Terman's Kids: The Groundbreaking Study of How the Gifted Grow Up

I read this book when it was first published, over ten years ago, so don't recall all the details. But I do remember that it was enjoyable and informative at once, which many books attempt to be and don't often succeed. The individuals in the case studies were mostly from the Bay Area in California and I am from that area, so this does account for some of my enjoyment and sense of recognition. In any case, it is highly readable and very interesting from a sociological point of view and helps to explain our quest for high intelligence as well as the social consequences of those who possess so-called high intelligence. I am looking for more books with the same subject matter.....

This book provides a highly informative overview of Terman's famous study of high IQ individuals. Shurkin both critiques Terman's methods and summarizes his findings, in highly readable prose. He provides informative and useful historical context for each section, including some insight into Terman himself. His use of case studies does not detract from his narrative (a danger in so many other books) but instead enhances the various points he makes about Terman, his methods, and his subjects. If you just want to learn the basics about the Terman study, this is a great way to do so. If you plan to study Terman, this is a good place to start. A caution: if you want to learn more about gifted children and gifted education today, this book might be a disappointment to you - it is more a historical background to inform current study.