The American Spelling Book

by Noah Webster

Considered to be the third-best selling book of all time in America. With its distinctive blue cover, it earned the nickname "the blue-backed speller" and was used over the span of nearly a century. This is an exact reproduction of the 1824 edition.

Genres: Reference, Childrens

168 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1783

About the author

Noah Webster, Jr. (October 16, 1758 – May 28, 1843), was a lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author. He has been called the "Father of American Scholarship and Education". His blue-backed speller books taught five generations of American children how to spell and read, secularizing their education. According to Ellis (1979) he gave Americans "a secular catechism to the nation-state".

Webster's name has become synonymous with "dictionary" in the United States, especially the modern Merriam-Webster dictionary that was first published in 1828 as An American Dictionary of the English Language. He is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the nation.

Reviews

[Shane Malcomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This masterpiece by the forgotten American founding father, Noah Webster, is one of the books that I learned the art of reading from in my childhood.

Webster is known as the father of modern education for America, and rightfully so! For he developed the words we both say and spell in the English language to be distinct from the "English English", and more of a "American English." A perfect example would be the British "Colour" being transformed into the American "Color."

Part of the book's curriculum is teaching your moral duties to God. Webster believed firmly in the Christian faith and saw it as his duty to help youngsters learn to read by reciting not just words of 1 or 2 syllables, but by reciting and memorizing ethics and Scripture.
One example would be:

"He who came to save us, will wash us from all sin; I will be glad in his name.
A good boy will do all that is just ; he will flee from vice; he will do good, and walk in the way of life.
Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world; for they are sin.
I will not fear what flesh can do to me ; for my trust is in him who made the world:
He is nigh to them that pray to him, and praise his name."

This is just one example of many ethical teachings (for youngins by the way).
Why this just shows how "dumbed" down society has become. Most parents shy away from this because it's "too gruesome" or "too advanced" ... well let me tell ya somethin', 3 year old's were starting this book and many of them still are still being taught. Even another fellow reviewer learned reading from this book.

Don't let the whole "Child" and "Youngin" thing scare you and don't let the age of the book scare you either (first published in 1783). If you are older, then this book is perfect for you as well; I still learn from this book.

Hope ya'll are enlightened and to sum it up; I do highly recommend this.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

As we strive to further the co-op to a school I find myself reading a lot of different literature. I was reading this and the New England Primer for a look back into the history of education. This is a very interesting book, I am amazed to see have far we have declined as a nation with regard to education (among many things). We must see the need to return to a classical approach to education and I believe this and the Primer serve as proof that it is possible and it has been done with out having to implement bureaucratic blunders such as "no child left behind."

[Tim Kruse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, we post all these books and never give credit where it's due... This (or some variation thereof) is THE book from which I learned to read. "a e i o u" Wouldn't know that without it. Two thumbs way up!!!

[Ginnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome piece of our history.