A Life In Letters: The Personal, the Professional, and the Political

This is a varied collection of letters to the editors of various newspapers, which reflect the interaction of Sol Saporta's personal, professional, and political life and thinking over a period of 25 years.A large section of the letters deal with university politics-including the role of athletics-and the difference the author perceives between education and certification. In addition, there are comments on various matters of contemporary interest, including sexuality, language, and sexual harassment. There are comments as well on the significance of such personalities as Mickey Mantle and Woody Allen.Political issues dealt with include such topics as capital punishment and free speech, as well as U.S. foreign policy.

Sol Saporta was born in New York City where he graduated from Brooklyn College in 1944. He received his advanced degrees from the University of Illinois, taught at Indiana University and then at the University of Washington where he taught for 30 years until his controversial retirement in 1990, including 15 years as Chair of the Department of Linguistics.