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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
grillofjustice's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. It covers the period of history that I am most interested in. In particular authors analysis of the first world war was my favorite part. Thinking about it as the machinations of colonialism turned inward add a whole new layer to the story of the conflict. The book offers critical snapshots of history in the building western hegemony. The sections examining the works of today's icons of the political right like Jordon Petersen are satisfying and well argued. The author's critical analysis is broad across the global political spectrum and anyone wanting a greater understanding of the challenges facing the modern world would benefit from reading this.
cameronius's review against another edition
3.0
Pankaj Mishra's essays and reviews in the NYRB and LRB are some of my favorites. This collection of his greatest hits over the past few decades feels made just for me. Mishra is a gifted writer and a forceful critic of the West's hypocritical liberalism and racist imperialism. While I don't agree with all his views—perhaps not even most—I value that his polemics raise important and uncomfortable historical political questions rarely addressed by Western thinkers.
nh1's review against another edition
3.0
My actual rating for this is 3.5 stars. On a high-level, I think this book is a great reminder of what the US is to the rest of the world, no matter who is in charge of the country at the time: a neo-colonialist country with a particularly ruthless version of capitalism. It also had some useful analysis of what the world “liberal” has meant here and abroad; in the words of Muhammad Abduh: “Your liberalness we see plainly is only for yourselves.” Particularly germane to the current euphoria around the election of a Democrat.
I particularly enjoyed the essays on Ta-Nehisi Coates and Salman Rushdie, maybe because I've read some of their works, or maybe because these essays were a good reminder that writers of this kind must remain solidly with the labor class. It reminded me of Camus' words on writing: "One of the temptations of the artist is to believe himself solitary, and in truth he hears this shouted at him with a certain base delight. But this is not true. He stands in the midst of all, in the same rank, neither higher nor lower, with all those who are working and struggling."
I particularly enjoyed the essays on Ta-Nehisi Coates and Salman Rushdie, maybe because I've read some of their works, or maybe because these essays were a good reminder that writers of this kind must remain solidly with the labor class. It reminded me of Camus' words on writing: "One of the temptations of the artist is to believe himself solitary, and in truth he hears this shouted at him with a certain base delight. But this is not true. He stands in the midst of all, in the same rank, neither higher nor lower, with all those who are working and struggling."
vishnu_r1's review against another edition
3.0
... - civilization remains an ideal rather than an irreversible achievement - and the dangers of leaving it unmet are incalculable
Such lines and the attempt to analyze the western world critically make this a good read. But since this is a series of essays the author has written over the years, rather than a long narrative like some of his other works, there is some repetition and lack of an agenda. What does come across are attempts to bring to attention the flaws in the western capitalist liberal agenda.
A book to, say, analyze Woodrow Wilson's policies and how, over the years, following a similar path has corrupted the modern American political system seems like a good read. While this book is not that, it certainly generates an interest in such topics.
Where the author fails is to convince that he is not simply nihilistic, but that he has a proper reason to identify all the flaws he does. This again, may come back to the fact that this is a series of essays or it could very well be his political bent (which again is not clear). 3* due to this lack of clarity. While thought provoking, his other books (Ruins of Empire comes to mind) are much better.
pankajmehra's review against another edition
4.0
Heavy, but instructive reading. Pankaj obviously has excellent resources to research his subject(s) and does not hold back when expressing an opinion. I particularly liked (and endorsed) his views on Rushdie and found his comments on the excerpt from Elizabeth Boo's book bang on.
terrainahead101's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.5
Excellent critiques of the excesses and failings of Anglo-American liberalism. The insights with regards to 'The Economist' are particulary startingly.
saintakim's review against another edition
4.0
Eloquent, précis et acerbe, Pankaj Mishra impressionne surtout par sa capacité à penser en survolant les continents et en laissant entrevoir une histoire globale. L'un des grands intellectuels et polémistes contemporains.
Un recueil d'essais et de critiques déjà publiés tournant autour des principaux défenseurs du libéralisme : "les fanatiques insipides", ce livre est parfait pour accompagner son chef d'oeuvre Age of Anger.
Un recueil d'essais et de critiques déjà publiés tournant autour des principaux défenseurs du libéralisme : "les fanatiques insipides", ce livre est parfait pour accompagner son chef d'oeuvre Age of Anger.
kwheeles's review against another edition
4.0
Review essays that take an opposing viewpoint. Easy to read through a book and think - sure, that makes sense. But interesting to hear another take on it. This book takes on some of my favorite things - the Economist, liberals - and provides a well-thought out, different perspective. Good stuff.