Savage Girls and Wild Boys: A History of Feral Children

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Not Exactly What I Expected

Remarkably Moving Book

A haunting and beautiful book

you'll find it used soon enough...

Humanity from the Wild Side

Savage Girls and Wild Boys: A History of Feral Children
Michael Newton
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
Experimental Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
History | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Children's Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312423357

Book Description

Wild or feral children have fascinated us down the centuries, and continue to do so today. In a haunting and hugely readable study, Michael Newton deftly investigates a number of infamous cases. He looks at Peter the Wild Boy, who gripped the attention of Swift and Defoe, and at Victor of Aveyron who roamed the forests of revolutionary France. He tells the story of a savage girl lost on the streets of Paris; of two children brought up by wolves in the jungles of India; of a boy brought up among monkeys in Uganda; and in Moscow, of a child found living with a pack of wild dogs.

Customer Reviews:

Not Exactly What I Expected.......2007-03-14

Newton writes well. I found his book worthy of reading, but if you are expecting a deep study in the psychology of essential human nature absent the influence of culture you will be disappointed. The book focuses primarily on the impressions of those who have encountered feral human beings within a civilized setting. It is full of folk-psychological analyses of the phenomenon but nearly devoid of any in-depth scientific analysis. Perhaps what I was expecting is not available due to the ethical restrictions on studies of human beings. Nevertheless, the book seems more an exercise of philology than psychology or philosophy.

Remarkably Moving Book.......2006-09-02

This book is well researched and well written. As engrossing as it is disturbing, this is a must read for anyone interested in the history of lost or abandoned children. A study of personality developement as well as a case by case study of some of the most interesting and well documented cases of lost children. A must read for those interested in discovering what effect isolation or early contact with others really has.

A haunting and beautiful book.......2005-03-23

This is a fantastic book, bringing together six very different case studies of wild children. It is a book about innocence and its vulnerability. Exquisitely written, Newton brings together each tale with a great deal of feeling and consideration and is a book that will stay with you long after you have read it.

you'll find it used soon enough..........2003-06-02

Despite the hip, appealing jacket and auspicious credentials of the author, this book disappoints. It feels like an academic toss-off, designed for the layperson with a fleeting interest, who will leaf through it like a magazine. To swim through the author's disjointed and often autobiographical slough to arrive at the occasional chunks of interesting stuff is simply not worthwhile. On page 9, the author describes his attitude toward his doctoral thesis (...I stayed up, slept late, frequented cafes in the long afternoons, wrote and unpublished novel and an unperformable play, watched far too many old movies, and diligently avoided my supervisor...) Replace 'supervisor' with 'lit agent', and we may have discovered Newton's approach to book writing as well.

It's a wonder that a writer could take such a fascinating subject matter and make it so annoying.

Humanity from the Wild Side.......2003-03-01

There are many myths about abandoned children who become heroes, like Moses and Oedipus. These had the good fortune to be found by humans and raised by humans. But there are other myths, some as modern as Tarzan, about abandoned children who are taken up by animals. Romulus and Remus were raised by wolves, and Semiramis, who founded Babylon, was raised by birds. Such stories seem to be of intense interest to humans, and when a real "wild child" is produced, it can cause curiosity, sympathy, and sensation. The stories of six such wild children are recounted in _Savage Girls and Wild Boys: A History of Feral Children_ (Thomas Dunne Books) by Michael Newton. The individual stories, full of contradiction and wonder, are all intriguing, and the responses to the children and their fate have something to tell us not so much about feral children, but about ourselves. These poor children lacked human contact when they should have been learning how to talk, eat, and behave; the result of such deprivation brings up profound questions about what language means, and what it is to be human.

Peter, the "Wild Boy" came naked out of the forests of Hanover, and became an attraction at the court of George I. He lived on for sixty years, described in 1751 as "more of the Ouran Outang species than of the human." He could say only three words, "Peter" and "King George." Memmie le Blanc was lured out of a tree in France in Champagne in 1731 when she was about ten; she seems to have been a Native American dropped for some reason by the slave trade. She could run and swim well, used a club to kill prey, and lived on roots and raw meat. She eventually learned some French, and made artificial flowers for her living. Victor, the Wild Boy of Aveyron was captured in the woods and lost twice over the years before being finally taken in 1800. His development is among the best documented, as a young doctor set out to make the wild boy social. Victor learned to say the French word for milk. Kamala was about eight years old, suckled by wolves in the Indian jungle, until she was captured in 1920. She lived nine further years, and learned a few words. The famous Kaspar Hauser had a strange tale of being kept prisoner in a cellar for sixteen years. He is the one feral child here that might be fraudulent. The most modern example, the sad Genie who was tied to a chair in Los Angeles until she was about thirteen, acquired lots of words but no grammar. What was going on in the minds of these children?

