Rosovsky was the Dean of Arts and Sciences at Harvard for eleven years and was a professor of economics both before and after that. Although Rosovsky calls this book "an owner's manual," I tend to think of it as more of a collective biography of the American university system. His examples are biased toward Harvard, of course, but I think they apply to other universities as well.

Rosovsky loves the university. His vision of it is idyllic. He examines the three groups of people that make up the university: students, professors, and governance. He examines the role each group plays in the university and how the university effects the group. The strongest chapter focuses on students. It is spot on.

After reading the section on graduation, I felt jealous. I want to get a Ph.D. from Harvard, just so that I could go through the graduation ceremony and hear the president of the university say "I welcome you to the ancient and universal company of scholars" (p. 137) as I got my Ph.D. What a wonderful custom. My university has none of that romance.

Romance is the defining characteristic of this book. Rosovsky is enamored of the university. It really is a good overview of the university model for those in need of an introduction -- or for disillusioned graduate students in need of some inspiration.