Why people recommend it
How Schools Work by Arne Duncan is a revealing memoir written by the former United States Secretary of Education under President Barack Obama, offering a critical look inside the American educational system. On the podcast People I (Mostly) Admire, host Steve Levitt brought up Arne Duncan's memoir across two separate episodes. First, in a January 2023 interview, Steve Levitt introduced the book and directly questioned the former cabinet official about the striking meaning behind the memoir's provocative first line, which states that education runs on lies. Later, in a July 2025 episode titled Arne Duncan Says All Kids Deserve a Chance — and Criminals Deserv a Second One, Steve Levitt again referenced the publication, noting for the listening audience that the memoir was specifically written after Arne Duncan stepped down from his high-profile government position. Through these discussions, the podcast highlights the book as an insider account addressing systemic flaws, policy challenges, and necessary reforms within schools, prompting reflection on the broader realities of public education governance and administration in modern American society from a uniquely authoritative perspective.
Who recommended it
- Steve Levitt Discussed
Steve Levitt — 2 mentions
“So, you were Secretary of Education under Barack Obama, and after you left that job, you wrote a memoir entitled How Schools Work.”
“and after you left that job you wrote A Memoir entitled how schools work and the first line of that book is education runs on lies”