cover image Straight Shooting: What's Wrong with America and How to Fix It

Straight Shooting: What's Wrong with America and How to Fix It

John Silber. HarperCollins Publishers, $22.5 (336pp) ISBN 978-0-06-016184-2

The nationally prominent, outspoken president of Boston University here passionately defends traditional values. While he finds symptoms of malaise in American society increasingly evident, Silber believes that today's youth will rediscover ""the foundations of morals, and many more traditional beliefs and practices founded on wisdom, hard-won through thousands of years."" In the section ""First Principles,"" he addresses fundamental concepts that govern individuals in society; ""Lessons in School' relates his experiences as an educator; ""Lessons Out of School"" is a philosophical examination of problematic areas of contemporary life. Silber is provocative and interesting, a straight-shooter, in this well-written, stimulating analysis of the American condition today. Conservative Book Club main selection. (Oct.)