In the Basement of the Ivory Tower

The controversial book that crystallized the current debate over the value and purpose of a college education.

When Professor X’s article that inspired this book was published in The Atlantic Monthly, a firestorm of controversy began. Teachers across the country weighed in, some thanking him for his honesty and others pillorying him for his warts-and-all portrayal of the downside of universal college enrollment. The article was chosen by David Brooks for a Sidney Award, given…