College and University Books

Great condition, useful information, easy to read quickly. I haven't found a better info source for everything I wanted to know about a college. Highly suggested reading.

After reading this book I have such a good perspective on the University of Texas. It really helped me decide what kind of school I'd like to go to, because it's entirely written by a student with other student perspectives (in the form of quotes) throughout. I don't know of any other guidebook that's like College Prowler and everyone even considering U of T should get this book! Even if you're already enrolled, it has a great restaurant guide and talks about campus and off campus housing.

My child is in high school and is currently looking at colleges. The College Prowler Guide for The University of Texas is the best thing we have found. It gives information about every facet of college life in detail, including questions to ask as we check out schools in general. Written from a student's perspective, it is a true representation of what you can expect as a new college student. I wish I'd had this sort of information when I was trying to choose a college for myself. I am recommending this to our high school counselor and to all of my friends whose kids are in high school.

This is the perfect college guide for anyone thinking of attending the University of Texas, already attending the University of Texas or just interested in the University of Texas. It is written by a college student for college students, so while it has the boring statistics such as how many students go to school there and average SAT scores it also contains the important stuff. By important I mean, where to live, where to go, what do do for fun in Austin, Greek life, real opinions about majors, teachers and classes from real students, even how hot the guys and girls are on the campus. It is the fun college guide and you should definitely not leave home without it. If you are a future Longhorn you will be so much better prepared for coming to school by reading this book-your new friends and roommates will be so impressed. If you are already a student, trust me there are things you will learn that you would have never known. And, the book is an entertaining and fun read with a lot of humor thrown in. I highly recommend it to anyone: parents, counselors, Texas Exes, and especially incoming and current students or anyone undecided about where they want to go to college. This book will surely help you with your decision.

Obviously, this author takes decidedly the side of the students when writing this book, which is badly needed when discussing about the malady of higher education because many books on higher education reform or investigation were not written with the undergraduates in view.

The first part of the book is mainly on student housing (and the author's view that lack of adequate housing destroys student community as well as a means for students to organize themselves to counterbalance the power of the university), which gets boring after a while.

Chapter 7 to 17, covering the various ills of the higher education, are the meat of this book, in my opinion.

However, the height and the best of this book is in Chapter 28, where the author compares the German universities of 1850 to 1914 to our current higher education and shows how strikingly similar the two are. Just as the German universities are excellent in generating knowledge but without a soul, and was subservient to Hitler eventually, the U.S. higher education in its relentless pursuit of knowledge, prestige and power is closely following the footsteps of the German universities.

What is urgently needed is deep and pervasive reform of our higher education. It's too bad that this book doesn't cover this much needed area. But then, this is not the focus of this book anyway.

If you were an undergradate at a research university you may have wondered what was happening to you - why the system seemed geared towards retarding your personal growth, love of learning, etc. This book will help you to understand why.

"I appreciate your guest columns and have been running them regularly in The South End's Commentary Section. I think your topics and viewpoints are meaningful to Wayne State University students and faculty." Becky Stempnik, Editor in Chief (July 6, 1999)

If are selecting a university or college this Fall, or if you are unhappy with your campus life or with your status as an employee of a university, you may want to read University Secrets by Robert D. Honigman. After twenty years of research Honigman, an attorney, has written the definitive book on the dark side of higher education. He charges that research universities like Michigan, Berkeley, Harvard, and UCLA unconsciously encourage drinking, bigotry, depression, and sexual assaults on their campuses to distract students. "They don't want a stable student community to develop because they are transferring millions of dollars out of undergraduate education into research and specialized advanced training programs, and a community would interfere with those transfers." None of this is consciously intended, Honigman says, but the results are consistent with using undergraduate students, particularly freshmen and sophomores, as cash cows for the advancement of science and scholarly research.

"Faculty and administrators can learn a lot from this book," Honigman says, "especially why some of their most successful short-terms goals and policies work against their long-term interest, and why democracy in university governance is essential to faculty health and survival."

