Stand, Columbia: A History of Columbia University in the City of New York, 1754-2004 [Hardcover]

Robert A. McCaughey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2003

<P>Stand, Columbia! Alma Mater</P><P>Through the storms of Time abide</P><P>Stand, Columbia! Alma Mater</P><P>Through the storms of Time abide.</P><P>"Stand, Columbia!" by Gilbert Oakley Ward, Columbia College 1902 (1904)</P><P>Marking the 250th anniversary of one of America's oldest and most formidable educational institutions, this comprehensive history of Columbia University extends from the earliest discussions in 1704 about New York City being "a fit Place for a colledge" to the recent inauguration of president Lee Bollinger, the nineteenth, on Morningside Heights. One of the original "Colonial Nine" schools, Columbia's distinctive history has been intertwined with the history of New York City. Located first in lower Manhattan, then in midtown, and now in Morningside Heights, Columbia's national and international stature have been inextricably identified with its urban setting.</P><P>Columbia was the first of America's "multiversities," moving beyond its original character as a college dedicated to undergraduate instruction to offer a comprehensive program in professional and graduate studies. Medicine, law, architecture, and journalism have all looked to the graduates and faculty of Columbia's schools to provide for their ongoing leadership and vitality. In 2003, a sampling of Columbia alumni include one member of the United States Supreme Court, three United States senators, three congressmen, three governors (New York, New Jersey, and California), a chief justice of the New York Court of Appeals, and a president of the New York City Board of Education. But it is perhaps as a contributor of ideas and voices to the broad discourse of American intellectual life that Columbia has most distinguished itself. From <I>The Federalist Papers,</I> written by Columbians John Jay and Alexander Hamilton, to Charles Beard's <I>An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution</I> and Jack Kerouac's <I>On the Road</I> to Edward Said's <I>Orientalism,</I> Columbia and its graduates have greatly influenced American intellectual and public life. <I>Stand, Columbia</I> also examines the experiences of immigrants, women, Jews, African Americans, and other groups as it takes critical measure of the University's efforts to become more inclusive and more reflective of the diverse city that it calls home.</P>

Editorial Reviews

Review

<P>fascinating stories of the past that seem eerily familiar in the present, even for those who have never set foot on the Columbia campus</P> (Katherine Reynolds Chaddock Academe )

Review

<P>McCaughey has assembled for the first time the elaborate mosaic that displays as it should be displayed Columbia's long and rich history. This is an incomparable account of a great institution rooted inextricably in a great city.</P> (Henry F. Graff

Professor Emeritus of History

Col, Professor Emeritus of History, Columbia University )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 715 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press; First Edition edition (October 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231130082
• ISBN-13: 978-0231130080
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.5 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #817,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who Owns New York?, March 25, 2005

By 

C. Hansen (London, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stand, Columbia: A History of Columbia University in the City of New York, 1754-2004 (Hardcover)

I got the book at my 30th Columbia College reunion last year, but have just finished it. It made me super-nostalgic for my college days. I feel that, while the first part of the book, up to 1901 when Nicholas Murray Butler took over as President, is somewhat dry, the second part, consisting of the 20th Century, is insightful, immediate, and riveting. I was there from 1970-1974, and the description of the campus unrest in 1968, 1970, and 1972 is right on the money. The fact that Prof. McCaughey could get oral histories from approximately 1950 or so through to the present meant that he could analyse events through considering the reports and opinions of the major players in that time. I would recommend this book to all alumni/ae and former faculty, administrators, and anyone who would appreciate an intimate portrait, a biography even, of Columbia. And, as the Columbia fight song mentioned in the title of this review concludes, as for Columbia, "We Own New York!" This book tells everyone why that's true.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Heavy and lackluster, October 13, 2004

By 

M. Skousen "author of 'The Compleated Autobio... (New York, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stand, Columbia: A History of Columbia University in the City of New York, 1754-2004 (Hardcover)

Like the previous reviewer, I too, a newcomer to Columbia faculty, was curious about the history of this great ivy league university -- how President Butler dominated Columbia for 50 years, the difficult Eisenhower presidency, and the student riots of the late 1960s -- and bought McCaughey's massive history sight unseen. Big mistake. Talk about a boring pedantic tome. Fortunately, I've found a better book written by a far superior writer: "Eisenhower at Columbia," by Travis Beal Jacobs. Now there's a page turner, with much background and history of Columbia in living color. Now if only Jacobs will write a sequel.....

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Too Many Details with No Focus, March 31, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Stand, Columbia: A History of Columbia University in the City of New York, 1754-2004 (Hardcover)

I read "Stand, Columbia" with much eagerness, but I discovered that the book is hardly reader friendly. The writer's talent as a historian is strong, and his research into the university's history is excellent. But what's lacking is a sense of cohesiveness and character. What makes Columbia unique? Where do all these facts and details lead us? "Stand, Columbia" ultimately appears as if it were commissioned by Columbia University Press to be little more than a sugar-coated celebration of the institution's 250th birthday.