Engaged & disengaged

In this collection of essays, one of America’s distinguished scholars and critics ranges from skillful parody to serious discussion. Some of the pieces, notably one on “The Humanities,” engendered widespread controversy upon their first publication. A group of lighter essays includes a sketch of Bowdler, whose name has been immortalized in the English language, and an analysis of Pride and Prejudice—“Mrs. Bennet and the Dark Gods”—spoofing myth-and-symbol criticism. Pieces in praise of individuals render tribute to Arthur Woodhouse, Bliss Perry, and others. In addition, Douglas Bush advances his views on the state of literary scholarship and, in several thought-provoking papers, protests against the domination of our educational and cultural world by specialists, natural and social scientists, and computers. Whether writing with deep earnestness or witty detachment, Bush—who characterizes himself, except in politics, as an “unabashed conservative”—comments cogently on contemporary intellectual mores and on enduring values.