קשה להאמין ש 75 שנה אחרי שהספרון הזה נכתב הוא עדיין נקרא ומשפיע. קשה גם להבין איך הצליח בקלי להפוך את כתב הפלסטר הזה נגד ייל שכתב בגיל 24 שרובו עוסק ברכילות אישית ובטעונים חסרי היגיון וייסון, לתשתית לא רק של הקריירה של עצמו כי עם גם לאבן היסוד של התנועה השמרנית באמריקה. הדבר היחידי שניתן לומר לטובת הספר הוא העיסוק הרציני בספר ובסערה שעורר בשאלות בסיסיות לגבי החינוך וההשכלה הגבוהה בארה"ב ( )

Ezra Pound defined "literature" as "news that STAYS news." Buckley's expose--published in 1951--shows how little has changed in higher education; the only limit of the text is that things have grown so much worse than even he imagined. How have we come to an era in which students no longer read Henry James but study Beyonce? Or in which communism is bandied around classrooms as simply an "alternative" to capitalism? It's all here. Yes, the book focuses on Yale, but plug in any other school or even your own alma mater and you'll get the point. One of Buckley's best arguments is that higher education has become a product which parents purchase for their kids knowing full well that the product is faulty. At least it's not expensive. ( )

Well reasoned critique of University teachings falling far short of its original charter and mission. An insightful and comprehensive argument against the unrestrained teachings of collectivism by a faculty run amuck. Though written in 1952, it reads as if could have been written today. ( )

"... to my mind, though I am native here, And to the manner born, it is a custom
More honor'd in the breach than the observance," so says William Buckley of Yale's and, indeed, higher education's adherence to it's own, self-serving doctrine of "academic freedom." A surprisingly good read - dictionary in hand, of course - especially given that it was written more than sixty years ago. Both prescient and discouraging for those preferring individualism over collectivism. A new dark age awaits if we accept the fools gold of "Hope and Change" as intellectual currency. ( )

Although I don't agree with many of Buckley's ideas, particularly his stance on social issues; he still fascinates me with his verbal skills and his intelligence. All in all, I enjoyed the book. It wasn't as dry as I thought it be. His views back in the 50's were tame compared to the conservative right of today.