The Enchanted Hour
Imagine an elixir so strong that a daily dose makes your family smarter, happier, healthier, more successful, and more closely attached. Now imagine that you can have it without spending a dime.
It all starts with a story, a voice, and a place to sit . . .
From a beloved Wall Street Journal columnist comes a book that will transform your understanding of reading aloud. Grounded in the latest brain science and behavioral research, and drawing widely from life and literature, The Enchanted Hour reveals the stunning advantages that await people of every age and background when they partake of this ancient practice.
Meghan Cox Gurdon shows how reading out loud offers a refreshing, fast-working antidote to the fractured attention spans, atomized families, and unfulfilling distractions of the tech era. From a thrilling look at what happens in a toddler’s brain when a grownup reads a story, to the way shared books are keeping far-flung military families connected; from the imaginative transport of classic novels, to the rejuvenating late-life consolations of the spoken word: the evidence is clear and the benefits irrefutable.
Taking us into hospitals, homes, bookstores, and schools, Gurdon blends cutting-edge science with funny, touching stories of real families -- including her own -- in a compelling testament to the power of what Charles Dickens called the “spoken syllable.”
Lively and authoritative, with practical tips and reading recommendations, The Enchanted Hour will inspire readers to share this invaluable, life-altering tradition with the people they love most—and perhaps rediscover an enchanted slice of their own childhoods in the process.
Reviews & Accolades
“Don’t pick up this bewitching book!
It’s so enchanting you won’t be able to put it down.”
“This book shines a light on the incredible power of reading aloud for everyone – not just children. . . . A joyous book that’ll have you scrambling to the library.”
“Meghan Gurdon has given today’s parents much needed wisdom to raise attentive and curious children in the Age of Distraction. I hope her book finds a huge audience.”
“The Enchanted Hour enthralled and inspired me in equal measure.... [It’s] the most charming, gentle encouragement to step away from your phone, and into the embrace of your family’s most vivid imaginations.”
“Gurdon convincingly describes the importance and delight of sharing books with loved ones. . . . For anybody interested in reading, especially parents, teachers, caregivers, and librarians, this inspirational work proclaims its joys and rewards.”
“Parents and grandparents shouldn’t miss The Enchanted Hour... We all need to heed this delightful book’s wise advice. Please read to your kids. It’s not the school’s job to get our kids reading, it’s our job – and it’s a wonderful, magical act of love and caring.”
“Best Nonfiction, Author Award:
Meghan Cox Gurdon”
“This wonderful audiobook is a fully enjoyable listen. . . . [Gurdon’s] pacing is excellent, and her ability to maintain listener attention is impressive. . . .
An important and engaging audiobook.”
Meghan
Photo: Michael Kress
MEGHAN COX GURDON is a weekly columnist for the books pages of The Wall Street Journal, covering children’s literature as well as a range of titles for adults. A former foreign correspondent and a magna cum laude graduate of Bowdoin College, Meghan has five children with her husband, the English journalist Hugo Gurdon. She and her family divide their time between Maryland and Maine.
Contact
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