Rating: 
Summary: A little bit short
Review: I was quite disappointed with this book. I expected a good analysis of leftist thought and its contradictions. I didn't find it. Horowitz thesis is: marxist experience failed, today's left radical thought stem from Marxist roots, so it has been proven wrong by history and lef radicals are enemies of freedom. It is a little bit short. The only convincing chapter is when Horowitz shows how political correctness prevented the adoption of efficient measures at the beginning of AIDS epidemic.
Rating:
Summary: I cautiously recommend this book
Review: I would only cautiously recommend this book. Having read portions of both "Destructive Generation" and "Radical Son", I believe that this work is mostly a recitation of those. What I would heartily recommend is the introduction. It is excellent.
Rating: 
Summary: Conservatism for the Simple Minded
Review: If you are the type of conservative that likes to use his logic selectively, who judges those who agree with you diffrently from those who don't, that is looking for a book to tell you what you want to hear, who likes to demonize those that point out your faulty facts then buy this book. David Horowitz is a preacher of the neo-conservative faith with all this impliesIf you are the type of conservative who realizes that most conservatives have some ideas others think are "liberal", that is mature enough to know that there are no simple answers, who has been wrong on issues on more than one occassion, and who is more interested in finding the truth then in reassuring yourself of your own superiority... then look elsewhere.
Rating: 
Summary: Superior expose of the Marxist/socialist agenda in the U.S.
Review: In a clear and well researched manner, David Horowitz exposes the Marxist/socialist agenda of the radical left-wing in the United States. His words in his book line up unfailingly with the words and actions that have and are taking place in our federal, state and local governments and in our schools and universities. His arguments that the Marxist/socialist theory leads first to a totalitarian state, to loss of productivity and to abhorrent crimes against the enslaved populace have been PROVEN repeatedly by every Marxist/socialist state in the world during the 20th century. This book is a MUST for any person who opposes the deconstruction of the principles of individual freedom and property rights upon which the United States was founded.
Rating:
Summary: Horowitz has a powerful mind - read this book!
Review: In my youth, I loved stories of the protesting efforts of Jerry Rubin, Abbie Hoffman and their peers. But sadly, neither of those two lived long enough to arrive at a stable place where they could impact public dialog in a long term, positive way. David Horowitz however, has. As an ex-Left Wing extremist, he knows whereof he speaks. If you ever felt strongly against the Vietnam War, or "Nukes" or "Corporate America" or feel strongly in favor of such things as "Gay Rights" or "the Environment", you should read this book. Not that David will speak as expected on those topics (he doesn't). Rather, you should read this book because by following his crystal clear review of his own (and others) thoughts and actions as a Radical Leftie, you can more effectively vet your own thinking process in that area. Protesting and railing against traditional things as a way of life all sounds well & good when you are doing it, but if you step back and study what's really driving the mind set of the people and leaders of the Left, you begin to recognize the pernicious and destructive undercurrent in Left Wing motivation. As I said in my title, David Horowitz has a powerful mind. Not only that, but his information is very accurate. Was it Jack Nicholson who (in a movie) said "You can't handle the truth!"?... Don't read this book if that's you.
Rating:
Summary: How little has changed...
Review: In the old days, when Horowitz edited _Ramparts_, his workswere among the most fact-free and vitriolic on the left. Now that hehas moved to the right they seem to be the same. There are muchbetter right-wing authors to read: Frum, Bovard, Pinkerton, Podhoretz...
Rating:
Summary: Ex cult member tells all!
Review: It is almost impossible for any casual observer to not notice that the hard-core left seems more like a religion than a political or philosophical movement.Over the years I've found it difficult to have any kind of debate with leftists.They rely on their feelings,never logic,facts or reasonable deductions to give a rational argument.Of course,if you disagree with them,you're a bigot,homophobe or whatever word that calls you out as a heathen who does't buy into their faith.Make no bones about it,the Marxist,Communist,Socialist,Radical feminist,Hate Western Civilizationist,Environmentalist pantheon is a religious impulse,however bankrupt.Their faiths are merely secular salvations,replete with utopian ideas,a naive assertion that man is perfectable but that the current society is what is keeping his perfection from coming about,so it is necessary to listen to Saint Marx or some similar prophet to lead the people into the promised land.There were many attempts to bring this utopia into the world in the 20th century,and the results were all too predictable.Of course,the apologists for the failed secular religions of the 20th century claim that the actual manifestations of the noble ideas were not what was intended,but tell me,can 100,000,000 dead people be wrong?Where their La La land utopia goes wrong is that coercion or brute force becomes necessary to get the mass in line with what the pure-hearted shepherds demand of them Again,does not 100,000,000 dead say all that needs to be said?.It may no longer be respectable to be openly Marxist or Communist but that in no way means the old leftover left has stopped believing in their religion.They just hide their real agendas inside multicultural,feminist and social sciences.Their intent is still what it has always been:Undermine Western civilization,bring even the notions of truth and scientific logic into question,and let this slow-acting poison trickle through the culture,and sad to say,they have suceeded imfamously.The old line leftists may have started to die off but their pernicious influence is more stealth and pervasive than ever.Thanks to Mr. Horowitz for exposing these people for what they are.
Rating:
Summary: Poorly written, thought out and proofread.
Review: It is amazing that a book with so many typos could be published. It is also amazing that so many people actually believe this junk.
Conservatives - Look in the mirror.
Conservatives occupy the White House, control the Senate, Congress and Supreme Court along with many Governor seats and State Houses.
If any thing in 'wrong' in America perhaps it is because of who is leading!
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant Points -- Should be Catholic
Review: Make some excellent observations, e.g., conservatives in America are not right wing, we were started by a revolution by the way. The revolutionary thoughts of the 18th century were opposite, liberty vs. egalitarianism. Explores why leftist feel they need to help everyone. A lot of his observations can be taken right from Papal documents (esp. on socialism) and I am trying to get him to convert.
Rating:
Summary: Sweeping Intellectual History And Insight
Review: Mr. Horowitz has the intellect and the dogged honesty to bridge the gap between the history of the left and the meaning of the American Revolution. He shows that the left world-view is a vast vacuum based on a pathological concept of equality, while the American world-view is based on an inspiring vision of individual liberty. In his book, we see the left's conceptual beginnings in the writing of Rousseau, Jewish religious history, and the French Revolution. We also see the intellectual landscape of Marxism and its colossal failure to come to grips with real-world history, economics, and above all, morality. For the left, the utopian future of socialist equality is the moral imperative that, despite reality, justifies all distortions, all lies, all vicious personal attacks, and even murder on a scale that is all but incomprehensible. We then can see what is indeed the leftist psychosis found within its followers. Mr. Horowitz contrasts the miasma of the left with the culture of liberty, the essence of the American dream. The American ideal is not one of enforced "equality," but equality before the law and the freedom to pursue happiness by our own lights. All of this analysis is brought down to our curret time, with the good and the evil players evident, even to the details of who is doing what in the attempt to destroy our civilization. I found my new understanding of the current political and cultural scene personally liberating almost beyond words. I see that for myself, and so many others, that we have been unwilling to damn what we have not understood in our enemies. We have simply had no idea of the sheer range of leftist attack and the depth of its deception and depravity, much of which masquerades as "progressive" of even "neutrality." Well, the jig is up, and leftists will never again have the advantage of stealth against anyone who reads this book. Mr. Horowitz has performed the highest of services for civilization and for that I am eternally grateful. I think most other readers will agree.
|
