Lewis To Embark on Overseas Book Tour

After criticizing the direction of the American liberal arts education system in his recent book, former Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 is headed to Hong Kong to perk up a few more ears.

This January, Lewis, the McKay professor of computer science, is scheduled to present a series of talks and lectures in Hong Kong about his book “Excellence Without A Soul,” with a potential stopover in Shanghai, according to Peter Gordon ’80, the head of the independent Hong Kong publisher Chameleon Press.

Lewis’ publisher, PublicAffairs Books, has also licensed his 288-page book for translation in Taiwan and mainland China, Director of Publicity Whitney Peeling said. The Taiwanese translation by Living Psychology press will not be ready for over a year, according to Lewis.

Released in mid-May, the book compounds Lewis’ 40 years of Harvard experience with specific concerns about the direction of Harvard College as well as undergraduate education at top universities nationwide.

Lewis served as dean of the College for eight years until he was forced out in 2003 as part of a broad restructuring of the College administration.

Gordon, a former student of Lewis, wrote that the professor’s visit will be “topical and useful” given the current debate in Hong Kong over issues addressed in his book that are a “matter of community interest and public policy.”

“I’m very pleased that it’s of interest in the Asian community,” Lewis said, adding that the issues his book raises about what to teach students to make them more responsible members and future leaders of society “have some international dimensions.”

According to Gordon, Lewis’ visit is not a book “promotion” since the market for books “on a specialized subject like this, is rather small, and not really enough to justify the trip.” Lewis will be one of dozens of authors Gordon’s company hosts as part of a larger year-long program.

“It was my impression—and still is—that very few people in Hong Kong really understand the U.S. educational system or the objectives of a liberal arts education,” said Gordon, who has interviewed Harvard applicants for 10 years. “As a result, their views of Harvard are generally conditioned by the fact that as far as educational brands are concerned, Harvard’s is the most recognizable.”

Lewis reached out to Gordon after he read his former’s student’s review of “Excellence” in the online publication, The Asian Review of Books.

After two decades of being out of touch, Lewis said, the two began collaborating this year on plans for Lewis to speak about his book in Hong Kong—where Gordon is currently based.

Lewis said he has only been to China once before to speak at Peking University and is looking forward to his trip in January. He is currently promoting his book on tour in Texas and will be speaking at Baylor University today.

—Staff writer Ying Wang can be reached at yingwang@fas.harvard.edu.