Michael Newton has taught at University College London and Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. Savage Girls and Wild Boys is his first book. He currently teaches at Princeton University. He divides his time between London and Princeton, New Jersey.
"Newton is a supple, intelligent writer, more an essayist than a scholar." --Laura Miller, Salon.com "Extraordinary...[shows] great courage." --Rocky Mountain News (Denver) "Newton is a consummate storyteller...[a] detailed study." --Publishers Weekly "This is a richly referenced compilation." --Library Journal "A collection of six, extraordinary individual histories, beautifully navigated." --The Evening Standard (UK) "[An] absorbing study...he shows a keen and sensitive understanding." --The Sunday Times (UK)
In his first book, Newton (University Coll., London) covers notorious cases of "wild children," broadly defined to include those raised by animals and others who grew up in the wilderness or in some form of solitary confinement. He analyzes historical figures ranging from Peter the Wild Boy, who fascinated 18th-century London, to Genie, who was discovered in Los Angeles in 1970. Chapters relate life histories and theories of origin but focus heavily on society's response to such children and the issues they raised in public discourse. The author painstakingly shows how mentors and philosophers used such children to develop ideas on the essence of humanity, evolution, racial hierarchies, and language acquisition. Conclusions about the factual truth of such stories are not of primary concern-the discussion is more insightful about why past societies were intrigued by such stories rather than what causes similar tales (e.g., Yeti creatures) to surface today. However, this is a richly referenced compilation suited to academic social science collections or serious educated readers.-Antoinette Brinkman, M.L.S., Evansville, IN Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
"Newton is a supple, intelligent writer, more an essayist than a scholar." --Laura Miller, Salon.com "Extraordinary...[shows] great courage." --Rocky Mountain News (Denver) "Newton is a consummate storyteller...[a] detailed study." --Publishers Weekly "This is a richly referenced compilation." --Library Journal "A collection of six, extraordinary individual histories, beautifully navigated." --The Evening Standard (UK) "[An] absorbing study...he shows a keen and sensitive understanding." --The Sunday Times (UK)
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