Pipers at the Gates of Dawn: The Wisdom Of Children's Literature

by Jonathan Cott

More than ever before, Jonathan Cott contends in Pipers at the Gates of Dawn, today's children are increasingly "streetwise, TV-wise, and R-rated-movie wise... But an information-processing society that neglects to pass on the real wisdom of [children's] tales and rhymes from one generation to another... will eventually become desiccated, distempered, and self-destroying." Childhood, he reminds us, is the time of "our earliest and deepest feelings and truths... our link to the past and a path to the future." And it is Cott's belief that the best children's books are not meant only for children; they are significant sources of delight and wisdom for grown-ups as well. In fact, as Cott argues, it is adults who may need children's books more than their offspring "lest ther be no more Wise Women or Wise Men."
Pipers at the Gates of Dawn consists of Cott's reflections about and encounters with six extraordinary creators of children's literature - Dr. Seuss, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Astrid Lindgren, Chinua Achebe, P.L. Travers - and with Iona and Peter Opie, the great contemporary scholars of children's lore, games, and language. In seven broad-ranging, incisive essay-interviews, he explores with the authors themselves the lives of their created characters and the characters of their own lives. Despite differences in nationality, generation, and gender, all share with Cott an impassioned sense of the richness, complexity, and lucidity of childhood, and of the enduring importance of children's literature in the lives of all of us.

Genres: Nonfiction

328 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Michael Kucharski · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the last two monthsw or so, I have been rereading authors/books in my library: Cook, Lieber, and Vonnegut. The one exception has been Pipers at the Gates of Dawn. A non-fiction book made up of biographical studies and sketches of the giants of children's literature. Interesting, ocassionally amusing and frequently insightful but a bit too dry, bit too academic. However, if you want to know the story behind what are likely your favorite childhood books, I wouls recommend it.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is highly thought-provoking and provides a rare and intimate look into some of the giants in the world of children's culture. With strong literary and philosophical sensibilities, each of the interviewees provided not only a glimpse into their work and creative process, but into their worldview and how children fit into that worldview. It is a book well worth reading.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the introduction: "Pipers at the Gates of Dawn consists of my reflections about and encounters with six extraordinary creators of children's literature, and with a man and woman who, together, have studied in depth not only the roots and blossomings of this literature but also the lore, games and language of the 'savage tribe' [yikes.] of schoolchildren."

This book feels its age.

[Emma Goldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two chapters brilliant, on the Opies and their research and books into children' games and rhymes, and on Maurice Sendak and his visionary illustrations and books. Given 5 stars for those chapters alone.