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Title: Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace by Gore Vidal ISBN: 1-56025-405-X Publisher: Nation Books Pub. Date: 10 March, 2002 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $10.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.03 (75 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A vital Vidal read....
Comment: I saw Gore Vidal talking about this book a while back and realized a good deal of what he is saying mirrored my own thoughts about our country and its government, in particular. I'd wager a lot of Americans feel the same way but we seem to have lost our voice and our willingness to question our government. A recent interview I saw with Studs Terkel on Phil Donhue's show commented directly on that very subject. He said he felt that until a major voice comes out and addresses an issue, we are prone to sit quietly. Vidal's voice needs to be heard and wouldn't have been if American publishers had any thing to say about it. After this collection of essays became a best seller in Italy, he was then approached about an American publication and voila!---we can read what some might call an unpatriotic and ungrateful voice about America. A fundamental right we have as Americans is the privilege to question our government's decisions yet we seem to sit around quietly and compliantly while our presidents act aggressively toward other nations, deeming our country the international policeman for the world community. These opinions are called unpatriotic especially after the events of 9-11 but there is nothing unpatriotic about what Mr. Vidal is saying. The people who have blinders on and think that we, these United States of America, are never wrong should read this book. We, like any other nation, have flaws. It is time to look at those flaws, address the issues and hold our government responsible for its actions. This government represents the people and we should have our say. Unfortunately, with good ole Dubya and his cowboy mentality, we have four years that should inspire us to speak out against injustice. I highly recommend this book to anyone who cares about the direction our nation is taking.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Brilliant Essayist with Probing Questions
Comment: Gore Vidal's "Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace" initially did not see the light of day in America. It was first published in Italy and became a runaway bestseller there, where Vidal currently resides, as well as throughout the rest of Europe. Finally it was published in America, quickly scaling the bestseller charts here as well.
Vidal asks the kind of unpleasant but necessary questions which need to be posed in a democracy, and are all too often stifled, as in the case of not initially being published in America despite his lengthy career of writing success. Vidal refers to the Bush Administration as "America's Ruling Junta" and points out that roughly one percent of the people are currently represented as part of that elite.
Foremost on Vidal's mind is the subject of why America is currently hated and the rationale behind current attacks as manifested by the Oklahoma City bombing and 9-11. Vidal's anti-establishment writing attracted notice from none other than Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and a correspondence ensued. Vidal vehemently denies that he ever deemed McVeigh's actions justifiable. He maintained a vigilant stance on attempting to determine what motivated McVeigh to pursue such a vicious anti-establishment course against the United States. He also seeks answers to nagging questions that McVeigh, according to scientific experts, could not have carried out his vendetta on his own. He publishes a letter he wrote to incoming FBI Director Robert Mueller concerning nagging doubts that need to be explored, noting that he never received a response.
Vidal also focuses on the international drug scene. Declaring the current policy a failure, he recommends making drugs available at cost in an effort to treat the disease as a medical rather than criminal problem while at the same time undercutting the vast profits incurred from underground drug networks.
The muckraking journalist also tackles the Waco and Ruby Ridge incidents. In each case he finds that government authority was excercised at excessive levels and careful scrutiny is warranted. He laments that efforts to probe these cases meet with stern resistance. Vidal clearly feels that from the Grassy Knoll and the JFK assassination to the present, the intelligence establishment of what he terms America's Ruling Junta has stood in the way of progress and ultimate truth.
Rating: 4
Summary: Not Just For Commies
Comment: Because of today's climate of non-debate, this book was labeled "pinko" by the very people who would gain the most by reading it.
I highly recommend PERPETUAL WAR to those who generally stick to authors like Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter. Not only will it expose them to a different viewpoint, it'll do so in a way that won't leave them feeling insulted.
Pat Buchanan fans will also feel some kinship with this book.
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Title: Dreaming War: Blood for Oil and the Cheney-Bush Junta by Gore Vidal ISBN: 1560255021 Publisher: Nation Books Pub. Date: December, 2002 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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Title: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: The Truth About Corporate Cons, Globalization and High-Finance Fraudsters by Greg Palast ISBN: 0452283914 Publisher: Plume Pub. Date: 25 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: 9-11 by Noam Chomsky ISBN: 1583224890 Publisher: Seven Stories Press Pub. Date: October, 2001 List Price(USD): $8.95 |
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Title: Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda (Open Media Series) by Noam Chomsky ISBN: 1583225366 Publisher: Seven Stories Press Pub. Date: December, 2002 List Price(USD): $8.95 |
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Title: The Last Empire : Essays 1992-2000 by Gore Vidal ISBN: 037572639X Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 11 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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