Rating: 
Summary: Parents already know this - teachers need to wake up!
Review: A couple of the previous reviews demonstrate why this book is still needed more than a decade after its publication. Our schools are still dominated by people who don't think you have to know anything in order to be educated. They think a teacher can train a brain to be an empty vessel in which interchangeable knowledge can be accurately processed. They are wrong. The "content vs. process" debate has been at the heart of educational controversy for a long time. In the schools of education at universities, the "process" theory has dominated for well over half a century, despite the efforts of the educationists to portray process as the "innovative" approach and content as "traditional". The objectively demonstrable decline in educational achievement in the United States correlates almost perfectly with the acceptance of the "process" approach. Hirsch believes in content. He describes persuasively and articulately why content is in fact prerequisite to learning "how to think". Perhaps more importantly, he argues that a good part of the achievement gap between children from rich and/or white families and poor and/or minority families can be attributed to the greater fund of concrete facts with which the more privileged children arrive in school. Most learning is done largely by comparing and contrasting new ideas with things we already know, or by describing a new concept by use of an example that we already know. The concrete facts and names that the student recognizes constitute her learning vocabulary. A smaller vocabulary means a smaller number of learning resources. Hirsch includes in the book a preliminary list (which he expanded in a subsequent book) of terms and names with which any educated person should be familiar. A previous reviewer complained that Babe Ruth was included and Hank Aaron wasn't. Obviously, she missed the point. Her complaint points up the difference between education as education, and education as propaganda. People - yes, both black and white - communicate ideas and images by using Babe Ruth as an example or as a metaphor; they don't do that with Hank Aaron. At the peak of his popularity, Babe Ruth was probably the most famous person in America, not even excepting the President of the United States. Hank Aaron never was, whether he deserved to be or not. (It is also easily demonstrated that Babe Ruth was a better baseball player than Hank Aaron, but that misses the point.) You can argue that soccer and chess are better games than baseball, but we don't communicate ideas and knowledge by using any particular soccer players or chess players as examples. Almost all young people today know who Elvis Presley was, but a shameful number of them can't identify Chuck Berry. Be that as it may, knowing the name of Elvis Presley is more important in communicating knowledge and ideas in our culture than knowing the name of Chuck Berry. And OF COURSE the book is elitist! My word, how could ANYONE who is not an elitist EVER be allowed to have ANY influence over educational policy??? Elitism means a respect for excellence, a respect for standards, and a respect for achievement. Elitism means that knowing is better than not knowing, and that success is better than failure. Elitism is exactly what education is all about. Hirsch hasn't forgotten that; unfortunately many teachers and some reviewers have.
Rating:
Summary: Flawed list but dead-on central thesis: a must read!
Review: A great irony, while reading several of the negative criticisms of Hirsch's controversial position, occurs when one considers that these critics would simply be unable to attack without being the embodiment of Hirsch's central postion: that reaching the higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy requires a set body of knowledge. Analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information is literally impossible without first knowing, comprehending and applying. A fine example is in the medical profession where the first year focuses narrowly on the rote memorization of the body. Without a set knowledge (knowing) of anatomy and the related maladies it is impossible to make effective diagnosis (analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating). As an educator I have experienced first hand the industry driven mandate to produce a more effective group of critical and creative thinkers. In the process we have tragically discovered that such an endeavor is impossible without first teaching content. The kernal of Hirsch's position is that critical and creative thinking are absolutely intertwined with specific content. We as educators, parents and members of society are cheating our children and our futures if we fail to mutually and communaly provide a central frame of reference (or schema). Without such a frame of reference, contribution to and therefore extension of our culture will become but a distant memory. We have been asked to focus upon the process of guess and go and the cult of the "How did you arrive at that solution?" over the precise "what are we putting into their heads". This is of course saying nothing of the cult of the self esteem. The result? I have seen the result as manifested in declining test scores, a rise of self absorbtion and an ever narrowing of world awareness. Hirsch is not an elitist, in fact he strongly asserts (repeatedly) that it is indeed providing