About the Author

Dr. William J. Bennett is one of America's most influential and respected voices on cultural, political, and educational issues. Host of The Bill Bennett Show podcast, he is also the Washington Fellow of the American Strategy Group. He is the author and editor of more than twenty-five books. Dr. Bennett served as the secretary of education and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under President Ronald Reagan and as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President George Herbert Walker Bush.

Reviews

Gr 6 Up‘Bennett has compiled fables, stories, and poems that have served as inspiration since time immemorial. Courage, friendship, loyalty, honesty, self-discipline, compassion, responsibility, friendship, work, and faith are represented, with an introduction and commentary for each. Classics such as O. Henry's ``The Gift of the Magi'' and ``Echo and Narcissus'' are indicative of compassion. A sweet, illuminating letter from ``F. Scott Fitzgerald to His Daughter'' lays out her responsibilities. An account by Helen Keller of meeting her teacher, Anne Sullivan, provides a beautiful portrait of friendship. And poignant examples of courage are presented back to back in ``Excerpt from the Diary of Anne Frank'' and the poem ``If‘'' by Rudyard Kipling. This old-fashioned volume may not be picked up by today's world-weary readers, but those who do dip into it will find that every generation had its share of problems addressed by eloquent and, yes, virtuous writers.‘Julie Halverstadt, Douglas Public Library District, Castle Rock, CO

Having scored a resounding success with The Book of Virtues (more than 2.2 million copies sold), erstwhile politico William J. Bennett now turns his attention to what his publisher deems the ``growing demand for character education'' with The Book of Virtues for Young People: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories; included under such headings as Self-Discipline, Responsibility and Loyalty are works by the likes of James Baldwin, Emily Dickinson, Victor Hugo and Thomas Bulfinch (S&S/Silver Burdett, $14.95, ages 7-12 ISBN 0-382-24923-2 July).