The Knowledge Most Worth Having represents the essence of education at the University of Chicago—faculty and students grappling with key intellectual questions that span the humanities, while still acknowledging the need to acquire a depth of knowledge in one’s chosen field. The papers collected here were delivered during an often-heated conference at the university in 1966, and include contributions from such scholars as Northrop Frye, Richard McKeon, and, of course, the dean of the college, Wayne Booth himself. Taken as a whole, they present a passionate defense of liberal education, one that remains highly relevant today.
Although the title promises more that the book delivers, it is a great testament to the need of a strong liberal arts education. Written in 1966, it was far reaching. Sadly, twenty tears later, we got a book covering the same ground. It was called "Closing of the American Mind."