Being Catholic, Being American: The Notre Dame Story, 1842-1934 (Mary and Tim Gray Series for the Study of Catholic Higher Education, Vol 1) (v. 1) (Hardcover)

by Robert E. Burns (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The history of the University of Notre Dame from 1842 to 1934 mirrors in many ways the history of American Catholicism during those years. For reasons having to do more with football than religion, most Americans think first of Notre Dame when they think of Catholic universities. Burns, a former Notre Dame faculty member and longtime columnist for U.S. Catholic magazine, traces the emergence of American Catholics from a minority status in society to the elevation of Notre Dame as a great American university. He argues that having one of the most successful college football teams in history helped establish Notre Dame's popularity and reputation in American culture and history. Burns keeps the reader entranced with a narrative filled with lively characters and events. Here we meet Notre Dame founder Reverend Edward Sorin, the KKK in Indiana, Knute Rockne and a host of other heroes and cowards, mountebanks and millionaires, all of whom played a part in the astonishing years covered by this story.

Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Burns, a teacher and administrator at Notre Dame for four decades, has written an entertaining, useful history of the university from its founding in 1842 through 1934. The first section concentrates on the institution's growing pains, including the debate over hiring lay faculty and the beginnings of the phenomenally successful football program under Knute Rockne. The second section treats the virulent anti-Catholic sentiment of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana and its influence on the university and its football team, whose national championships gave American Catholics something to be proud of as they moved toward assimilation into the mainstream culture. The third section examines the impact of the Great Depression on the university's finances and enrollment and the effect of Rockne's untimely death in a plane crash in 1931. This book is an important contribution to the history of one of America's most important Catholic universities, a story that often mirrors the history of American Catholics in the 19th and 20th centuries. Highly recommended.APius Murray, Pope John XXIII National Seminary, Weston, MA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 595 pages
• Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press (June 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0268021562
• ISBN-13: 978-0268021566
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,611,377 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars proud to be a domer, November 6, 2003

By	William Reifsteck "UND78" (Kildeer, Il USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In the 25 years since I graduated I never learned as much about the university as I did in reading this book. Burns tells the story of the university in the way of a grandfather. I was enthralled through the entire story. That is unusual for me but I found his story compelling and the scolarship was outstanding. There were sources that were special. His handling of the Erskine affair was delicate at best. I recommend this book to anyone that is interested in the Notre Dame that extends past the football field.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an authoritative text, May 25, 1999

By A Customer

This is the story of Notre Dame. It is the best rendition of the university's history ever published, and is a must for any member of the Notre Dame family.