Irrepressible Reformer

Drawing from rare archival materials researched over a period of 15 years, preeminent Dewey historian Wayne Wiegand has produced the first frank and comprehensive biography of the man behind the Dewey Decimal Classification System and scores of other enduring achievements. Tracing Dewey's life and influences that shaped it, Irrepressible Reformer explores Dewey's ingenious enterprise as a library innovator, New York State education official, and business and resort operator - as well as those aspects many found arrogant, manipulative, immoral and bigoted.
"Finally, Melvil Dewey fully revealed, in entertaining prose, built on rigorous and deep historical scholarship. This is the definitive biography we've missed for so long."
"Of particular interest to technical services librarians is how Wiegand traces the evolution of Dewey's work in classification and cataloging from its inception at Amherst to its successful implementation at Columbia."