Review by Choice Review
Woldring has written a timely book, one that fills a significant gap in the sociological literature. Unfortunately, its usefulness is compromised by a clumsy translation and serious editorial neglect. Karl Mannheim is a fascinating figure. Universally regarded as one of the giants of 20th-century sociology, he was twice in his short life a political refugee. This experience contributed to the centrality in his work of questions of morality, culture, and historical worldview. Better than most, he understood that people are products of a political era, rendering each generation unique. This is engagingly captured in Woldring's account. Surely the most philosophical of modern sociologists, Mannheim seems especially relevant today when academic sociology is in active search of its philosophical roots. Mannheim is best known as the progenitor of the sociology of knowledge. This aspect of his work is superbly treated here, in all its complexity. The graceless translation is annoyingly inaccurate, e.g., ``Israelitish'' for ``Israelite'' in one discussion of religion. Far worse is the editorial neglect-there are typos on nearly every page. Unfortunately, some will be put off by these flaws. Nevertheless, this reviewer knows of no better book-length treatment of Mannheim. An important addition to all academic libraries.-S.M. Soiffer, University of Rochester
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
