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Title: War Talk by Arundhati Roy ISBN: 0-89608-724-7 Publisher: South End Press Pub. Date: 15 April, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.05 (19 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Roy is always worth reading
Comment: War Talk is the most recent book of essays by author Arundhati Roy (The God of Small Things). In this volume Roy continues to take on India's Big Dam project (a subject in her previous two volumes of essays), as well as violence world wide. She does not spare her native India anything and takes on the War Against Terror and the hypocrisy of U.S. foreign policy. It is always a pleasure to ready Roy's work. She gives out a viewpoint of a citizen from another country and brings a new voice to the table. She condemns how Americans are presented information and understands that it is difficult to get truly factual from the press (any press). She also praises Noam Chomsky for his work in revealing some of the lies that are fed to Americans by the United States government. I am not informed enough to know anything about the accuracy of her statements regarding U.S. policy, but Roy has a viewpoint that should be considered. I feel that the biggest value in Roy's essays comes in revealing information about Indian politics and Indian life. I know very little about India, and Roy is a valuable source of information and makes me want to learn more about this ancient (yet young) nation.
Rating: 3
Summary: A brave book
Comment: Arundhati Roy has again taken aim at globalization and the injustice she sees inherent in the world today. She provides the type of information that doesn't come close to making the nightly news in America. From war to economic integration, Roy tackles the sacred cows in America with no remorse.
My main complaint about "War Talk" is that the book is a collection of material that has been already been published. Among the six essays, no new writing was done for this work (aside from some editing and minor additions). Most of this material is available in other works or on the Internet, and anyone who has read some of Roy's material online will likely be disappointed to see much of it replicated here. The best piece in the collection is an essay that was written as an introduction to Noam Chomsky's book "For Reasons of State." Because they were not written as a single work, these essays overlap each other quite a bit. They also overlap with some of the essays in Roy's previous book, "Power Politics." If you've read that book, this collection will add little new insight.
However, these criticisms do not diminish the power of Roy's writing. She pulls no punches, and she is scathing in her attacks. Her message is clear: corporate globalization is imperialism, America is an empire, and there is nothing free about free markets, free speech, or free press. She addresses issues ranging from the abuses of the ruling BJP in India against Muslims to the non-accountability of the WTO, IMF and World Bank. The final essay "Confronting Empire" is a call for revolution, and it outlines the prescription for affecting change.
"War Talk" provides a rehash of the commentary that we have come to expect from Arundhati Roy. It also provides a rehash of her passion, and that makes this book worth reading.
Rating: 3
Summary: Brave, venomous like a problem child
Comment: Arundhati Roy is like an angry teenager lashing out at her parents. May be right, but immature. So much anger in pointing out the negative points of the new world order, but offering no solution. In her flowing style packed with anger, she criticizes everything and everyone who is powerful - from Indian prime minister to US president to the media.
She sounds like a left-liberal in her speeches and essays. Her words are filled with the same kind of stuff that fascists must be using to herd their army. In that sense, there is no difference between being a fascist and being a left extremist. Both are equally dangerous. In my opinion, if you just point out the problems without offering a solution, it can only be fatal.
Like a preacher who quotes just the verses from the Bible that he can play upon, Roy quotes words from people like George Bush or Vajpayee and plays upon them to project the negative version of it. Like the preacher, she gives her audience (which must be mostly leftists who are already disgruntled) what they want to hear. It can't be anything but dangerous.
I must say this is a good read if you keep your head on the shoulder and be realistic and read it critically. If this book contains what you always wanted to hear, you are in trouble.
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Title: Power Politics by Arundhati Roy ISBN: 0896086682 Publisher: South End Press Pub. Date: February, 2002 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy ISBN: 0060977493 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 01 May, 1998 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: The Cost of Living by ARUNDHATI ROY ISBN: 0375756140 Publisher: Modern Library Pub. Date: 12 October, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Come September by Arundhati Roy ISBN: 1902593804 Publisher: AK Press Pub. Date: 01 September, 2004 List Price(USD): $14.98 |
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Title: For Reasons of State by Noam Chomsky, Arundhati Roy ISBN: 1565847946 Publisher: New Press Pub. Date: 15 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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