You'll probably never read a book review here at Webster's, authored by myself at least. I was never very good at giving book reports in school, nor do I think I'd be much better at giving book reviews via this kind of medium. I'll recommend books from time to time, and in those recommendations I'll try to give a short overview of what the book's about and the reasons for which I recommend it. That will probably be the extent of book reviews coming from yours truly.
That said, I did want to inform you that I'm currently reading two books I picked up over the weekend, neither of which titles or authors I had any knowledge of prior to running into them - in one instance at a Christian bookstore my wife and I stopped by over the weekend, and in the other I happened upon at the University bookstore on the campus of OU over the weekend too. In fact, I ran into several titles at the University bookstore that intrigued me, but ultimately I chose the one listed here for immediate purchase.
Notwithstanding those facts I did read the introductions to both books prior to purchasing them, as well as to select and read some random passages throughout the chapters, as per my usual - I never judge a book by its cover, though a good looking cover will often capture my initial attention.
But anyway the titles of these books and their authors are: Infiltration, by Paul Sperry, and The Enemy at Home, by Dinesh D'Souza. So far the latter, with its emphasis on identifying why the cultural left bears much responsibility for the events of 9/11, has managed to capture my undivided attention, whereas the former, though it contains some very good information with regard to Islam's presence here in the United States, is less appealing to my particular tastes. I'm about 1/3 of the way through them both, and both books are about 300 pages, give or take.
I'll update you later as to how my reading of these titles is going, and whether I think they're worth the time to read. In the meantime, I wonder whether any of you have either heard of these titles or their authors, or whether you've read them before?
-DW
"God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it." -Daniel Webster
Mr. Auster excoriated the D'Souza book here, among other places. I haven't read it, but I understand from what I've seen on the blogs that D'Souza managed the rare feat of managing to offend almost everyone on the Right and Left alike. He offended the Left by blaming them for 9/11, and he offended the Right by giving the impression that he considered 9/11 to be the fault of someone at home.
ReplyDeleteAuster was also very upset with D'Souza for posing as a knowledgeable scholar of Islam, when clear evidence came out that he wasn't at all. Not to ruin your reading, but I just thought I'd give a little background. I thought about reading the book, but no longer have any desire to.
Not at all, John, you haven't ruined my reading of the D'Souza book. I expected there was probably some criticism of the book somewhere on the web, from the left and the right.
ReplyDeleteYes; D'Souza does give the impression that he's blaming someone at home for the attacks on the WTC, the Pentagon, and the attempt on the Capitol. He tends to hold the opinion, it seems, that the United States brought 9/11 on itself because it farms out its moral and cultural decadence to the rest of the world, in this case Islam.
Nonetheless I'm going to finish what I started as I managed to knock out fifty more pages today while with my daughter at gymnastics practice.
I do appreciate the link, John, as this was exactly why I asked the question about whether anyone has read or knows of the title.
-Terry
D'Souza's ideas aren't so radical, well, let me read the book, LOL. I've heard other people criticize the decadence of Western civilization as one of the reasons they hate us. Doesn't seem to fall down on its face from the get go, as far as theories go.
ReplyDelete