'WHETHER OR NOT ONE AGREES WITH ITS CONCLUSIONS, THE CLOSING OF THE AMERICAN MIND IS AN INDISPENSABLE GUIDE FOR DISCUSSION, NOT A MERE SKIMMING OF THE TRADITION, BUT A COMPLETELY ARTICULATED, HISTORICALLY ACCURATE SUMMARY, A TRUSTWORTHY RESUME OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HIGHER MENTAL LIFE IN THE DEMOCRATIC U.S.A.' - SAUL BELLOW first published 1987 (us): author died 1992.