Thomas Bender, a thoughtful and accomplished historian at New York University, published an interesting piece recently in the Chronicle of Higher Education attempting to explain why historians have lost their public audience. I have an essay on Minding The Campus this morning in effect suggesting that his explanation amounts to looking where the light is good rather than where that influence was actually lost.
Previous Entry: Obama Hoist On His Own Canard
Next Entry: Obamacare Hits Campuses Hard
What is meant by “Public” audience?
For example, one of my last, actually paid for, local book monger ordered, history books concerned Harry White, John Keynes, The Battle of Bretton Woods,”and the making of the new world order” By Benn Steil. (oddly the name Wilson didn’t appear in the subtitle)
It caught my eye via. either Mensa Book review, or The Independent Review (The Independent Institute).
Probably NOT going to see it On an Amazon, or NYT “Oooooo THIS is EXCITING!!!!!!” list anytime soon, as it doesn’t have “MUST be seen in one’s interview background bookcase” cachet, or (apparently) any “Must be purchased as a condition of graduation” edict.
Where IS the appropriate “public” spot for “history-you-would-NEVER-learn-in-school” books? (especially unadulterated Politico-Economics)