Diane Ravitch's book, "The death and life of the great American school system," is an exploration and critique of educational change in the United States since the report "A Nation at Risk" in 1983 and more specifically since the passing of the No Child Left Behind legislation in January, 2002. Arguably, there are several reasons for Ravitch's influence which may account for the current and considerable interest in her work. The first is that she occupied the position of Assistant Secretary in charge of Educational Research and Evaluation in the senior George Bush's Republican administration. The second is that she has changed her mind in terms of many of the initiatives she once supported, including school choice, charters, merit pay and accountability. The third is that she has articulated a critique of the changes with a sharp intellect and with considerable evidence, directly challenging not only successive Republican and Democratic governments but also taking on what she terms "the Billionaire Boys' Club" of Bill Gates, the Walton (Walmart) family, and Eli Broad. In spite of the range and depth of Ravitch's critique, there appears to be a strangely silent or minimal reaction from those she criticizes. While there have been some responses to Ravitch's arguments, there has been a surprisingly low level of discourse about the issues she raises. (Contains 18 footnotes.)