"All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things" by Robert Fulghum is series of personal essays on a wide variety of topics. The author started writing random thoughts, observations, memories, and hopes many years ago with no plan to publish. The thoughts or essays were written for self expression and as pieces to be given to family and friends or shared with the author's Unitarian congregation. The pieces entertained and inspired people. Soon, the essays were traveling from one person to the next, making their way across the country. The fundamental rules of life, such as sharing, washing hands and playing fair began to find their way into elementary schools. One day, a child's mother found one of the author's essays in the boy's backpack. The mother, a literary agent, contacted Fulghum and asked if there were more things he'd written. Although the author never thought of collecting the essays for publication, the literary agent encouraged it and "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things" was born.

Robert Fulghum has used the essays to express childhood dreams, hopes, experiences, and regrets. The lives of the Fulghum children are mentioned with a kind of wistful sadness, and one can tell that the author misses those days when the children were little.

Observations on human behavior play a big part in Fulghum's work. There are stories about Mr. Washington, a neighbor, civil rights activist and lawn care fanatic; the laid back people of San Saba, Texas; the heroic Russian soldier Nicolai Pestretsov; the activist lawyer; Larry Walters; the man in a flying lawn chair; and many more. Fulghum's characters may or may not be embellished. The stories are so entertaining that the reader won't care one way or the other. The images are vivid and play like a movie. Each character represents a belief system and personality that will resonate and remain with the reader for years to come.

Fulghum is fond of pointing out ridiculous customs and behaviors. There are many frustrating habits in others, and the author must learn to deal with them. The book also points to the author's own flaws as well, making self-effacement a humorous act.

"All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things" is Robert Fulghum's most famous book. The observations and stories that inspired this book have also inspired many others, and the author will undoubtedly keep track of every interesting event to share with the reader in upcoming works.