Probably no one knows with any confidence, but that does not stop curiosity or speculation. One of Genie's caretakers found her "unsocialized, primitive, hardly human." By the time we get to her case, we can see that the same thing was said of all these wild children, and that their suffering struck cords in those around them. But like Victor, Hauser, and Le Blanc, Genie was rescued, received intense caring attention, became a celebrity, and then was consigned to oblivion. The pattern happened over and over to the wild children who lived long enough, and seems to indicate that bringing such creatures happily into human society is almost impossible. Those who thought about these children, and they thought long and hard, were eager to examine humanity uncorrupted, as completely blank slates, but no one came close enough to understanding the children to make them social. We fantasize that we can reclaim such lost humans, or that they have the intellectual power to reclaim themselves; look at Mowgli or Tarzan. It must not be forgotten that these poor children survived under appalling conditions, and that can inspire some admiration. But humans need each other, and Newton's serious and earnest book is best at showing this simple truth in a new way.

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Prince Valiant and the Proto-Feminist

Prince Valiant, Vol. 28: "The Savage Girl"
Harold Foster
Manufacturer: Fantagraphics Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0930193121

Customer Reviews:

Prince Valiant and the Proto-Feminist.......2007-09-12

The Prince Valiant series worked for many years because Hal Foster understood the value of changing up his story lines by throwing in interesting supporting characters. Most of these supporting characters only lasted for several months but they always kept the story line fresh. In this volume, Hal Foster creates an early feminist character who is kicked out of her tribe somewhere on the Eurasian steppes. She leaves her family with only the clothes on her back but because of her talent she is able to survive and prosper in the harsh world of Central Asia. As this volume ends, she meets up with Prince Valiant and Arn in Baghdad. When two such primal characters meet, sparks are generated.

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Light Bulb idea, Short burn life
Just not all that
The Savage Girl Will Change Your World
For every cynic looking for some hope...
Pimping Paradise

The Savage Girl: A Novel
Alex Shakar
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Satire, General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0066209870
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Book Description

In the wake of her sister Ivy's widely publicized suicide attempt, Ursula Van Urden arrives in the metropolis of Middle City with hopes of starting her own life anew. In an attempt to understand the events leading up to her sister's breakdown, Ursula meets Ivy's mysterious boyfriend, Chas Lacouture, and joins his trendspotting firm, Tomorrow, Ltd. Armed with only a sketch pad and the mandate to "find the future," she begins an odyssey into the strangely intoxicating world of trendspotting where one lesson prevails: At the heart of every product lies a paradox, and when cultivated successfully, it yields untold riches. As Ivy's delusions grow stronger and more apocalyptic, Ursula's observations of a filthy, rodent-eating homeless girl -- an urban savage -- lead to an elaborate advertising scheme gone awry that has unexpected consequences.

Customer Reviews:

Light Bulb idea, Short burn life.......2004-10-08

Using the fictional company Tomorrow Ltd, flat characters, and a few true marketing theories (including Ernest Dichter's ideas regarding propaganda,) Shakker exploits "american-style marketing" as a dark, sinister plot against culture. This is a glass-half-empty look at consumer motivation versus company's goals. After finishing the novel, one realizes the reason we continue to read it is the thought provoking and clever ideas Shakker offers throughout the novel. The book itself is not pulled together as a compelling read. Plot and character development are weak; however, those intrigued by social motivation will find themselves highlighting and dogearing a few pages.

Just not all that.......2004-04-19

I tend to like this 'kind' of fiction, but actually outside of the author's commentary on world today, the story is quite a bore. I'm quite surprised at the extremely positive reviews thus far.

It seems largely a social commentary, without much character development. Perhaps the lack of character development is intended to parody our lives today in the materialistic world, but it makes a dry read.

The Savage Girl Will Change Your World.......2003-05-23

This book questions the very nature of image - something that (whether we like it or not) is a very real part of all of our lives. As socially hierarchical creatures, image provides the primary basis that we observe the people around us and judge ourselves accordingly. Read this book! It will change your world...

For every cynic looking for some hope..........2003-02-13

An amazing book with an intriguing central idea, The Savage Girl helps put into perspective every bit of chaotic thought-control that marketing has put forth upon us. Very funny and clever, I am going to recommend this to anyone who complains pop culture has gone to hell. I can't wait to read Shakar's book of short stories next!

Pimping Paradise.......2003-01-12

We do what we are told. We buy what we are sold.

