However, at fifteen, a year and a half after becoming an 'autodidact', I can definitely appreciate the pros and cons of both homeschooling and public schooling, something the author seems completely unable to do. In my case, there are several things that I miss from public school that, while not impossible, are hard to do in my particular homeschooling situation. Sports and Music being the most prominent examples. And while I can't imagine giving up my academic freedom at this point, especially since I'm beginning college next year, there are details that Llewellyn either glosses over or doesn't mention entirely while describing unschooling, and many of them are important.
Homeschooling, especially teaching yourself, takes a lot of dedication and hard work. This is not an easy ride. The nice thing about public school is that information is generally laid out in a orderly, understandable manner. You don't have this when you're searching through your library trying to figure out how to give yourself a comprehensive education on your own. And the internet, while a brilliant resource, is even more confusing.
Llewellyn talks about how you can go from homeschooling to college just as easy or easier than if you went to public school. This is only true if you study. I don't care how much someone thinks that playing video games all day will help them when they're a game designer, if you don't have basic math and english enough to write an essay without dropping into webspeak, then you're essentially screwed when it comes to college.
While I'd recommend this to any truly desperate-to-get-out-of-school teenager, especially if there is no chance of them graduating on time or even at all, I'd also recommend that they read more than just this one book and have a good idea of what they're getting into before they make a commitment. And the more help you can get from learned adults, the better!
But when I read the book my reaction was one of sorrow and outrage that I had not had this book when I was a teenager. I gave it to my Mom to read and she is now a huge supporter of Ms. Llewellyn's work as well. This is significant as my mother is a former community college administrator.
Reading this book is risky, dangerous, frightening. It will open your eyes to truths you don't want to know and ideas you don't want to think. It will make you question the systems we have set up for education. It might make you quit school, it might make you wish you had.
Anthony Valterra