Louis Menand Livres

Longlisted for the 2021 National Book Award for Nonfiction The Cold War was not just a contest of power. It was also about ideas, in the broadest sense - economic and political, artistic and personal.

The Metaphysical Club was a group that met in Massachusetts, in 1872. The group believed that ideas are not things out there waiting to be discovered but are tools people invent to make their way in the world. This book is the story of that idea

Pragmatism has been called America's only major contribution to philosophy. But since its birth was announced a century ago in 1898 by William James, pragmatism has played a vital role in almost every area of American intellectual and cultural life, inspiring judges, educators, politicians, poets, and social prophets.Now the major texts of American pragmatism, from William James and John Dewey to Richard Rorty and Cornel West, have been brought together and reprinted unabridged. From the first generation of pragmatists, including the Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes and the founder of semiotics, Charles Sanders Peirce, to the leading figures in the contemporary pragmatist revival, including the philosopher Hilary Putnam, the jurist Richard Posner, and the literary critic Richard Poirier, all the contributors to this volume are remarkable for the wit and vigor of their prose and the mind-clearing force of their ideas. Edited and with an Introduction by Louis Menand, Pragmatism: A Reader will provide both the general reader and the student of American culture with excitement and pleasure.

Exploring pivotal moments in American cultural history, the author presents unique insights into figures like William James, T. S. Eliot, and Richard Wright. He connects seemingly disparate elements, such as the success of The New Yorker and CBS, and the interplay between Larry Flynt's Hustler and Jerry Falwell's evangelism. The narrative also highlights the significance of the atom bomb in relation to educational assessments, while reflecting on contemporary politics through Al Gore's tenure in the White House.

The book delves into the challenges facing the American university system, questioning why colleges struggle with required subjects and why interdisciplinary studies face resistance. Louis Menand, a Harvard professor, argues that despite significant societal changes, academic structures and curricula have remained largely unchanged since the nineteenth century. This stagnation creates conflicts that overshadow the core mission of education, prompting a crucial discussion on the future of learning in the twenty-first century.

This autobiography offers a personal account of the author's experiences in horticulture, detailing significant incidents and reflections related to the field. Originally published in 1892, it provides insights into the practices and developments in horticultural affairs during that era. The work serves as both a historical document and a personal narrative, preserving the author's unique perspective on the evolution of gardening and plant cultivation.

Culturally significant, this work preserves the integrity of the original artifact, including its copyright references and library stamps. It serves as a vital piece of civilization's knowledge base, reflecting historical context and the importance of preserving literary heritage. The reproduction aims to maintain authenticity, offering readers a glimpse into the past through its original notations.