Orwell introduced us to Big Brother. Well, Shakur creates a world of which I call "Big Family", whereby Ursula and Ivy discover the "paradessence" of life, which as described by Shakur, is that want and need are the same thing.

Customer Reviews:

compelling.......2003-12-31

A moving story of 5 high school friends set in Montana in 1934. The author faithfully recreates the feel not only of place but the emotional terrain of girls coming of age in that era. At first, it seems this will be a light-hearted book but, as the author peels back the layers behind the lives and friendships, the reader becomes aware that the issues the 5 face are serious. It all makes for compelling and enjoyable reading.

Great book!.......2001-09-02

This takes place in the ranch country of Montana and is the wise , rueful, witty, and moving story of five teenage girls coming of age in 1934, in the cowtown-turned-colledg-town of Missoula.

Book Description

When Theodora Harris's sister has a bout with polio in 1906, she gains the freedom to pursue her dream of working at the famous harness racing farm nearby -- but dressed as a boy.

Customer Reviews:

underbart!.......2005-10-15

being the first book I've ever cried to while reading, to race a dream holds a special place in my heart. I read it the first time when I was about 12, and I loved it. Now i'm 17 and even though I'm not a horsegirl anymore I still love it. it's also quite fun that there's a swede in it.. go sweden.. :P

A must read.......2003-06-22

"Girls can't drive harness horses," Theo muttered. "Stupid."
Theo loves pacing horses. Every day she stares off to the International Stock Feed Farm and dreams of horses. But her mother doesn't think horses are worthwhile. She's always talking about Theo's wonderful sister Claudia. Theo is furious. Then, when her sister becomes ill with polio, Theo slips away, dressed as a boy, to get a lousy job of picking things up around the stable. She meets Dan Patch, her idol horse, but it is still a tall ladder to her dream of driving--but Theo decides to climb it. But how long can she live a lie?
This book is excellent. It makes you feel like you are really there and feeling Theo's emotions. You can almost hear the horses snorting, see the sweat shine on Dan Patch's bay flanks, and smell the horse sweat. You can feel the horror of Claudia's sickness and the joy of meeting legendary pacers. A great introduction to the somewhat unpopular world of harness racing.

An amazing book.......2000-07-18

Since I'm not a big horse fan, I wasn't too excited when I checked this book out. When I started reading it, I couldn't stop. It's so well written, everything is described well and you get a real feel for the characters, especially the main character: Theo. It's inspiring, and shows that sometimes the same dream can take a different shape. There's a good romance going on throughout the book, which adds to it's charm. I definitly recommend this book toanyone, especially girls, horselovers, or aspiring writers between the ages of 8 and 15

A Feel Good Book.......2000-05-15

Since I'm not a big horse fan, I wasn't to excited when I checked this book out. When I started reading it, I couldn't stop. It's so well written, everything is described well and you get a real feel for the characterS, Especially the main character: Theo. It's inspiring, and shows that sometimes the same dream can take a different same. I definitly recommend this book toanyone, especially girls, horselovers, or aspiring writters between the ages of 8 and 15

Wonderfully Absorbing.......2000-02-27

This is a Wonderfull book to read, because it makes you want to find your own dream, and race it also. this book is 1, a horse book. 2, Romance(sort of). 3,half real! the Author is related to a person in the book!

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DADDY'S GIRL
Thomas Savage
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IQ6UJG

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Daddys Girl
Thomas Savage
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: 0345224973
Release Date: 1972-01-12

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Dyke call-girl (All star books)
Mark Savage
Manufacturer: All Star Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

A Feast of Savages: Where Have All the Young Girls Gone

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Mystery/ Crime Thriller
The Bad and the Beautiful in So Cal

A Feast of Savages: Where Have All the Young Girls Gone
Mark St. George
Manufacturer: Proteus/La
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0972203036

Book Description

Where Have All the Young Girls Gone. . . ?

Customer Reviews:

Mystery/ Crime Thriller.......2003-01-11

Although this book is a (very good) mystery/crime whodunit, the story reminded me of Camus's "the Stranger". The central character, in 1st-person narration, gets caught up in bizarre circumstances which take him to their existentioal "No Exit" (to borrow from Mr. Sartre). Anyway, the male/female joustings ring true, even if cynical on the surfce. And the character of Blanche Nyquist has stayed with me since I read the book.

The Bad and the Beautiful in So Cal.......2003-01-11

A gripping and chilling encounter with the bad and the beautiful in Southern California. The style is quick and lean, and covers a lot of ground partially explored by James M. Cain and Ross MacDonald. Particularly memorable is the Palm Springs- Joshua Tree sequence that leads to the inevitable ultimate crime, which strangely enough seems in its own way justifiable.

