Damaris C. (Erinyes) reviewed Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know on + 279 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This book is not what I thought it was. It seems to be more for educators or people who are interested in what should be taught in schools.
The Most Definitive Book on Educational Theory of the 20th Century, March 19, 2006
Reviewer: Rene A. Navarre (Slidell, LA USA)
Every American educator and most Americans in general need to read this book. It is the most ground breaking text to be written in the United States in the last 100 years. If all schoolboards and educators used this as a guide, we wouldn't have a problem with public education in this country. Unfortunately, the people who need to read it most, will be the ones who won't understand its message. Such is the paradox in American education today.
Do not confuse this book with its companion text "A Dictionary of Cultural Literacy", which several reviewers have done. The original explains Hirsch's theory of "necessary knowledge" and the latter gives brief explanations of all of the items listed in his original book. I agree with one reviewer that a bit more information on each item would be better in the "Dictionary", but it is already a large volume as it is.
Rene Navarre, MBA
Instructor, Remington College
Reviewer: Rene A. Navarre (Slidell, LA USA)
Every American educator and most Americans in general need to read this book. It is the most ground breaking text to be written in the United States in the last 100 years. If all schoolboards and educators used this as a guide, we wouldn't have a problem with public education in this country. Unfortunately, the people who need to read it most, will be the ones who won't understand its message. Such is the paradox in American education today.
Do not confuse this book with its companion text "A Dictionary of Cultural Literacy", which several reviewers have done. The original explains Hirsch's theory of "necessary knowledge" and the latter gives brief explanations of all of the items listed in his original book. I agree with one reviewer that a bit more information on each item would be better in the "Dictionary", but it is already a large volume as it is.
Rene Navarre, MBA
Instructor, Remington College
David H. -
An readable and educated discussion of the problems caused in our society by the lack of the basic knowledge which Americans and their high-school and college-aged children fail to recognize, and what to do about raising that level of basic knowledge to a point of national pride. Contains a 70-page Appendix of the names, dates, and facts of basic knowledge that Every American should know. A work much criticized at the time (1987) as expecting too much from public education but, as the years have passed and the problem of the failure of our schools to address the lack of this basic knowledge has increased, more teachers and educators are accepting its premises.
