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Summary: Tremendous book to shoot down the ignorant liberals.
Review: ...D'Souza answers all of America's critics and exposes their hypiocrisy. He says black people don't realize how lucky they are to be in the US, and if they had not been brought over, they would be stuck in hell in Africa. He explains how the Islamic world hates the US because of the cultural influcence that threatens their corrupt practice of keeping the church and state as one entity, thus excusing atrocities. His best hits are against the liberals in this country, who, if they got their way, would turn the US into a failed communist state like Russia....
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Summary: Where's the spiritual beef?
Review: As easy as it may be to describe America's achievements from the physical side, as hard it is to expose its flaws. Who wants to hear his/her own flaws? The US started as the ideal democratic & revolutionary liberation movement in the world. But, somehow, along the way the US has become sickly plagued by a subtle (we're in denial)national arrogance intrinsically coupled with a naivete (corruption) of moral character that makes it an inviting target for every modern revolutionary movement in the world, democratic or not. (R.Marcinko-Detachment Bravo). And today, after decades of vibrant economic growth, this arrogance is increasingly becoming gunboat diplomacy to a large extent. We've forgotten the basics, initially taught by Pres. Washington, and have covered ourselves with gooey spiritual conceit in the face of absolute spiritual failure. We're quick to deny such things, as Israel has, through the centuries. Hey, blame it on those who criticize us, who oppose us, the rest of the world, blame it on aliens, heck, blame it on spirits. "I'm righteous." Mr. Jerry Faldwell was forced to publicly apologize to the nation for telling it like it is about the why of 911, soon after it happened. The Scriptures put it very succintly From Moses to Apocalypse and in between some very specific books:Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Hosea, Malachi, Christianity's New Testament. So, while physically we may be dscribed as "great", do we seriously consider the source of our "greatness?" We'd rather not. Is it by our power, or is there some other underlying "agent" who patiently fulfills His promises in spite of the errors of our selfish ways? We say it is because of "our proven righteousness." We think we are "so very good" (Rocky 4, 5?), we talk so much about "human rights" and blindly send our troops to die on foreign soil, in vain as history clearly screams! Yet, set the Scriptures aside, and abortion remains inhuman, sick, nauseous, horrendous. Yet, who wants to hear about those "human rights?" Who wants to reason that? Is this really "greatness?" Put the Scriptures back in the picture and it's doom time. The Scriptures say that when the time comes (soon) all our "righteous laws," technology, gold, silver, Wall Street, houses, gardens, dreams, clothes, boats, planes, trains, cars, motorcycles, space ships, and concrete, steel and lead bunkers in the world won't protect us from the unstoppable wrath that will destroy all the glitter, all the greatness, all the treasures, all the democracy, all the self-appointed grandeur the author talks about.
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Summary: Simple and Profound.....
Review: How perfectly appropriate for someone born outside the United Sates to write a book on the wonders of the American experiment. People who are born in America all too often end up dismissing the opportunity, freedom, and decency the country offers. D'Souza knows first hand how American ideals contrast with much of the rest of the world and as a result he appreciates and loves the country because of what it is, what is was, and has become. --D'Souza does not merely drape his writing in emotional drivel and sentiment, but rather he provides sound arguments and compelling reasons for why patriotism to such a country is not only justified, but obligatory. --D'Souza takes on America's critics and doesn't back down to their charges. He shows why the extreme left and extreme right both pose threats to American freedom, character, and values. --No, D'Souza does not take the reader on a blind cheerleading exercise, but rather he engages the reader with facts. He rigorously lays out why American democracy places faith in people and then challenges his reader to declare a verdict on whether American ideologies should be preserved, and whether a call back to the country's foundations is a worthwhile pursuit. --My favorite part of the book is D'Souza's exposition of the importance of combining morality with freedom. This is such an essential element and one that too many Americans are quick to forget. Freedom devoid of a moral foundation will quickly crumble into chaos. However, Freedom anchored on solid ethical principles will blossom into a civilization where justice is loved and injustice is not tolerated. In short, this is one of the best books of the year and one I highly recommend.
