Synopses & Reviews
Mark Edmundsons essays reclaim college not as the province of high-priced tuition, career training, and interactive online courses, but as the place where serious people go to broaden their minds and learn to live the rest of their lives.
A renowned professor of English at the University of Virginia, Edmundson has felt firsthand the pressure on colleges to churn out a productive, high-caliber workforce for the future. Yet in these essays, many of which have run in places such as Harpers and the New York Times, he reminds us that there is more to education than greater productivity. With prose exacting yet expansive, tough-minded yet optimistic, Edmundson argues forcefully that the liberal arts are more important today than ever, and a necessary remedy for our troubled times. Why Teach? is brimming with the wisdom and inspiration that make learning possible.
Review
“Mark Edmundsons lively account of the way we educate now offers enjoyment and enlightenment.” —Harold Bloom
“A heartfelt, beautifully written, profound, and often hilarious appeal to rage against the machinery of modern education.” —Booklist (starred review)
“Edmundsons accessible prose will motivate both students and teachers. Highly recommended for all involved in higher education; an enjoyable and inspiring read.” —Library Journal
“[A] deeply felt collection of explorations and reflections on an education in the liberal arts.” —Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
From one of the countrys great professors, a fresh, modern take on what higher education is for.
About the Author
Mark Edmundson teaches at the University of Virginia, where he is University Professor. A prizewinning scholar, he is also the author of Why Read?, Teacher, The Death of Sigmund Freud, and The Fine Wisdom and Perfect Teachings of the Kings of Rock and Roll. His writing has appeared in such publications as the New Republic, the New York Times Magazine, the Nation, and Harper's. He lives in Batesville, Virginia, with his wife, the writer Elizabeth Denton.