The Freshman Who Hated Socrates

I think I may have a new favorite book: The Freshman Who Hated Socrates, A College President Reflects on Life in the Liberal Arts.  This book hit a special place in my heart as it was about the journey of life at a particular time in one’s life… the importance of selection and being in college.  The author, Tom Gerety, former President at Trinity College and Amherst College, and NOW AT NYU as a Faculty in the Law School (damn, this is a great school students – he’s here!), prepares a beautifully crafted series of stories about the importance of the liberal arts college through moments in his life that are worthy of sharing and making the kind of impact that changes lives.  His concluding story about the loss of his newborn sibling and slamming the windows shut capture issues that all could benefit when receiving an unfair series of unexpected outcomes in one’s life.  I could hardly do it justice to give the 15 second review here, so you need to read it (pg. 247-8).  This book works for parents – hearing from a former college president the challenges of college selection, college life from day one, and what happens as you wrap up your college experience.  A recently published book (2007), he captures the world events of WW II to Vietnam War to 9/11 and how students have responded through the ages.  His section on the college community is a special read for those of us who work in student affairs reminding us why students should live in residence halls, the realities of alcohol use, and why dialogue is critical to the student growth process.  My son, Alex (11^th grade), will certainly be getting his copy before he finishes his junior year.  The read makes me jealous of how much I missed in reading Socrates and the Greeks, Shakespeare and Tolstoy, and the other great writers since the beginning of time.  Clearly a leader who knew students and understood how the liberal arts college plays a pivotal role in our society.  Get this book for your college-ready high school relatives and for those graduating soon from college, they will love it!  Reflection is the key to really changing and developing as citizens.  Thanks Dr. Gerety, I hope our paths cross soon at NYU.