October 10, 2008

Wilentz Assessment Is Off the Mark

To the Editor:

Anyone familiar with Russell Jacoby's invaluable work on the history and follies of the left can understand that, in his essay on Sean Wilentz's critics ("Sean Wilentz, Out on a Partisan Limb," The Chronicle Review, September 19), he is wrestling transparently once again with his own well-justified disillusionments. Unfortunately for his assessment of this controversy, the left's shunning habits didn't drive the criticisms I and others made of Wilentz's relentless