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The Devil Knows Latin: Why America Needs the Classical Tradition | 
 enlarge | Author: E. Christian Kopff
Publisher: Intercollegiate Studies Institute
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
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Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 509079
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 327
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.1
ISBN: 1882926250
Dewey Decimal Number: 480.071073
EAN: 9781882926251
ASIN: 1882926250
Publication Date: March 1999
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Product Description
In an examination of contemporary American culture--from literature to popular music--concerned with the restoration of Classical traditions, this work is comprised of a series of essays concerned with the still healthy vitality of America's Classical and Christian traditions, the errors of the current powers that be, and the way to cultural and political restoration.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
Solid Foundation Hampered by Lack of Focus October 26, 2008
Martin Asiner (Jersey City, NJ)
The serious study of Greek and Latin has been eroding in America's schools since the early 20th century. In THE DEVIL KNOWS LATIN, E. Christian Kopf attempts to explain why this is so and what can be done to bring about a resurgence in the classics. In this, he is only partially successful. For the first half of his book, Kopf is right on target as he provides numerous examples of how western culture has been so thoroughly entrenched in classic learning that we scarcely notice it anymore and hence too many otherwise elite now think that we can dispense with it. His most telling points involve the Great Books controversy. Traditionalists believe that Great Truths do exist, are eternal, and spring from our Greek ancestors. As a consequence, those books that celebrate these truths provide an anchor by which we may not forget where we came from, where we are now, and where we may go in the future. By contrast, postmodernists hold that since words point only to other words in a closed linguistic loop, there is no possibility that a text may connect to external reality. Thus, they argue, the Great Truths of any age are no more than a fiction that stand for no more than the ephemeral biases and prejudices of their writers. Kopf argues that it is no less than insanity to construct a philosophy, let alone a culture, on such a relativistic basis. All this is sound enough and had Kopf cut his book in half, it would have still been an impressive effort. However, the second half devolves into pointless digressions of writers, actors, and film directors whose collective contribution to classic learning is minimal. His concluding chapter on how to reinvigorate public school curriculums is so slight that one gets the impression that there remains much more to be said but for some unfathomable reason, he wearied of writing and closed his book. Still, if one needs a fairly basic text on the how and why that classical education is fast disappearing from our culture, THE DEVIL KNOWS LATIN is a good place to begin.
 Everyone should read this! April 24, 2008
The Rose
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is an insightful look at why we, as a society, have been going in a downward spiral while insisting we are moving forward. When you don't know where you've been, you can't possibly know where you're headed.
The Deaf West July 5, 2007
Aegis (Riverside, CA)
This book is plea for a return to the ancient languages that all past scholarly work was written in, with humanity as its aim. We don't study English so that we can boast, but so that we understand the complexity and beauty that it perfectly lends itself to. Latin and Greek don't exist in a vacuum, but as a tool to uncover the thoughts and values of our(like it or not) Western heritage. To this end Kopff, deftly shows us what our ancient parentage learned; if we are wise, we'll listen. He admonishes us to proudly own our classical tradition, without haughtiness, but understanding its definate intrinsic elitism. Libertity,maturity,and humane democratic ideals, by virtue, are lofty and noble; mandatory to continued freedom. Notice, that he did write in the vernacular to rouse a sleepy complacency.
Mens insana October 4, 2001
Darth Vader (Boston)
12 out of 24 found this review helpful
This book fails in a number of ways to bring classics into civilized discourse. Firstly, the author tries to argue for a classical curriculum as a basis for appreciating Christianity and the founding documents of the United States. In the case of religion, the argument is uncontroversial, but not well restated in this book. In the case of politics, the argument is extremely slippery, and the author tries to maintain it anecdotally, through nostalgic discussions of nineteenth-century American puritans. He realizes that many of America's virtues come from a specifically English-language tradition, but he dismisses that tradition in actually calling for the elimination of English in the high school curriculum. Yet it is hard to imagine such an irreverent book as this written in any language other than English.
Secondly, as a justification for the classics themselves, the author turns to Hollywood movies. His insights on films like "The Unforgiven" and "The Godfather" are quite good, but his methodology suffers in trying to meld the commercialism of Hollywood with the elitism (as he freely admits) of his classical curriculum. Again, the author is silent on the fundamental Anglo-Americanism of his outlook. For this reason, this book, which is styled as a work of corrective pedagogy aimed at young people and interested adults, essentially lies about its own origins, which are not in antiquity or ancient Christianity, but in Anglo-Saxon commercialism, religious nonconformity in old and New England, and English and American political traditions. The book, however, does partly succeed as a work of scholarship, and deserves one star for its compelling readings of Hollywood movies and one and a half stars for the author's quirkily wide learning, for a total of three stars, after rounding.
 Interesting ideas/strangely reserached September 28, 2000
6 out of 28 found this review helpful
This work smacks of snobbery and elitism. That said, what Christian Kpoff proposes, a return of the West to her classical ideals and customs, is not as absurd as it might first seem. The Devil Knows Latin explores some interesting areas and even gets bold enough to attack those Kpoff sees as actively working against (what's left of) classical European culture in the modern West. Unfortunately, figuring out where, why and how Kpoff found the basis for his hypothesis of cultural disintegration, is a frustrating process. While Kpoff is a good writer, his interpretation of history is both disjointed and incorrect in places. For instance, Kpoff manages to denounce the German National Socialist movement -a philosophical/political entity that overtly, often grotesquely championed Europe's classical past. This is overwhelmingly evident in the classical architecture, classical art, classical-like literature, music and school curriculum advocated by that regime. Nazi Germany, in many, many respects, was the last gasp of classical Europe. I mention this one example because Kpoff's complete failure to recognize this is utterly stunning and unforgivable. I would recommend this book just because Kpoff has some interesting ideas. Hopefully someday another author will take Kpoff's theme, run with it, and put this information into a more coherent, practical format.
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