Rating: 
Summary: Vladimir Ilych was right!
Review: Vladimir Ilych Lenin said that the Bourgeois democracies would fall with the help of the useful idiots that would always defend the collectivist cause.
Here they are, listed, quoted, referenced.
Some are guilty intentionally, they hate America, and all that It stands for.
Most are just "in touch with their feelings" Feeling first and thinking, if at all, later.
Ms. Charen is right on the money. Her commentary is ilustrated, profound, and at this time, extremely neccessary.
Rating:
Summary: Calm and thorough
Review: This is an excellent book about the cold war, communism, and some of the results since then. Thank the Lord for Ronald Reagan! If you have any doubt, ask my father-in-law, an FBI agent that was responsible for catching Soviet spies. This book is excellent.If you insist on reading this as merely a "left-bashing" book rather than a "learn-from-the-past" book, I give you this: I read this book and then read "Stupid White Men" the next day. Let's compare: "Useful Idiots": calm, thought-out, all quotes. "Stupid White Men": loud, ranting, bends facts and in some cases skewed them. I recommend this book for anyone that even gives half a thought to "better red than dead."
Rating: 
Summary: Unsparing analysis, fluid writing, fascinating subject
Review: Disclaimer: I love Mona Charen. Her columns and commentary are among the most well considered among the punditry. She has an agenda, and is not apologetic about it. Advocacy and shrillness frequently cohabit. Not in this case. Charen delivers her case with devastating logic, exhaustive research, and plenty of style. By the end of the book, you will be shaking your head in disbelief. How could so many people have been so wrong, and still so unrepentant? Besides the simple joy of reading a well-written book on a fascinating subject, "Useful Idiots" is a call for awareness and diligence in resisting tyranny. We Americans are a nice bunch of folks, and frequently we attribute our attitudes to others, especially when they dress up their ideas in "revolutionary" jargon. Charen points out that, time after time, we get snookered and horrendous numbers of people die. If you enjoyed Bill Ayers' "Fugitive Days," you will absolutely hate this book. Charen is everything Ayers isn't: calm, logical, diligent, and talented. This is on my "must read" list. You will be entertained, dismayed, frightened, and infuriated by this important book.
Rating:
Summary: A lesson about the past and a warning for the future.
Review: Those of us who suffered through the Soviet-fans of the 1970s and 1980s can really appreciate this book. It explains to a new generation why they should not heed the word of an ideology that got the Cold War wrong in so many ways. I can't tell you how many political science "experts" I talked to prior to 1990 who insisted that the Soviet Union was "the real thing" and why we should either accept 'second place' in the world or at least acknowledge co-dominion with the Soviets. What nonsense! In her book Charen details the mistakes the left made, and continues to make. In their rush to appear "open minded" and "reasonable" they play up to people who's first rule is to deceive. Some of the points Charen makes will amuse you and some will raise your dander, but each one helps illuminate her theory about the blame America first crowd. If you think you may be a moderate, or wonder what all the fuss is about that "Cold War" thing you heard about in school, read this book! For those of us who cheered Reagan on during the 1980s, this book is a nice vindication of our efforts, and a reminder of why we can't forget the lessons of the Cold War struggle. The world is still a dangerous place!
Rating:
Summary: Free at Last
Review: Finally, a well-documented mini-history of the phoney realism of the left. Finally, the devious tactics of the sequacious herd of self-proclaimed "free-thinkers" are called to task. Wonderfully well written. I finished it overnight... dog-eared far too many pages and promise to use it often. The predominant wackoes of the West Coast could benefit from digesting this book before it's too late.
Rating: 
Summary: BEWAR OF FALSE PROPHETS
Review: I have always felt that one should doubt the credibility of any book where 2 of the 3 reviews use the exact same phrase. It suggests some level of, how can I put this, Desperation? Cheating? Putting paint over rust? But I am probably some brain-washed person who gets all their information from a talk radio guy who makes up his facts. If the book's point is that liberals have been wrong on some issues, then it simply states the obvious. A more valuable book would make that point and also make the point, among other right wing fiascos, that the Reagan/Bush/Bush "borrow today and live well and let our kids pay off the debt" philosphy has fiscally and morally bankrupted America.
This book is simply a one-sided view that will enrich the author at the expense of the Kool-Aid drinkers.
Rating:
Summary: Facts without Name-calling
Review: What seperates this book from other simliar neoconservative books is the lack of inflamatory rhetoric. Ms. Charen lays out her case through extensive research and quotes. She does not demonize her opponents. She does does not pull quotes of context. She does not twist facts to make a point. She simply quotes those who hate America and yet defend the bankcrupt system of communsim. Only the title could be misconstrued as name-calling, but once you read the full quote, you understand why she chose it.
Communism must never be defended. It is a system that denies man's nature and has consequently led to the brutal death of tens of millions of people, and the enslavement of over a billion people. (Not to mention the devastation of the environment.) This book should be required reading.
The only way to deny Ms. Charen's arguement is to ignore it and instead resort to the tired game of name-calling. (Read the nagative reviews.) Both conservatives and liberals would benifit from Mona Charen's approach.
Rating:
Summary: Useful Idiots
Review: What a great historical summary with a name by name exposure of many of those that contributed in their liberal way to slaughters of the past and continue to blame the United States for the ills of the world. Following the current Iraq crisis, updated editions of Mona Charen's book will have some new names and organizations to add to the list.
Rating:
Summary: very insightful into history
Review: i really liked the themes repeated throughout this book and the documentation supporting the claims. i was amazed at the stupid assumptions made by the socialists and how everything worked out the opposite of the communists predictions. the rants of the commies and liberals throughout history are the same, only the names have changed (except some long lived liberals are still at it).
Rating:
Summary: Onesided attack
Review: Believes that anyone who does not hold her beliefs must be a liebral.
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