The Closing of the American Mind

By: Allan Bloom

Narrated by: Christopher Hurt

Length: 14 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

In one of the most important books of our time, Allan Bloom, a professor of social thought at the University of Chicago and a noted translator of Plato and Rousseau, argues that the social and political crisis of 20th-century America is really an intellectual crisis. Bloom cites everything from the universities' lack of purpose to the students' lack of learning, from the jargon of liberation to the supplanting of reason by so-called creativity. Furthermore, he shows how American democracy has unwittingly played host to vulgarized Continental ideas of nihilism and despair, of relativism disguised as tolerance, while demonstrating that the collective mind of the American university is closed to the very principles of spiritual heritage that gave rise to the university in the first place.

(P)1992 by Blackstone Audiobooks; ©1987 by Alan Bloom

Critic reviews

"With clarity, gravity, and grace, Bloom makes a convincing case for the improbable proposition that reading old books about the permanent questions could help to reestablish reason and restore the soul." (Mary Ann Glendon, Harvard University)

Excellent...Must Listen

This was an excellent listen. Every American should listen to this a couple times. Great understanding of what happened before the "60's revolution" and what drove that cultural revolution.

Worth the time

Excellent and spot on. This book some 30 years ago predicted the results we are seeing now in the universities.

Refreshing.

Fantastic book and amazingly prescient. Well written and argued. He was like an oracle to the present day.

Not a great narrator.

One of the greatest books ever written

I found this book to be highly educational.

2000 Years of Civilization is Not Good Trade for Moral Relativism

Professor Bloom’s thoroughly researched and deeply thought-provoking dive into the atomization and dilution of higher education as a result of trading the pursuit of the good, the true, and the beautiful for the new and fashionable “moral relativism” is prescient, challenging, and sadly ahead of its time in wrestling with the problems obvious to him 30 years ago that have now gone completely out of control in the universities and beyond today. For anyone that wonders how we got here in regards to post-modernism’s take over of the universities, objective truth not taken seriously, trigger warnings, micro-aggressions, 2+2=5, etc... this book is well worth the read. The writing deftly navigates between accessible and academic and the narrator is pitch perfect adding the needed gravitas to the ideas while also nailing the occasional biting satirical commentary on the current state of knowledge in society. There are surprisingly almost as many laughs out loud moments as there are “aha” epiphanies, which is a credit to the authors scholarship and skill. Excellent book. Will be reading again soon.

Understanding the cause of our Failing Education

What did you love best about The Closing of the American Mind?

The Author put quit a bit of Philosophical elements into this book. He discusses many different philosophies and their ideas impact on our society in the 1980's and today. It opened my mind.

What did you like best about this story?

It's not a story, it's quite a bit of Philosophical history and ideas that helped me understand why our education system is lacking in so many ways.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It is hard to listen to in one sitting. My husband has this book in print and he said it was difficult to read for him, but I got through this book in one week, which is astonishing for me. The narrator helped me a lot! I've enjoyed quite a few books read by Christopher Hurt and he did a wonderful reading of this book!

Any additional comments?

You really have to have your brain working on this one. It is a very mind opening book. Having some knowledge of philosophers and what each one has contributed is helpful.

Compelling essay on the importance of stewardship for all Americans who are defenders of democracy.

Bloom’s words during the 1970’s are so valuable and insightful for people today. The deteriorating condition of our nation’s moral compass has put our fragile democracy in peril.
The Social Contract required for perpetuating our democratic system and institutions has been attacked by so many groups that are only self-interested and blind to normal historical events that have bound us together through 2 World Wars, the Great Depression, and so many other natural disasters.
This is a great read for anyone who is based in Reason and Common Sense.

Slightly dated book, that still works for now 2020 reading

Timeless with info on where were and hopefully where we are going, as a culture.

Crisp thought, crisp delivery.

It's always a joy seeing the world through another's eyes. Our author takes us on a journey through a world I never experienced, and I thank him for it.

MUST read!

Bloom absolutely knows his subject and his audience. This is not a windbag polemic, this is an erudite and precision analysis of higher education in the US in 1980. 40 years later (now) you will recognize the sources of the carnage in college and public discourse proving Bloom was exactly right.

This is particularly valuable because we think our current problems the worst. we forget about public violence in the 70's and in colleges. This completely proves Bloom's principle assumption: humans always face the same problems and we should "learn" to address these fundamental issues through liberal education which, at least since 1980, we no longer have access too.