all students (and one of the beautiful facts of American Public Education is that "All" means ALL) with the same basic frame of reference enables them to take control over their lives and contribute actively as producers as opposed to passive consumers. Having a common base of knowledge unites us all and crosses all boundries. It is that common fram of reference that defines our culture and truly creates a pluralistic society. Hirsch provides plenty of qualitative and quantitative evidence to support his postion. His Bibliography and related sources are also most helpful. Coming from a state that uses a prescribed reading assessment, I found his analysis of a reading selection describing Lee's surrender at Appomattox most illustrative of the need for more content based education. Hirsch and his fellow researchers found that the test takers were not able to construct (higher levels of Bloom) a great amount meaning due to their ignorance of even a basic knowlege of the American Civil War. As an acting teacher, I have found that the individuals who have the greater knowledge of history, art, literature and general culture are able to produce far more nuanced and complete peformance. There is no way to stage a compelling play set during World War II without first researching the period. Where Hirsch has drawn the most criticism is in his list (fleshed out in greater detail in his equally fascinating "Dictionary of Cultural Literacy"). In this list, Hirsch prescribes what he defines as the core knowledge. And of course any time someone goes out on a limb to make such a proclimation, there will be great holes (I believe Steinbeck is far more important - he isn't listed- than Norman Mailer - he is). But at least, Hirsch provides a starting point for creating specific curriculumn. Again, attacking Hirsch's critics, how does one know what isn't on the list if they haven't first learned that concept. At any rate, whether one will agree with Hirsch or disagree, "Cultural Literacy" is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: The critics miss the point.
Review: An excellent book. And, the critics of this book miss the point. You are reading this review because you have developed the skill to recognize the meaning of words printed on the page. Try this experiment. Pick up any magazine or journal like The New Yorker, or something of similar quality, and circle every allusion that you recognize or recognize but don't understand the meaning. For example, allusions like "Catch 22" or "Oedipus complex." The pages, when you are done, should be covered with circles. The better educated you are, the better read you are, the more you know, the more you will recognize. This is your intellectual vocabulary. Just as it would be difficult to read anything if you did not understand the words you were reading, so too is it difficult to understand ideas without a good intellectual vocabulary. This book list what is essentially a basic intellectual vocabulary. And, rightly or wrongly, the intellectual material alluded to in most of our daily reading comes from the material listed. Consider this chauvanistic if you wish; regardless, it is a fact. And that, is the point.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is a must read for parents and teachers
Review: As a future educator it is very important to familiarize oneself with various educational theories and this is one that definitely should be included one's repetoire. The concept of cultural literacy is very controversial in many ways, but it is well worth the discussion that it inspires. This book is bound to evoke a strong response from its readers.
Rating:
Summary: Valuable resource.
Review: As other reviewers have noted, there is something shaky (and a little shady) about E.D. Hirsch's argument and intention for compiling this book. And there's something a bit presumptuous about the subtitle. But to be honest, I could care less. The real value of "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know" is as a resource for people who want to know what exactly others mean when they use expressions or make cultural references. It is irrelevant WHY some people don't know these references. Maybe because they're young (although I don't believe it's a generational issue). And the PC will scream and whine that the book doesn't have enough entries about lesser known cultures. The fact is that writers, journalists, politicians, religious leaders, et al., make these references when they are trying to illustrate a point. This book, for whatever its intention, gives the reader/listener a place to turn. And that's enough of a reason. And on that level, "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know" works just fine!
Rating: 
Summary: You may become the life of the party. More likely you'll
Review: be a crushing bore if you follow Mr. Hirsch's path to cultural literacy. By his criteria we're all pretty cultural illiterate & the next generation still in school even more so.
So what?
We can accomplish much of what he wants through better schools & a well rounded, rigorous education for all students. Adding courses on cultural literacy is not going to happen nor is it necessary given the pinch in $$$ & time these days in most school systems.
Being culturally literate is fine, but it gives you no pratical skills or training except perhaps to make you more charming. However, Mr. Hirsch doesn't sound particularly charming.
