SOURCE: "Lessons Beyond The Bell Curve," in The New York Times, November 15, 1994, p. A29.

[In the following review of The Bell Curve, Winship applauds the thoroughness of the authors' research, which argues a link between intelligence levels and social problems.]

At a meeting of social scientists at the Harvard Business School last month, Richard Herrnstein's and Charles Murray's controversial book The Bell Curve came up. One group reported that in an earlier conversation they had thoroughly "trashed" it. Heads around the room nodded in approval. I asked the room at large—about 20 people—how many had actually read the book. Two raised their hands.

The condemnation of The Bell Curve in the media has been equally definitive, if presumably better informed.

Most of the analysis has focused on the question raised in the book of whether I.Q. is hereditary and whether racial differences in I.Q. are...