The American Spectator : Summer Books

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Summer Books

By R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. on 7.8.11 @ 6:08AM

This summer there is an abundance of them.

WASHINGTON -- It is summer and time to read books. I recall the editor of the editorial page of the Washington Post, the sainted and deceased Meg Greenfield, making fun of the idea of summer books, but I have long filed her quip away as a quip that was quipless. She could read books almost any time she wanted, but busy people read when they have a special opportunity, and during summer break I would like to remind them of good books to read. This summer there is an abundance of them.

Two books that have been compared justifiably with Dean Acheson's memoirs from many years ago, Present at the Creation, are by Don Rumsfeld and Henry Kissinger, two men of vast governmental experience who need no introduction. Rumsfeld's Known and Unknown: A Memoir covers his life in government service, and should be interesting to all Americans because of what he says about the Iraq war but also because of what he says about the decisions he has played a role in, starting with service in Congress in the era of Lyndon B. Johnson. Kissinger's On China is fascinating for its historic sweep through an ancient civilization from its beginnings to the present with some memoir thrown in, for Kissinger played a critical role in opening China to the world and his first-hand accounts of Zhou Enlai and Mao Zedong struck me as particularly enlightening.

Rumsfeld's book like that of Kissinger, and for that matter like that of Acheson, covers an enormous amount of ground, from service to Richard M. Nixon right up to his role as secretary of defense under George W. Bush. There is much to comment on, but allowing for limited space I should mention only the Lie. That is that "Bush Lied and Others Died." There is much evidence here to refute that claim, not the least of which is that if the Administration lied so did many of the world's intelligence agencies. For that matter, so did Saddam Hussein, even to his generals. Rumsfeld reminds us of all this, quotes people like Hillary Clinton and John Kerry urging us to war, and mentions much else, most tellingly the small Kurdish town of Khurmal.

In Khurmal our intelligence indicated that before the war terrorists were engaged in putting the finishing touches on Weapons of Mass Destruction. Unfortunately Secretary of Defense Colin Powell mentioned the town in his speech to the United Nations prior to our invasion, and by the time our troops arrived the terrorists had fled but not without leaving evidence of their grisly business. I have no doubt that in the years to come overwhelming evidence that Bush did not dupe us will be coming in.

Kissinger begins his book with a majestic rendering of ancient China that suggests that for thousands of years China was different from the West. His contention it seems to me is that the emerging China still is different, with different goals than say the British Empire. He may be right. I hope he is. In the meantime I am glad for the services of the American Navy and Air Force in particular. In later chapters Kissinger is particularly interesting in recounting his relations with Chinese leaders.

The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture by the dramatist David Mamet has fetched my attention, and I am willing to recommend it as a splendid read, though probably not the most satisfactory reason for giving up on Liberalism and joining the right. Ever since Whittaker Chambers, the journey to the right by leftists has been entertaining and at times moving, and Mamet's journey is no different. He has read the right books and formed the right conclusions. He writes with wit and a sense of irony, yet as he derives wisdom from both Hayek and Glenn Beck I think I shall await his further lucubrations on the matter to consider him a sage. Suffice to say, he is a great dramatist and I would like to get to know him better.

Finally Andrew Roberts has a brilliant history of World War II, The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War. I recommend it. I have in my library dozens of World War II histories from the very earliest by Liddell Hart. Now all have been rendered curiosities or unfinished works by Roberts's stupendous history of the war in the theaters of Asia, Africa, and Europe. He writes beautifully and brings the statesmen, generals and admirals, and ordinary soldier and sailors alive on the page. He left me thinking. What if in the place of Roosevelt and Churchill we had Obama and Cameron in 1939. Obama really would have had to be the Messiah.

About the Author

R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. is the founder and editor in chief of The American Spectator. He is the author of the forthcoming The Death of Liberalism, published by Thomas Nelson Inc. His previous books include the New York Times bestseller Boy Clinton: the Political Biography; The Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton; The Liberal Crack-Up; The Conservative Crack-Up; Public Nuisances; The Future that Doesn't Work: Social Democracy's Failure in Britain; Madame Hillary: The Dark Road to the White House; The Clinton Crack-Up; and After the Hangover: The Conservatives' Road to Recovery.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (32) | Leave a comment

Appleby| 7.8.11 @ 7:20AM

I am currently reading a doorstop-sized book called *Old World New World* which is an exhaustive history of the relationships between Great Britain and the USA. The author is a petulant Brit, which makes it a kind of a smirk, but I got it off the remainder table at the only independent bookstore left in Toronto and am enjoying it. When I finish this one, I will ask my sister to find me The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War in the States, as I am positive it will not be available in Kanukistan.

PJ| 7.8.11 @ 11:22AM

"Old World, New World"----- thanks for the suggestion. Was looking for a book describing the relationship & it got very good reviews from respectable persons. I won't have to buy it; it's in my local library.

Apparently, Burk is writing an updated version to include very recent years. I wonder if Obama will be included.

masly| 7.11.11 @ 2:04AM

It is a wonderful combination of popular history and a serious discussion of the long struggle between the Federalist and "Old" Republicans schools of political thought.
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TAS fan in Germany| 7.8.11 @ 7:21AM

I recommend these two books I've recently read:

Jean-François Revel's book ANTI-AMERICANISM and David McCullough's JOHN ADAMS. They're both wonderfully written and timely reminders of what it means to be American.