The very arbitrariness of what constitutes cultural literacy according to Mr. Hirsch & his experts is flawed & quite off putting. He does not seem to acknowledge that cultural literacy constantly changes which makes a book like this obsolete before itis published. Subjects could be added & subtracted weekly. It should not merely be a list of historic factoids. When he decided to recite cultural words from a to z, I tuned out. For several cassettes & hours he droned on. I quit this audio version before he got to b.
Rating:
Summary: You may become the life of the party. More likely you'll
Review: be a crushing bore if you follow Mr. Hirsch's path to cultural literacy. By his criteria we're all pretty cultural illiterate & the next generation still in school even more so.
So what?
We can accomplish much of what he wants through better schools & a well rounded, rigorous education for all students. Adding courses on cultural literacy is not going to happen nor is it necessary given the pinch in $$$ & time these days in most school systems.
Being culturally literate is fine, but it gives you no pratical skills or training except perhaps to make you more charming. However, Mr. Hirsch doesn't sound particularly charming.
The very arbitrariness of what constitutes cultural literacy according to Mr. Hirsch & his experts is flawed & quite off putting. He does not seem to acknowledge that cultural literacy constantly changes which makes a book like this obsolete before itis published. Subjects could be added & subtracted weekly. It should not merely be a list of historic factoids. When he decided to recite cultural words from a to z, I tuned out. For several cassettes & hours he droned on. I quit this audio version before he got to b.
Rating:
Summary: Cultural Literacy: Who Decides What We Need to Know?
Review: E. D. Hirsh has unwittingly done a great service to the legions of history teachers who are both astounded and saddened that their students do not know in which century the American Civil War was fought. Clearly, Hirsh is correct as he bemoans the American students who lack not only grammatical, logical, and cognitive modes of thought but also a cultural context with which to ponder them. But I am concerned that he tries to do something about it in a piecemeal way that smacks of cultural elitism. Yes, I am concerned that the majority of American high school graduates cannot place Shakespeare's 'tide in the affairs of men' quote from "Julius Caesar," but perhaps not so much as he is. Although I like to think of myself as reasonably erudite at the ripe age of 53, I do not seem to remember that at the age of 17, I could identify that quote either. Learning in a way that allows the learner to pull together a myriad of literary, scientific, and historical strands is an ongoing process that probably never reaches full fruition. As I read the back of his book that constitutes a list of What Literate Americans Know, I was rather pleased that I was familiar with most, but I immediately tempered my egotistical enthusiasm with the sobering thought that many of these entries I learned somewhat late in life. This rather long learning curve may in fact be typical of most college educated Americans, who learned most of the really important stuff after they hung their degree on the wall. My greatest fear of this list is that an increasingly politically correct educational establishment will treat it as do high school teachers who must get their students to pass a series of basic skills tests as a prerequisite for graduation. 'Teaching to the test' may indeed result in the next generation of students doing quite well on quiz shows like "Jeopardy" but I fear that mastery of a sliced and segmented arc of someone's opinion of what constitutes a true cross-section of American culture may take precedence over a reasoned approach to that same arc.
Rating: 
Summary: Warning: Deceptive title
Review: Eek! I thought this book would include "What Every American Needs to Know," since that's the subtitle. Stuff like: "Zeitgeist means 'spirit of the time,' from the German zeit, meaning time, and geist, meaning soul or spirit." Instead, Hirsch's book merely *lists* Zeitgeist as a concept we should understand. Um... so why isn't the subtitle "A LIST of What Every American Needs to Know, But Not the Actual Information." Finally, was there really no way for Hirsch to make his points without veiled insults at his son? Why does he need to mention his son at all? I came away from this book... poorer and with a sour taste in my mouth.
Rating:
Summary: Warning: Deceptive title
Review: Eek! I thought this book would include "What Every American Needs to Know," since that's the subtitle. Stuff like: "Zeitgeist means 'spirit of the time,' from the German zeit, meaning time, and geist, meaning soul or spirit." Instead, Hirsch's book merely *lists* Zeitgeist as a concept we should understand. Um... so why isn't the subtitle "A LIST of What Every American Needs to Know, But Not the Actual Information." Finally, was there really no way for Hirsch to make his points without veiled insults at his son? Why does he need to mention his son at all? I came away from this book... poorer and with a sour taste in my mouth.
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