In a series of 11 essays, Kirk relates several issues to a common question: "Is the American Republic descending into decadence, or are the American people entering upon a renewal of belief and hope?" In doing so, he covers a wide range of subjects that beg answers and action, including "The American Mission," "The Illusion of Human Rights," "Prospects for American Education," and "Can Virtue Be Taught?" Kirk's views are trenchant, well-supported, and far from commonplace. For instance, he takes a dim view of today's information age, but is not without hope, i.e., "It is not inevitable that the computer should supplant the poet."