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Summary: The Best Answer I Have Read To That Question
Review: I always seem to like what Dinesh D'Souza has to say. His book whose title is the question, "What's So Great About America?" is no exception. But I have to be honest. The best answer I have read to that question is the book, "West Point: Character Leadership Education, A Book Developed From Thomas Jefferson's Own Readings And Writings", by Norman Thomas Remick. Sorry Dinesh.
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Summary: Hurray - from another immigrant and - a soldier
Review: I served in the US Army as a physician for almost twenty-five years. Mr. D'Souza is eloquent and puts into words things I wish I would have said - i.e. The United States of America is not perfect - but is as close to perfect as it gets on this planet. This book should be mandatory reading for schools and colleges. Hip-hip-Hurray
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Summary: The Author Lives Up To The Books He Writes
Review: I just had the distinct pleasure of listening to Mr. D'Souza deliver a talk at a national meeting organized by The Foundation for Economic Education. Before he was to speak, I saw this powerful thinker spend a few minutes playing with an infant, talking to the child's parents about the challenges and changes a newborn brings into one's life. Then he took the podium and faced an audience of at least 300 people. When he finished sharing his experiences and visions, Mr. D'Souza received a robust and sustained standing ovation. Thankfully, C-Span was on location to record the event. I left with an autographed copy of What's So Great About America and the feeling that I had met a man who walks in Ghandi's footsteps, albeit along a different path. It is a gift to know you are in the presence of a brilliant man with a heart to match his mind.
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Summary: Channeling of Self-Interest Makes America Great!
Review: D'souza's great theme is that only in America can one remake him or herself--and nowhere else to such a great and heroic degree! This appalls communitarians--whether they be right-wingers or leftists! For example, take a reviewer below who has spent most of his life abroad. He condemns the "self-interestedness" of American's involvement there and calls it "hypocrisy." I, too, have lived abroad, in The Netherlands, and what he calls odious I call good; what he calls disingenuity I call honesty and integrity!
How can we be so opposed? He sees globalization and exploitation as exposing the rotteness of America; I note how studies show that under-developed nation's incomes are growing BECAUSE of the 90s capitalist boom(see summary of this research in The Economist Dec. 8, 2002: "Going global: How trade is good for you"), and because of greed. The more open and freer poor-world is getting richer; the closed unfree world remains poor and is getting poorer. He calls this American "Imperialism." This carping critic extols the naturalness of the poors' sprirituality like an elitist thug; I say there's nothing noble about poverty nor his elitism. He sees the avoidable misery and says how he feels so much more freer there than in America--I say he's a prisoner of his own privledged mind and its myths. Guilt mongering is no substitute for food, housing, or entertainment. He calls America ugly--I see beauty here, not in the "virtuous," isolated, impoverished (non-oil owning) Muslim world. Perhaps he ought to join them?--after all, they have sooo much in common!
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Summary: An Answer I Had Hoped For
Review: Many Americans have raised questions after September. Why do they hate us so much? Why does Islamic fundamentalism exist, and why are those from the Middle East so passionately involved in assuring America's destruction? And finally, how must America respond? Dinesh D'Souza's book is both shocking as well as reassuring. The book not only paints a more accurate picture of the Middle East, its politics, and its people, but also explores nuances of American life that others would hesitate to discuss, such as the "death of religion," affirmative action, multiculturalism, and whether or not true virtue exists in America as it supposedly does in the Middle East. This book has no political agenda but to remain honest and open throughout every page, and the reader will be very impressed by the fact that every page offers an answer to all of our questions as Americans in a post-September world.
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Summary: Well Reasoned Arguments Presented
Review: Simply stated, D'Souza makes a well-reasoned case for why "America is the greatest, freest, and most decent society in existence. It is an oasis of goodness in a desert of cynicism and barbarism". Throughout the book, he brings the sweep of history into view to examine and explain how we got to our present state of affairs in the world. He does not see America as perfect, far from it. But he does argue (quite convincingly) that it is better than most nations in many critical respects. No doubt many readers will have trouble comprehending such bold statements as fact, but if the book is given a truly fair reading it is likely to inspire readers to new sense of pride and as importantly action in support of the cause of liberty.
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Summary: Very informative!!!
Review: Since Sept. 11th a lot of us are intrigued with the people of the middle east.
This book is well written and explains why we are hated so much and yet admired. How they want to experience America, yet want to remain in their own world. This book is awesome!!!
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