But the main focus of the book is to help students who are confused and lost in big impersonal universities stop blaming themselves for their unhappiness or inadequacies. "The system has evolved into a soul destroying environment," Honigman says.

Robert Honigman is currently an attorney in private practice. He has taught business law on the college level for many years. He is treasurer of the Brazilian Cultural Club of Detroit. His essays and comments about higher education have appeared in student newspapers of UCLA, Johns Hopkins, Penn State, Berkeley, and Michigan, and in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

I really can't understand why this book has come out in paperback edition, so that more people might read it. I read it when it first came out and made me do a lot of thinking not just about affirmative action, but more about just how does any society go about providing ways to bring about real opportunities for various groups of people to access to good education and employment in the midst of adverse social, economic, and political conditions.

The author's chapter "On Meritocracy" was especially insightful. It talks about the need for a "community-based" definition of qualified, rather than an elitist-based definition. This means that when we talk about a community-based definition, we're not looking at just a person's educational credentials, but her ability to contribute to the community in which she will be working. Does her background or experience with that community mean more than her scores on educational tests or her access to priviledged edcuation.

In this regard, the authors write that, "Historically, the demand for affirmative action came from communities with unmet needs. Ghettos, left without basic services because of white flight, needed doctors, lawyers, merchants, and teachers who were unafraid to serve there. Ethnic communities found that, without community-based scholars, their history, their culture was ignored or misinterpreted by outsiders..." Without affirmative action, what we get are people who qualified based on certain instutional credentials, but they lack real talent or history with the communities they serve.

It's really too bad that affirmative action debate has subsided, for it really helps us to grapple with how we build an equitable society where people are not held back because of their lack of previlege or because their racial, economic, or social background.

I am a second-year student at Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles. I read the book because I was looking for solid responses to the usual arguments against affirmative action -- and I definitely found such responses in this excellently written book. As I read a book, I collect in a computer file quotes or passages that I wish to remember. I must have transcribed nearly one-third of this book. The authors present strong, fair-minded arguments to support the return to affirmative action.

One of their main theses, and a unique perspective, is to redefine merit from merely a test score to a myriad of qualities -- qualities that insure a successful and productive person and also that benefit all of society. The authors also point out that without affirmative action for women and minorities, we are still operating under the status quo affirmative action -- affirmative action for white males.

This book is a must-read for all progressive people who sincerely believe in a return to affirmative action. We must now make our voices heard!

This book is certainly of interest for its individual stories, and I remain committed to supporting A.A. Unfortunately, the two authors are rather chillingly smug; is it so remarkable that an African-American and an Asian-American who have both benefitted from A.A. are both in favor of it? However, as an Indian-American, I have seen serious problems which A.A. presents to Asian-Americans, which economically and educationally priviledged white and Asian-American women pay lip service to but do not confront directly. As a feminist I found most of this book compelling. Nevertheless, they should not be so glib in speaking of 'women and minorities' in that manner because it feeds the stereotyping conducted by conservative critics of the Left's position on A.A. At some point we, as women of all races, have to confront the genuine problems of classism within the ranks of feminism, especially the priviledged feminist elite. Prop 209 could have been defeated in California, were it not for middleclass white women pre empting the much more urgent protests conducted by minorities. 'Women and minorities' is a useful phrase, particularly when addressing political unfairness. But Affirmative Action should *never* be an excuse for the feminist elite (especially academic feminists, who hardly speak for all of us!) to use discrimination as a soap box for their own interests. White women as well as Asian-American women, are well represented as students in most of prestigious academia; it is in teaching jobs that there are still problems of representation. This is ultimately a somewhat sanctimonious book, and is obviously only going to please people who already share their views; it won't convert a soul, and so I can't help wondering why they would risk diluting the field (there are a lot of books coming out of the debate over A.A.) in this manner.

