This book contains lectures that were given in Italian during the International Montessori Course in 1939 in Madras, India Her son Mario translated these into English as she spoke. The 75 lectures are presented in the same order in which they were given, switching between psychology and the use of materials. In “Creative Development in the Child,” Montessori discusses how India’s diversity of languages, social customs, and religious practice have enriched her research. She put her theories of adapting the environment, furniture, and practical life materials to local conditions into practice while working with children. In these lectures, Maria Montessori speaks with the mature wisdom of a lifetime spent studying, not just early childhood, but human development as a whole and gives a complete, wonderful and colorful overview of her pedagogy and philosophy.