Clint| 7.8.11 @ 7:52AM

I'm Reading:

China Spies by I.C. Hu

Prester John| 7.8.11 @ 7:55AM

"America's Forgotten History", by Mark Ledbetter. If you can get past some of the Libertarian rants, which while jarring are relatively few, anyone interested in America's early history should enjoy this multiple-volume history. It is a wonderful combination of popular history and a serious discussion of the long struggle between the Federalist and "Old" Republicans schools of political thought.

W| 7.8.11 @ 8:39AM

reading:
1. Christianity's Dangerous Idea, by Alister McGrath, who also wrote Twilight of Atheism.

2.The White War, by Mark Thompson. abot world war 1, Italian Austrian front,

gearjammer| 7.8.11 @ 9:06AM

I guess you guys never go to the beach.

Clint| 7.8.11 @ 10:31AM

You Might Wanna Read:
Beach Blanket Bingo by Sandy Bottom

Bob K.| 7.8.11 @ 9:26AM

I am reading "A NEW REPUBLIC A History of the United States in the Twentieth Century" (2nd 2004 printing) by John Lukacs, a Conservative Historian, not much liked by some Conservatives and highly regarded by others. First printed in 1984 it is a big book of large scope; the most interesting and well written history I have read in many years! Very hard to put down and most thought provoking!

LarryK| 7.8.11 @ 9:54AM

Summer Reading:

A Soldiers Story - Omar Bradley
At Dawn We Slept - Gordon Prange

Lucius| 7.8.11 @ 8:38PM

A couple of oldies but goodies!

David T| 7.8.11 @ 11:25AM

Mr. Tyrrell

I'm certainly no prose master, but shouldn't you have written, "Obama really would have had to have been the Messiah'?

kingsmill| 7.8.11 @ 12:24PM

Re-reading Hugh Kingsmill's study of power mania- "The Poisoned Crown" and his masterful biography of Samuel Johnson.

carnot| 7.8.11 @ 1:18PM

ahhh...but where is the second part to this? what one drinks while reading during the leisure hours.

David| 7.8.11 @ 3:30PM

Mr. Tyrrell
Thank you for NOT using this as a tease to get us to subscribe to your magazine, as our friends over at Townhall did with their summer reading list.

cuban pete| 7.8.11 @ 4:12PM

"Our Country, Roosevelt to Reagan"
Michael Barone
An all time great.
Have a great weekend.

Skippy| 7.8.11 @ 4:50PM

"Unbroken"
By Laura Hillenbrand.
The story would be beyond believable, were it not all true.

DANSHANTEAL| 7.8.11 @ 5:36PM

DON'T FORGET TONY BLAIR'S MEMOIR AND LOU CANNON'S ON RONNIE (AN OLDIE) PLUS ERIC LARRABEE'S COMMANDER IN CHIEF (ANOTHER OLDIE). WE CAN'T REVISIT THE PAST TOO OFTEN.

POST American| 7.9.11 @ 12:24AM

---Of course the BEST reading of all for this
summer and the coming year are the signs
of TREASON and full-blown, inescapable
and pornographic surveillance everywhere
on the ground.

bags| 7.9.11 @ 3:04AM

First printed in 1984 it is a big book of large scope; the most interesting and well written history I have read in many years! Very hard to put down and most thought provoking!
http://www.ainibag.com

bags| 7.9.11 @ 3:04AM

David Chambers| 7.10.11 @ 2:12AM

perhaps you will enjoy this essay on whittaker chambers: http://whittakerchambers.org/2.....-phantoms/

POST American| 7.10.11 @ 2:36AM

---NOT the time for the usual, Rockefeller-Tavistock Institue
FAKE literary culture.

VERY much the time to be rereading---

-the classics --the scriptures --the Constitution

and the etymological background to the word
----TREASON.

POST American| 7.10.11 @ 2:40AM

BTW

Our sources in Canada report there's some
kind of UN mandate calling for 'cleaning out'
library stocks to make room for important
things like coffee lounges.

Targeted by these sweeps to the dump seem
to be esp. histories written before 1910
--when the RIIA and Freemasons began to
exert T OTAL control over history writing.
(EVEN Churchill himself noted and complained
about this at the time)

IF you come across these pre 1910 histories
etc. --grab them. They'll be worth more than
money as the surveillance and TREASON op
goes full-blown.

CTM| 7.10.11 @ 11:41AM

One of the best books from the past year is Radical-in-Chief by Stanley Kurtz. His in-depth research gives fantastic insight into the life (fron 1979 on), friends, cohorts and influences of the current WH resident that we should have known in 08 but no one bothered to reveal. Everyone needs to read this book.

summer| 7.10.11 @ 9:25PM

It is a wonderful combination of popular history and a serious discussion of the long struggle between the Federalist and "Old" Republicans schools of political thought.
http://www.summer-products.com

POST American| 7.11.11 @ 2:33AM

----AND as the republic goes down for
the FINAL call (Agenda 21 calls for the
PRIVATE, EUGENICS front U.N. to be
brought in as 'World Authority' by 2012)
---some videos for summer and year round
viewing

'The MoneyMasters' with William Still

'ENDGAME' documentary (esp. that second half)

There's NO time for books.

Indeed, time for the apostasy of the rectum worshippers!

Petronius| 7.11.11 @ 10:21PM

A lot of us must have been gone this week, since I don't see 1 title with any amusement value. I am here returned from the North American Discworld Convention where Sir Terry Pratchett held forth as we discussed his works and what is to come, over a cask strength Springbank. The entire canon is a delight of course, but the bonus feature was two hours listening to the creator and his part time associate, Neil Gaimmon on the same stage. The Good Omens might get better. Sir Terry's current number is , I Shall Wear Midnight. Life is different on the Disc