This book covers the history of affirmative actions programs in our country and the positive impacts they have had on all our people. Affirmative action is for everyone and the authors show that. One author comes from an Asian-American background and the other author from an African-American background. They are both keen observers of the American race puzzle. Both are lawyers and sharp when it comes to legal references. This book was a pleasure to read and gave me hopeful feelings about the future of our great nation. Good ammunition for those of us who are defenders of a multi-cultural society. We are not alone and the best arguments are ours. I met Mari Matsuda at a university gathering. She is a wonderful speaker as well as a gifted writer. I look forward to meeting her co-author Charles Lawrence.

Great book well written arrived on time in new condition

I bought the book for my boyfriend, he is a Penn State alum. So far he has really enjoyed the book. It was a great purchase.

There has perhaps never been a college football coach more associated with a single university than Joe Paterno is with Penn State. Of course, it only makes sense since JoePa has been coaching at the University for over 50 years including 40 years as the team's head coach. "What it Means to be a Nittany Lion" is a player's and coach's retrospective on playing and coaching at the school. It traces Penn State's rich history of national championships and All-American players, decade-by-decade, sharing fond recollections and stories by some of their greatest players ever.

As a Michigan fan, I have always had tremendous respect for Paterno and Penn State. They do things the right way with class and integrity, just like Michigan. You never hear about scandals there like you do at so many other universities where winning is placed above everything else. Each decade presents some of its most notable players such as Rosey Grier, sharing their stories in their own words. Grier, perhaps best known as a member of the Los Angeles Rams "Fearsome Foursome" actually went to Penn State to compete in Track and Field and was an All-American Shot-putter in 1954.

It was in the 190's when Penn State started to develop its reputation as Linebacker U with players like Jack Ham, Greg Buttle, and Matt Millen but they also produced great offensive talent such as RB Lydell Mitchell. While we all see the loveable, affable, old gentlemen, it's quite evident in reading these players stories that playing for Paterno was no picnic. Former receiver O.J. McDuffie even relates going home in tears once as a freshman because the coaches had been so tough on him. McDuffie persevered and became only the second Penn State receiver to earn first team All-American status in 1992.

I especially enjoyed reading all the players talking about how they were recruited and ended up at Penn State. So many of them talk about the values and integrity that Paterno had and how academics were stressed as much, if not more than athletics. One of the most uplifting stories is that of Adam Taliaferro. Taliaferro, a defensive back, broke a vertebrae in his neck making a tackle in 2000. Doctors gave him slim chance of ever walking again, yet a year later, Adam was cheered by over a 100,000 fans as he jogged onto the field.

Whether you are a Penn State fan or not, after reading this book, you will definitely know what it means to be a Nittany Lion.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

This is great book on Penn State's greatest players. Each player tells a story of what means to be a Nittany Lion. I love this book! It is for die-hard Nittany Lions fans or any college football fans! We Are...Penn State!

The book was everything I expected and more. It is great to know that I can count on my purchase to be what I anticipated.

This book is for anybody who loves football. It doesn't matter if you're not an University of Alabama fan. You'll still love this book. You can't stop reading it just because you think it's "boring". You'll love it by the time you're done. Reason being it doesn't just talk about football it talks about the people playing the football.Trust me you'll love this book.

The title of the book, "What It Means To Be Crimson Tide"...says it all. The book describes in true, "Crimson" the "Bama Tradition", of what it means to be a player on the University of Alabama Football team. Each chapter describes in detail a former great player, and what it meant to him to play football at Alabama. The book is never old; read it this year, then pick it up next year and it is still a great book to read. If you recognize names such as Starr, Jordan, Namath, Stabler, Newsome and Gilmer, then you will love this book.
Kirk McNair (editor of Bama Magazine) knows Alabama Football and understands "What It Means To Be Crimson Tide". Every true Crimson Tide fan should have this book in their library.

Kirk McNair not only knows about Alabama football. He can write about it too. In this book he shows how a good interviewer engages his subject, draws the best from him, and finds the angle that will captivate the reader. Then he uses his considerable writing skills to tell the story so that both the players and the readers will be pleased with the outcome. This book is a must for Crimson Tide fans. But it is also an opportunity for would-be sports writers to learn the craft from a master. Yes - he is my brother. I am proud to be his sister.

