|
In the notes, he cites the magisterial American historian Samuel Eliot Morison as "Morrison."In referring to the reproduction of documents at a time substantially before the introduction of the first Xerox machine, he refers to the documents as having been "Xeroxed."Meanwhile, Beam pays fulsome tribute to a variety of persons who read and commented on his manuscript and then to his "editors." To what purpose if they, like he, couldn't spot these elementary errors.Publishing has fallen on hard times. After all, what is a writer if he cannot summon an apposite adjective when the occasion demands. But, like many movies that go on too long and whose interest becomes attenuated in the process, the same thing happens for A Great Idea at the Time. If he is to be successful, he must have critical reading skills, most important of which is the skill to distance himself from his own material and read it afresh.
This reader was put off by the author's sloppiness in matters as simple as getting names right, in avoiding anachronism, and in making correct word choices. Alex Beam is an energetic, often amusing writer and one must admire any author's energy. "Editors" don't have copy editing skills, and copy editors are both a luxury and an almost extinct breed of talent. It's somehow OK to get it almost right. As an example of the latter, Beam identifies the attractions of New York City (and, therefore, of Columbia University) as "blandishments," instead of "attractions," "lures," or, better, "enticements." A quick trip to the dictionary shows that "blandishments" is not the correct word.
In the end, therefore, it is up to the author to vet his own material. Had Mr. Simply put, there's not enough substantive material to sustain 200 pages without many digressions and some repetition. Clearly Beam does not have this skill, or, worse, he does not care enough to make the few mouse clicks that will bring him the correct spelling of any name, or define any word.As a reader, the kinds of errors I have cited diminish my reading pleasure. He cites Dwight "MacDonald" several times.
The author/critic's name was Dwight Macdonald. They bespeak a lack of respect for accuracy. Beam spent less time amusing himself writing A Great Idea at the Time, and more time doing the tedious work in the vineyard of details, this would be a much better book.
Very Pleased. Quick delivery, in new condition as promised. A fun read for anyone interested in the Great Books. Thank you.
Beam follows the men through their lives, often to colleges around the US, including the University of Chicago, Columbia University, and St. Maybe because I'm young enough that I missed the Great Books craze, I didn't really understand that the Great Books in the title were the Encyclopedia Brittanica Great Books of the Western World, not just some great books in general. John's. (That does explain how the book is so short, though). This book tells the history of the Great Books, their selection, and the men who were instrumental in their selection, printing, and sales. I don't have a problem with great books, or even the Great Books, but I like them being adult ed classes, rather than an entire curriculum at a modern university. And although the book may have been a little disjointed in parts, switching between the men behind the Great Books, colleges that taught the Great Books, and the Great Books themselves, it was an interesting read.
My daughter was lucky enough to spend 4 years in a high school Humanities program based on the Great Books concept. However, the fact that these great books are the basis for so much of our culture and world-view means they are still the gold standard of truth on which to build a liberal arts education.Also, with the modern effort to deconstruct and rewrite history, keeping these books on the curriculum allows students to go to the primary sources, and learn what was really said and believed by the authors. The colleges (St. Johns in Maryland, for example) that offer the great books approach don't use the original published volumes described in this book. Too many times the pop culture inaccurately summarizes Plato, or Twain for example, and schools don't take the time to teach the actual writings.In our case, our daughter was so well versed in history, art, music and literature based on this course of study, that she found college to be a natural extension of that experience, and has thrived there. We give a lot of credit to the men in "A Great Idea at the Time" who preserved the notion of foundational materials that teach a civilized society.
I bought this book because I've been teaching the Great Books on the college level for ten years.I sold it the day after I read it.this book is bad.real bad.why. Simple - some topics are just too grand for some writers.the author is way in over his head on this topic.he speaks about the Great Books series the same way an ignorant college freshman would speak about the first class that asks him to read something more than six pages long and written above an eighth grade level.I am genuinely embarrassed for the writer and publishing company.his flippant, glib, and arrogant dismissal of weighty ideas and attempts to better a society are dismissed the way all small people dismiss things greater than themselves.by the way, the author puts forth no ideas or agendas whatsoever to better society.do yourself a favor and read a great book and not a terrible book about the Great Books
|
