The Measure of our Success

June 1, 1992
To help parents chart a course for their children based on traditional values--self-reliance, family, hard work, justice, the pursuit of knowledge and of brotherhood--Edelman, founder and president of the Childrens Defense Fund, effectively recounts her experience and vision in essays variously addressed to her own children, to all children and to parents. Edelman, who grew up in the segregated South and was the first black woman admitted to the Mississippi bar, recalls the community of her childhood where one child's accomplishments gave joy to all, where neighbors took care of each other and where parents instilled a sense of responsibility in their offspring. In the introduction the author's son Jonah examines the value and pressure of being raised by an African American mother and a Jewish father. 40,000 first printing; $40,000 ad/promo; author tour.

May 1, 1992
"And so the children--my own and other people's--became the passion of my personal and professional life. For it is they who are God's presence, promise, and hope for humankind." These compelling words come from a woman who has been a civil rights attorney, who is a wife and mother of three sons, and who is the founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund. In this provocative, slim volume, Edelman shares with us her strong beliefs on child rearing and moral values, which grew out of her rural South Carolina childhood and her years of public service. She includes a personal letter to her three sons, who were born into a family with a shared African American and Jewish heritage, and offers 25 lessons, or "road maps," for life. Citing statistics on the tragic state of this nation's poor and neglected children, Edelman admonishes all of us to become aware of the mounting crisis facing our children, families, and nation. So what is the measure of our success? According to Edelman, it is "hard work, initiative, and persistence" and being "decent and fair." This is a profound and moving book. Highly recommended for all collections.--Angela Washington-Blair, Brookhaven Coll. Learning Resource Ctr., Farmers Branch, Tex.

Copyright 1992 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 1992
YA- -Edelman passes on the values of hard work, service, responsibility, and faith that her parents not only preached, but also lived. Her 25 lessons for life eloquently distill the essence of her rich heritage. Intended for her sons as they approach adulthood, the book is uniquely applicable to all races and creeds. The author's style is warm, personal, uplifting, and easy to read. The book has several uses: for personal searching for answers, guidance, or reassurance; for a curriculum unit on child-care; for a book discussion group. It should be required reading by anyone in a position to influence or change the future of America's most valuable resource, its children.- Judy Sokoll, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

May 1, 1992
Edelman, the founder and longtime president of the Children's Defense Fund, extends to the general public her inspirational message on behalf of families everywhere with the publication of this noteworthy book of reflection and advice. The author, a noted moral leader, reminds readers of their ethical and social duties to their own children and to those less fortunate, but she does so in a graciously matter-of-fact, nonpreachy way. The first part of her book contains brief reminiscences from Edelman's own childhood, a childhood filled with material poverty yet rich in spiritual examples from community leaders. The book's midsection is a heartfelt letter to the author's two grown sons, detailing social challenges they still must face, such as racial and class divisions, despite decades of efforts to erase these inequities. The book closes with 25 lessons to guide readers' moral and social consciences. Due out on Mother's Day, this sage work reminds us all of how to nurture and provide for our own and future generations. ((Reviewed May 1, 1992))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1992, American Library Association.)