About this title: The author of the bestselling and much-discussed "Cultural Literacy" follows up with a reference book on just what he thinks children need to know. Includes information on such topics as mythology, religion, music, geography, medicine, and technology.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Very good in very good dust jacket. Very Good, In very good dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 586 p. Previous Owner's Inscription. read more
Description: Good in good dust jacket. Very Good, In very good dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 586 p. Ex-Library expected imperfections. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Date Published: 1988
ISBN-13:9780395437483ISBN:0395437482
Description: Good. Good condition overall. No d/j. Some rubbing and light markings on cover. Owner's name on paste down or fly. Clean pages. Tight Spine. Nice Copy! . read more
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Acceptable. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Fair. Ready to read. Book has moderate wear with some use to cover and binding. No missing pages but may have some markings. A tradition of southern quality and service. All books guaranteed at the Atlanta Book Company. read more
"After I graduated from high school I went back and ask my rounded and extremely well-read English teach for advise on where to go from there (getting the information I felt I'd missed along the way). He tentatively suggested this book as a starting point, but strongly cautioned that it has been strongly criticized for telling "Dead White Males" history. I haven't read this cover to cover, but what I have read confirms what he said.
I still have to say that, for what it is, I like this book. For a reference book on "general knowledge" it is very well organized and easy to read. Information is organized well by subject. Topics cover many topics likely to come up in casual or formal conversation, at least in some circles or about some topics. Definitions are relatively brief and to the point, just as with any dictionary; this is not an encyclopedia. I guess it might be useful as a tool to follow conversation at a cocktail party.
My problem with the book is its obvious cultural bias. The definitions aren't deceptive or contorted. This is bias by omission. Setting aside scientific or technical information, the book definitely feels like it was written for white, suburban upper middle class Americans that don't want to be caught not being able to follow a conversation or have something to say. Hence the title: cultural literacy. It's Shakespeare for people that don't actually want to read Shakespeare, but just want to know the bare bones details to "pass" in society. Perhaps you can call it a Cliff Notes for Western culture. The literacy is the culprit here; unless it is meant tongue in cheek (and it's not) it implies that this is more or less the education that makes the rounded man, a man of letters. The title makes the implicit argument. Once again, it's not a matter of the information being incorrect or unimportant. The problem is that this information is packaged and presented to people who want to be "culturally literate," but culture is majority culture - dead white American, formally educated, upper middle class men of letters."
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