Women's basketball books occupy a special niche in sportswriting.
Writing about a male players, an author might ask, "How did they make it into the big time?"
Writing about women, authors are forced to ask, "How did they get here at all?" This question adds a new dimension to the stories of women athletes. Players as young as today's collegians have had to overcome stereotypes. Many played on boys' teams -- or tried to.

Gallaudet women have to overcome a double stereotype -- being not only female, but also deaf. There was a time when opposing teams would openly ridicule deaf basketball players. One player was devastated as a high school student when a coach from a Christian academy openly laughed at her speech. She made the team but never forgot the experience.

However, the players want to be taken seriously as athletes. They do not want or need pity or condescension. To Coffey's credit, the book focuses on basketball, not deafness. We learn how players and teams compensate for a silent world. They can hear someone dribbling behind them. Referees are briefed: players can't hear the whistle so they may not stop playing immediately. And players on "hearing" teams need ASL translators who understand basketball terms.

Yet ultimately the story is about the game: coming together as a team and working to win. Like any sports book, there are stories of triumphs as well as tears. We come to care about the players as they, like all college athletes, balance basketball and books.

Perhaps the most difficult story takes place after the book was written. Ronda Jo Miller, an All-American center, cannot reach her goal of playing on a WNBA team. In stories posted on the internet, we can learn that she earned admiration of players and coaches during the tryout camp. She eventually played professionally in Denmark, with a "hearing" team, and has played in Kansas City with an expansion league, the WNBL.

What happens to the other athletes? Playing on a winning team can change lives and I found myself hoping they will continue to feel like winners, long after the season has ended.

Wayne Coffey not only knows sports but he knows how to write tight, action packed chapters. This story moves. Interpersed with backgrounds on the team members, the history of deaf culture, the story tracks the team through an incredible season. I am not an avid basketball fan nor did I have any particular interest in deaf culture, but this book captured my interest from the first page and held it throughout.

A rare find.

Beautifully written that, at turns, is funny, touching, fascinating and absorbing. I read it at a single sitting.
Such wonderful character studies of the players, their families and the world of Gallaudet. If you like basketball, if you like visiting other cultures or if you just like stories that bring people to life, you'll love this book. Highly recommended.

This book is so good I couldnt stop reading it! It's an inspirational story about human nature, what it takes to be the best and something I knew nothing about previously...deaf culture. It's a well written, must read for anyone who has ever worked hard for something...hearing or deaf.

This guide provides some important information for African-Americans who are planning to apply to colleges. I'm writing this in October 2006 and got this book out of the library. Too bad that there isn't an updated version around. I think it speaks volumes about how African-Americans are disenfranchised in the college process. In my area, most tend to just go to the local community college or the poorest state college in the area. My feeling is that many people are steered to these colleges and very little information is provided at the high school level to encourage African-American students to research colleges and take a deeper look into the process.

I wish this book was available when I was in the process of choosing a school. I think every African American student needs a guide to help them through the process of picking the right school for them. This book gives them the feeling that every question no matter how big or small is an important one. Ms.Parhams comical antedotes also make the book believable and easy to read. I think every high school senior should have this book in their suitcase as they pack for school this fall.

Ms. Parham has written the definitive book for African-Americans planning on pursuing a college education. The trick is getting in and staying in...her thoughtful, humorous insights and practical observations make this book very easy to read. A truly gifted author!!

J. Wilson Bowman has done an exemplenary job of providing a comprehensive resource for students, parents, counselors, and educational advisors. As a mentor for an At-Risk youth group in the San Francisco Bay Area, I will definitely recommend that all of our students and parents purchase and read J. Wilson Bowman's reference guide. I just wish that I had such an outstanding guide when I was in high school!!

