What Are Intellectuals Good For?

George Scialabba's recent collection of book reviews and essays, What Are Intellectuals Good For? has rightfully generated a fair amount of press. Though not an academic, Scialabba is extraordinarily thoughtful about intellectual life during the last half century. He engages with the ideas Richard Rorty, Noam Chomsky, Russell Jacoby, Ellen Willis, the New York Intellectuals, and countless others. And there is something about his nuanced interpretation that strikes me as crucial for the practice of the engaged humanities in general. Plus, the always sharp Scott McLemee writes a great introduction that investigates Scialabba's sensibiility.

Not much of the book gets into digital issues. But Crooked Timber held an online seminar about the book. I'm working my way through it still, but of course, it made me wonder about what role technology will play in the further development of public intellectual traditions in the U.S. and around the world. Does the online seminar work? How could it work differently? More of this soon.

I also plan to write a few responses to particular essays in Scialabba's book on Culture Rover in the coming weeks.

If the contents of Scialabba's book don't grab you, maybe the cover will! In this case, you can judge a book by its...