The Closing of the American Mind: How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today's Students

Readers should be forewarned that they will encounter the teachings of such great thinkers when they pick up Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind. 1 In fact, they will encounter all of these on one page, 292.And this is not an atypical page -except for the omission of Nietzsche, whose influence permeates the book. 2 If American education has really reached the depths Bloom depicts, such a difficult book should have no audience.After all, a reader needs a good foundation in both Greek literature and European -especially German -philosophy in order to appreciate Bloom's insights.Yet the book has stayed on the New York Times best-seller list for many months.Can Bloom be mistaken about the lack of culture in America?How has the book found so many readers?Perhaps the answer is that it appeals to several audiences for different reasons.Although the circle of Bloom's soulmates may be growing older and narrower daily, there are many others who will reador at least buy -his book: