone, really.

The book opens up with a brief history of public/mandatory schooling, and how we got to where we are today.  This will be eye-opening to many people, who probably don’t realize just how new our current system of all-week, much-of-the-year mandatory schooling is.  The rest of Unschooled is just as effective (if not more effective) at pointing out how strongly our beliefs about learning are shaped by our current culture, rather than biology, history, etc.

There are a number of references, both to studies, and to alternative education pioneers, throughout the text.  However, it’s very accessible; it isn’t an academic treatise.

The first part of the book is dedicated primarily to a discussion of how children learn — and what they don’t need in order to learn.  You might be surprised by how much children can pick up without formal instruction, and even from “non-academic” sources.  Homeschoolers will find this encouraging.  Parents in general will probably find themselves inspired to provide more time for free play.  Many will be drawn to move in a “less-schooled” direction for their children’s education.

Lest you should be inclined toward discouragement because you are drawn to unschooling but don’t find homeschooling practical for your circumstances, the second part of the book explores some of the alternatives that are currently being developed.  Unfortunately, these are still a bit scattered, and not everyone yet has access to such resources.  But they’re encouraging, anyway, as a peek into a revolution that has already started, and which can provide some ideas for others willing to step out and make changes.

I really believe there’s benefit for almost anyone in America in reading this book, whether it inspires them to make specific, concrete changes in their lives or communities, or just opens their minds to possibilities outside of what we’ve come to expect as the norm.  I considered myself to already be pretty far outside the norm going into the book, and I still was struck by how strongly my beliefs about education are driven by the culture in which we live.  I find myself wanting to buy it by the case and hand copies out to everyone I know.

Unschooled is easily one of the best books I’ve read this decade.