A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
Skidmore Professor of Government Flagg Taylor has just published a new book, The Great Lie, and it is, simply, magnificent.
Flagg has brought together in one volume three dozen essays on totatiltarianism in the twentieth century that prove profound, readable--and important. Carl Friedrich's 1954 essay, "The Unique Character of a Totalitarian Society." Vaclav Havel's great 1978 work, "The Power of the Powerless." Eric Voegelin's 1953 essay, "The Origins of Totalitarianism." Hannah Arendt's 1954 study, "Ideology and Terror: A Novel Form of Government." Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's 1975 work, "Our Muzzled Freedom."
The Great Lie represents scholarship of the highest order: Flagg has given us the benefit of his own wide reading, putting in a single volume what every American needs to know. Nazism and Communism really were something new and distinctive in human history, yet at the same time they represent horrors that could recur--anywhere. As Solzhenitsyn says in a quotation that Flagg prints on the frontispiece:
There is always this fallacious belief: "It would not be the same here; here such things are impossible." Alas, all the evil of the twentieth century is possible everywhere on earth.
If American academic institutions were truly intent on imparting to students the principal lessons of our civilization, then Flagg's book would instantly appear on reading lists at colleges and universities throughout the country. But if you're unwilling to count on modern academia, take matters into your own hands: Buy a few copies, then assign them to the students in your life yourself.
I get lots of books at my office--over the years, I've ended up on a lot of mailing lists at a lot of publishing houses. This book counts. And I'm all the happier to say so because, although here on Ricochet he goes by a pseudonym, Prof. Taylor is one of us.
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Mar '11
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
Thanks for the review; will it be available on the Kindle soon, and will you try to interview Dr. Taylor on Uncommon Knowledge?
May '10
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
The biggest lie of all is that Fascism and Communism are on opposite sides of the political spectrum when they are both really two sides of the same coin - a despotic oligarchy. Yes, fascists and communists fought each other. But that was really just a battle for power, not substantive ideology.
It's like the great Canadian blogger Kate McMillan says, what the left really wants is "Real democracy and a totalitarian party to vote for!"
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
Sold.
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
Double-post deleted. But I remain
Sold.
Edited on September 21, 2011 at 10:31pmRe: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
You're right to be sold, Bill. Although we have yet to meet I know enough from your posts to know that you'd revel in this work: history and scholarship, all irradiated with a sense of moral urgency.
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
Wow. A book on one of my favorite topics to read and think about.
I'm sold too.
Sep '10
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
Talk about your heavy hitters. I can't wait to read it. Thanks for the heads up.
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
There is just enough room on the bookshelf in my cab, right next to WFB's Miles Gone By. Professor Taylor will be in excellent company.
May '10
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
A new #1 in my Amazon queue. Thanks Peter.
Jan '11
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
Damn good idea for a book. Most timely. Appears to be a must read particularly following Steyn's After America. Include me in.
Jun '10
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
Hmmm, so which pseudonym does Dr. Taylor use??? Sneaky, sneaky...
Sep '11
Re: A Truly Indispensable New Book. (Truly.)
Not sure yet about a Kindle/e-book edition. There are some issues surrounding permission rights that need to be worked out.