It is the most complete resource on Historically Black Colleges. Anyone thinking of going to college should review this book, particularly African Americans. After working in many urban school districts, I found that most High School Students want information on all of the options available to them. To Parents, Educators and Counselors who want to provide a full picture of the eduactional landscape, America's Black and Tribal Colleges provides great detail.

This is an excellent resource book to have,because nowhere else can you find the information compiled the way that it is in this particular book. The author has obviously done his homework. There are colleges in this book that many people, myself in- cluded, did not even know existed. With so many people looking to get a quality education without having to own a bank to pay for the tuition, this is definitely a place to start!!

This is just one of those books that anyone involved in higher education needs to have. As a student of a university that is struggling with just how to reach out to our community, I would highly suggest it to anyone who wants to spend some time and reevaluate the relationship between institutions and communities.

This book is well written and very insightful. It can defintely be used as a tool for colleges and universities to form positive relationships with the community. I highly recommend it!

David Maurrasse has produced a thoughtful study in his book which examines four rather different and distinct IHES (Institutions of Higher Education). By studying how each IHE serves its community, readers can get a good picture of the different approaches in use today. The IHEs--which include a state, an Ivy League, a private, and even a community college campus--serve as a fine set of baseline campuses for study.

Hostos is my particular concern, since I am a Dean at Hostos, and I am well versed in the challenges we face each day in serving our South Bronx community. I believe that Dr. Maurrasse has indeed hit the mark and hit it well in this study. I can, at least, verify his contextualizing of the Hostos mission and its community's needs. His method of becoming thoroughly familiar with the physical aspects of each campus and its history by closely interviewing members of the community as well as faculty, staff, administrators, and students is laudable. At Hostos I know he spoke to long-time stakeholders from the college community and the community at large.

The book should be challenging higher education policy makers to focus on improving community outreach strategic plans for years to come. IHEs can not afford to be percieved as "ivory towers."

"A Black and White Case" provides a comprehensive history of affirmative action of value to anyone interested in race in America. As the subtitle ("How Affirmative Action Survived its Greatest legal Challenge") suggests, Stohr tends to favor the proponents of affirmative action. At the same time, however, he shows sympathy and insight into its opponents. For example, Stohr's portrait of Carl Cohen -- the Michigan philosophy professor who first unearthed Michigan's statistics on affirmative action -- reveals that the intellectuals behind the recent challenges come from backgrounds far from the mainstream of the conservative movement.

Stohr also presents an account of the Supreme Court that in many ways outshines that of Bob Woodward's and Carl Bernstein's in The Brethren. In contrast to Woodward and Bernstein, Stohr lacks Woodward and Bernstein's instictive hostility to the Court's right wing.

Finally, Stohr does an admirable job tying together chacters and events covering a broad scope of time and space into a book with suprisingly strong narrative force. Shelby Foote once said that in writing, plot is the last thing that a writer masters, if he masters it at all. Stohr succeeds in this important respect.

This is an excellent book.

Whether or not we choose to acknowledge it, every student who has entered an American university over the past 50 years is a product of the affirmative action and diversity policies of our nation's education system. The U. of Michigan case that is the heart of "A Black and White Case" is a landmark ruling that impacts the admission policy of every U.S. university. The issues described in this book are extremely important to each of us as citizens. Everyone interested in the American higher education system sould read this book.

Greg Stohr provides an incredibly balanced account of the highly charged issue of race-based admissions policies. Mr. Stohr also does an excellent job of taking very complicated legal facts and analysis and turning them into a fast-moving story that non-legal scholars can follow and understand. This is the most important legal book I have read in several years. It is also a terrific read. I highly recommend this new author.

Stohr's book reminded me of an old television program hosted by Walter Cronkite. It reenacted significant events in history and he always ended it by saying, "You were there." I felt as though I had been behind the scenes as those involved with the two affirmative action cases worked for victory. Stohr explains the legal terms clearly without being condescending. He delves into the personalities and the politics which determine the outcomes. I especially enjoyed his coverage of the Supreme Court. Stohr is an excellent, fair minded reporter.