Higman : A Collection

This first book presents the thoughts of the late Howard Higman who taught sociology for thirty-nine years at the University of Colorado and founded the World Affairs Conference in 1948 which continues to date. A popular professor, Higman imparted his knowledge and wit to thousands of students and poverty workers. This collection of lectures, writings, observations and personal accounts provides the reader with an autobiographical look at this extraordinary man. Among the nine chapters, Higman leads us through the prolonged and often comical twenty year investigation by J. Edgar Hoover's FBI, taken from the Bureau's actual files. In the opening chapter, he allows us to know him as a child in Boulder and as a young man prior to and during World War II. In another chapter, Higman, an authority on violence and order, ruminates about the sociology of war. In yet another, he describes the origins and uniqueness of the World Affairs Conference. His contributions to action sociology during his days as an accidental soldier in the War on Poverty demonstrate keen insights into this persistent social problem. Two of his most noted lectures are provided. In Snippets, a range of topics are discussed. Never at a loss for words, he thrusts into his world of exciting people, ideas and sentiments.

A moving example of how political times change is a new book about Higman, (HIGMAN: A Collection) which contain a chapter on his FBI files. It would be hilarious if it weren't also Stalinist, in a clumsy way. One is finally left wondering why our tax money was ever wasted keeping track of a utterly harmless sociology professor. The answer, of course, is that Higman had spoken publicly with less than perfect respect for the FBI...Higman did not believe in balance; he believed in going after evil with a vengeance. -- Molly Ivins, syndicated columnist and author.

Reading this book, I was impressed with the fact that Howard Higman was always in love with the University of Colorado...Watching him over the years, I formed a feeling that his memoirs seemed to confirm: He was shaped during years when he was often lonely, when his opinions were slighted by his elders, when he could get attention only in opposition, when there was no one to talk to. He was large. He contained multitudes. He would have filled Falstaff with envy. -- Roger Ebert, film critic and author. Chicago Sun Times. Siskel and Ebert

This book brings Howard Higman roaringly to life. It is a tribute produced by friends out of love and knowledge and even forgiveness. -- Simon Hoggart, Guardian of London, frequent broadcaster on BBC and NPR.