Madeleineªs World: A Childªs Journey from Birth to Age Three

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Summary: An amazing book that will cause you to treasure childhood...
Review: I was so moved by this book! It is an incredible story about a little girl's development and her daddy's speculation about all that her words and actions mean. It is so insightful that it made me deeply treasure each moment I spend with my 6 month old. I am buying a copy to have always, because I always want to be able to go back and be reminded how precious each child is, and how important each moment of their lives is. You can see how Madeleine constructs her world from each daily interaction she has. It leaves you not wanting to miss a moment with your own child. I wish every parent would read this book, because I believe it would cause many to re-think their priorities and put their children first. Each moment is so precious.

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Summary: a moving account of the 'lost world' at life's beginning
Review: this book begins as a father's intimate observation of his child's early life, but on the way to telling that story, it becomes so much more. i'm an admirer of hall's fiction and his non fiction, so i wasn't surprised by the elegance of his language or his erudition. i did find myself surprised by this book's subtle humor and, ultimately, its almost tragic conclusion. it's not that anything bad happens to madeleine. but life happens to her. at three, she first feels the loss of a past--her past--that can't be revisited. and we all shiver in sympathetic recgonition.