42 pages • 1 hour read
Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life
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Book Brief
256
Book • Nonfiction
2010s
2014
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Excellent Sheep by William Deresiewicz critiques 21st-century elite education in America, particularly Ivy League institutions, revealing their failure to cultivate independent thinking and meaningful lives in students. Divided into four sections—“Sheep,” “Self,” “Schools,” and “Society”—the book explores the stifling conformity among elite students, the purpose of higher education, the importance of the humanities, and the broader societal impacts of an exclusive, stratified educational system.
Informative
Contemplative
Challenging
Emotional
Unnerving
Reviews & Readership
7,829 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
William Deresiewicz's Excellent Sheep has garnered mixed reviews. Critics praise its bold critique of elite education, highlighting the intellectual and emotional deficits it creates in students. However, some feel the arguments are occasionally overgeneralized and paint an overly bleak picture. Overall, it sparks vital conversations about the purpose of higher education.
Who Should Read Excellent Sheep?
Readers who enjoyed Excellent Sheep by William Deresiewicz are typically critical thinkers and academics interested in higher education reform and student well-being. Comparable works include Academically Adrift by Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa and The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt.
7,829 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
George Eliot
George Eliot
A renowned 19th-century author who adopted a male pen name for her works, serving as an example of moral courage and authenticity in both her life and literary career.
Dorothea Brooke
Dorothea Brooke
A character from George Eliot's "Middlemarch," Dorothea is depicted as someone who takes significant personal risks to follow her ideals and create her own life.
Mark Edmundson
Mark Edmundson
An English professor at the University of Virginia known for his insightful writings on education and literature, Edmundson is cited to support notions of true leadership and the positive impact of transformative teaching.
Allan Bloom
Allan Bloom
A conservative philosopher and author, whose works critically assess American higher education and emphasize the importance of a traditional educational canon, illustrating broad appeal in educational critiques.
256
Book • Nonfiction
2010s
2014
Adult
18+ years
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