The great American university: its rise to preeminence, its indispensable national role, and why it must be protected

The rise to preeminence. The idea of a university ; Coming of age in tumultuous times ; The path to greatness ; Building steeples of excellence ; In search of a golden age ; Growing pains

Discoveries that alter our lives. Finding a smoother pebble : a national system of innovation ; It began with a fly : genetics, genomics, and medical research ; buckyballs, bar codes, and GPS : our origins, our planet, our security and safety ; Nosce te ipsum : culture, society, and values

Facing challenges and looking forward. Academic freedom and free inquiry ; The enemy is us ; "Political" science ; Trouble in paradise?

Appendix . Top-ranked American research universities

Appendix B. An online source of information about university discoveries.