This brief, thought-provoking collection evaluates historical perspectives in reading to show how current reading practices have developed over time and provides an understanding of the development of significant issues in the field of literacy education.Richard Robinson carefully culled the selections with several aims in mind: to include the historical perspective so often neglected in other texts; to explain the evolution of reading practices and ideas across time as well as in terms of pedagogical development; and to illustrate the developing nature of literacy education. Some articles are "classic" and noteworthy scholarly works, some represent the best of current scholarship, and some are the work of past and less known educators who have made important contributions to reading educators of today. The dialogue of these authors represents an ongoing discussion of some of the most important issues in the field of literacy education from the past to the present. To adequately know where we are today in the teaching of reading requires a sound knowledge of where we have been in the past. The classics in reading education will become a solid foundation from which current reading teachers can experiment with ideas and practices, clearly knowing that they have a reliable basis for determining the effectiveness of the new ventures.