The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life

“The Bell Curve’
s implications will be as profound for the beginning of the new century as Michael Harrington’s discovery of ‘the other America’ was for the final part of the old. Richard Herrnstein’s bequest to us is a work of great value. Charles Murray’s contribution goes on.”

—Chester E. Finn, Jr.,
Commentary

“[The authors] have been cast as racists and elitists and
The Bell Curve
has been dismissed as pseudoscience…. The book’s message cannot be dismissed so easily. Herrnstein and Murray have written one of the most provocative social science books published in many years…. This is a superbly written and exceedingly well documented book.”

—Prof. Thomas J. Bouchard,
Contemporary Psychology

“The Bell Curve
is a comprehensive treatment of its subject, never mean-spirited or gloating. It gives a fair hearing to those who dissent scientifically from its propositions—in fact, it bends over backward to be fair…. Among the dozens of hostile articles that have thus far appeared, none has successfully refuted any of its science.”

—Christopher Caldwell,
American Spectator

“Mr. Murray and Mr. Herrnstein write that ‘for the last 30 years, the concept of intelligence has been a pariah in the world of ideas,’ and that the time has come to rehabilitate rational discourse on the subject. It is hard to imagine a democratic society doing otherwise.”

—Malcolme W. Browne,
The New York Times Book Review

“Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray might not feel at home with Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Lani Guinier, but they should…. They have all [made] brave attempts to force a national debate on urgent matters that will not go away. And they have met the same fate. Once again, academia and the mass media are straining every muscle to suppress debate.”

—Prof. Eugene D. Genovese,
National Review

“The first reactions to
The Bell Curve
were expressions of public outrage. In the second round of reaction, some commentators suggested that Herrnstein and Murray were merely bringing up facts that were well known in the scientific community, but perhaps best not discussed in public. A Papua New Guinea language has a term for this,
Mokita.
It means ‘truth that we all know, but agree not to talk about.’ … There are fascinating questions here for those interested in the interactions between sociology, economics, anthropology and cognitive science. We do not have the answers yet. We may need them soon, for policy makers who rely on
Mokita
are flying blind.”

—Prof. Earl Hunt,
American Scientist

“From beginning to end, it is apparent that Herrnstein and Murray are eminently reasonable, responsible, civilized and compassionate human beings. Throughout their work opposing arguments and schools of thought are assiduously canvassed. Readers are alerted over and over again to contrary views and differing interpretations of the evidence presented. The expository chapters are written without jargon. The prose is exceptionally lucid, often elegant; far from being a boring, heavy-footed tome, the book is a good read from start to finish.”

—Prof. E. L. Patullo,
Society

“This is one of the most sober, responsible, thorough and thoughtful books to be published in years. I don’t happen to agree with everything in it, but that is beside the point.”

—Thomas Sowell, author of
Race and Culture: A World View

For J
ULIA,
M
AX,
J
AMES,
N
ARISARA,
S
ARAWAN,
A
NNA, AND
B
ENNETT

We wrote with your world in our thoughts