Book Description

Since time began, twenty Gods have ruled the  universe. Though each god possessed different  abilities, each was all-powerful within his realm. Now  one of the Gods has upset the balance of power,  leaving the others scrambling for control in the new  order...

Here is the epic tale of  the Great War of the Gods--and the proud people  upon whom the fate of the world depends. When the  God of the desert, Akhran the Wanderer, declares  that two clans must band together despite their  centuries-old rivalry, their first response is  outrage. But they are a devout people and so reluctantly  bow to his bidding.

Enemies from  birth, the headstrong Prince Khardan and impetuous  Princess Zohra must unite in marriage to stop  Quar, the God of Reality, Greed, and Law, from  enslaving their people.

But can Khardan  and Zohra keep from betraying each other? Can  their two peoples maintain their fragile alliance  until the long-awaited flowering of the legendary Rose of the Prophet?

Against the powerful legions of the evil Amir, Khardan and Zohra  fight to save the desert people--a fight  unexpectedly joined by an exiled wizard named Matthew and  the mysterious powers of his alien land.

Customer Reviews:

Trilogy has a lot of potential, an original setting........2005-08-02

Yet another unique and creative world is created by Weis and Hickman in this trilogy from the authors of the Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy. In the Rose of the Prophet trilogy, a divided world ruled by separate gods, each jealous of the others, is the scene for a dramatic story of love, pride, and deciet. While the plot and the characters took a while to fully develop, by the end of this first book the reader is totally absorbed in a world in which nearly everything is possible. The characters are well defined and likeable, and the story has potential to be a truly great fantasy trilogy.

While there are obvious parallels between this new world and our own world (especially comparing modern religions with the psuedoreligions of the story) and some of the characters seem a little mold-fitting, the story and the realm are both original in the extreme. Weis and Hickman are masters at creating new and unique settings and they have proved it once again in this trilogy.

Amazing.......2005-03-25

Have you ever heard of an arabian style fantasy? Ever wondered how a fantasy like that could ever take place? A fantasy where there are immortals, who are divided among the many gods. Every god chosing his way of dealing with his followers. One being a father like figure, one being the all impotant god, etc.
This Book is an introduction to the nomad people who follow the wanderer god akhran. When a war in heaven is forces itself upon man kind only the wanderer god stands in the between.
This first book tells the story of how 2 rival tribes following Akhran come together in their god's wishes. This was a fantastic read and i finished the 3 part trilogy in a week. Anyone loving fantasy will be sucked in to thin world that has a little of everything. Get it!!!

The only disappointing Weis & Hickman book I've ever read.......2005-03-04

I am an avid Weis & Hickman fan starting with Dragonlance Chronicles. I have read every piece of their work I have been able to find. This is the first series I have found trully boring. Unreadable would be a bit extreme but not far off. You've heard people say a thousand times "I couldn't put it down" this is the only time I've said "I couldn't pick it up" to any of their books.

A must read.......2004-06-04

This story develops in a different setting from all other Weis/Hickman books (think Al-Qadim). It's their very early stages of writing and it is fascinating. It is easy reading. Downfall~ Not overly packed with action. Upside~ It's filled with juicy & intricate plot. Having just enough romance to not bore the guys and totally entertain the ladies. If, like myself, you're a "lass" with a taste for fantasy, this is a must read trilogy.

Excellent!.......2004-03-28

This book is an awesome read, I loved this entire trilogy. But I am of course ignoring the blatant orientalism in the book... still comedy and drama in one make a great dramedy.

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The Will of the Wanderer
tracy and Weis, Margaret Hickman
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GRL3VW

WILL OF THE WANDERER (ROSE OF THE PROPHET, NO 1)

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WILL OF THE WANDERER (ROSE OF THE PROPHET, NO 1)
WEIS / HICKMAN
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SBKXIK

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The Will of the Wanderer (Volume 1)
Margaret & Hickman, Tracy. Weis
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXLWVK

The tools but not the will.(Book Review): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

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The tools but not the will.(Book Review): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
William R., Jr. Wanderer
Manufacturer: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc. on January 1, 2005. The length of the article is 894 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The tools but not the will.(Book Review)
Author: William R., Jr. Wanderer
Publication: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2005
Publisher: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
Volume: 61 Issue: 1 Page: 70(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Rose of the Prophet Trilogy - Prophet of Akhran - Paladin of the Night - Will of the Wanderer

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Rose of the Prophet Trilogy - Prophet of Akhran - Paladin of the Night - Will of the Wanderer

Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GZAEWS

Product Description

3 mass market paperbacks.

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