From the Back Cover

In this forceful manifesto, Hirsch argues that children in the U.S. are being deprived of the basic knowledge that would enable them to function in contemporary society. Includes 5,000 essential facts to know.

About the Author

E. D. Hirsch, Jr. is the author of several acclaimed books on education issues, including the bestseller Cultural Literacy. With his subsequent books The Schools We Need and Why We Don't Have Them, The Knowledge Deficit,  The Making of Americans, and Why Knowledge Matters, Dr. Hirsch solidified his reputation as one of the most influential education reformers of our time. Dr. Hirsch is the founder of the Core Knowledge Foundation and professor emeritus of education and humanities at the University of Virginia. He lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.