A review by pvbelkom
The Reckless Mind: Intellectuals in Politics by Mark Lilla

3.0

Book about the connections between intellectual adventures in the haute intelligentsia in pre- and post-war Germany and France and totalitarian ideologies. The presentation on Derrida is a bit biased and short-sighted; it seems like he wants to read him as a crypto-messianistic 'pessimistic libertarian', in stead of a highly original and playful post-ideologist. He articulates some (very interesting!) tensions in Derrida's thought, but fails to provide a convincing critique on his modes of thought. Contains some inaccuracies in the proposed narrative on Plato's Symposion in relation to the dangers of the 'passionate' thinking of Heidegger. Makes a highly amusing read though, if you don't take it at face value.