November 26, 2021

Looking Back - All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.


Nonfiction - Essays
1988 Ballantine Books
Read in November 2000
Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Robert Fulghum engages with musings on life, death, love, pain, joy, sorrow, and the best chicken-fried steak in the continental United States. The little seed in the Styrofoam cup offers a reminder about our own mortality and the delicate nature of life . . . a spider who catches (and loses) a full-grown woman in its web one fine morning teaches us about surviving catastrophe . . . the love story of Jean-Francois Pilatre and his hot-air balloon reminds us to be brave and unafraid to “fly” . . . life lessons hidden in the laundry pile . . . magical qualities found in a box of crayons . . . hide-and-seek vs. sardines—and how these games relate to the nature of God. All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten is brimming with the very stuff of life and the significance found in the smallest details.

My Original Thoughts (2000):

This is the second time I've read this wonderful book and it was just as good as the first time. Nice format of vignettes for evening reading in bed. Laugh out loud humor. I agree with his thoughts on dandelions and raking leaves!

My Current Thoughts:

I no longer own a copy of this book; probably gave it away when we purged our shelves before our big move to Oregon. Since I've already read it a couple of times, I doubt it's one I'll read again. I suspect it's a bit dated at this point.

10 comments:

  1. I recall reading this way back when. Honestly I have no recollection of how I felt about it so I'm guessing it was rather so so for me as well.

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    1. Diane, I really only vaguely remember a couple of the essays.

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  2. I'd actually like to read this one again. I remember enjoying it, but don't remember much more of the anecdotes. Nice reminder. :)

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    1. Jenclair, I'll bet it's still available in your local library.

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  3. This is one of those books I feel like everyone has read, pretends to have read, or just knows bits about. I put myself in that last category, I think. I may have actually read parts at some point. Or maybe I've just seen the poster with the list of skills on it. As cheesy as it sounds, I really do think we learn some of our most important skills in kindergarten.

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    1. Helen, I think you're right! And, I don't think it's cheesy at all. I know a few people who should go back to kindergarten and learn those life skills. ;)

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  4. I read this one sometime in the early 90s no doubt. I think I enjoyed it but it was one of those did not end up on my keeper shelf.

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    1. Iliana, it was probably fairly enjoyable at the time, but not one to hang on to.

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  5. This is one of the books I loved when I read it. I would love to reread it!

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    1. Deb, I think it's one that is worthy of a second reading!

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