"[An] economical and nearly jargon-free historical account of liberal education in America."—Washington PostWinner of the 2016 Frederic W. Ness Book Award sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities"High school counselors ask students their career goals when they guide their college choices. In this deep and intriguing book, Michael S. Roth suggests they also ask what kind of people they want to be both at work and at home for the rest of their lives. Vocations are important, but so are values, enthusiasms and the ability to think critically about everything they encounter, not just problems at work. College leaders will read this book. High school students, parents and educators should too. Preserving the liberal arts is a fight that has to be fought in every generation."—Jay Mathews, education columnist for The Washington Post"A seamless integration of some very old-fashioned and very progressive values. Graceful, light, and serious, colloquial yet simultaneously high-minded, Roth strikes exactly the right tone."—Anthony T. Kronman, author of Education's End: Why Our Colleges and Universities Have Given Up on the Meaning of Life"Roth provides a powerful tool for advocacy of a liberal education for our times in the face of arguments that it is neither useful nor profitable."—Herbert Kohl, author and educator"At a time when the public is preoccupied with preparing students for jobs and educators often counter with stale defenses of the liberal arts, Michael Roth offers an insightful view of undergraduate education that is grounded in the wisdom of past thinkers but well attuned to the needs of contemporary society."—Derek Bok, President Emeritus of Harvard University