God's Harvard, book review

December 16, 2007

God's Harvard</span>An "outsider's" insider view of Patrick Henry College. Which, near as I can tell from reading the book, is for homeschooled, evangelical, right winged, politically motivated students. Wow, scary stuff and a very fascinating read. Because of my own evangelical leanings (I hate labels) and the fact that I homeschool my kids I found this book on one level to be embarrassing. Kind of like "yessh, I can't believe I have basic beliefs in common with these people". However, it is in Rosin's honest and sometimes embarrassing descriptions of the students & their families, faculty and administration where the book really shines. The "characters" are real people and she portrays them as such, without caricature or judgment. Against the backdrop of the birth and growing pains of Patrick Henry College she chronicles the personal growth, failings & achievements of the people that make the college what it is. She is honest in her writing and the people are real - intelligent, kind, stupid, honorable, devious, courageous, struggling & discovering - and that is what I liked most about the book.