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*From and About the Left*
Here we have assembled, for your gratification, all the best books from and about the left side of the political spectrum.
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Blind Spot: When Journalists Don't Get Religion, edited by Marshall, Gilbert, and Ahmanson. The problem with modern reporting is that most of today's journalists do not understand religious matters, and this is reflected in the news articles that come out daily in the press. This book discusses this situation and illustrates with a few case studies how it occurs. From attributing political motives to Muslim extremists to mischaracterizing religious leaders such as Pope John Paul II, we are shown how a secularist view misinforms both reporters and readers. This concisely written book is actually a collaboration effort of experts in the field of media and religion. In spite of its many authors, it hangs together well, with a cohesive narrative, supportive facts, and interesting case studies. This is a must read for anyone who cares about politics, religion, and the press.
Read the Conservative Monitor extensive review of Blind Spot: When Journalists Don't Get Religion.
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Racing Toward Armageddon, by Michael Baigent. Loaded with leftist conspiracy theories that point to the religious right as the root of the world's political problems. This book hits all the hot buttons including a gratuitous reference to global warming. While advocating the forcible restraint of world religions, Mr. Baigent concocts his own apolalyptic scenario, explicitly demanding that the liberal faithful act now!
Read the Conservative Monitor extensive review of Racing Toward Armageddon.
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Microtrends, by Mark J. Penn, identifies 70 small trends occurring in our society that may, when all added together, have a big impact on our future. In spite of being a democratic pollster, Mark Penn is an insightful man. He has pinpointed many issues that have catapulted his clients to the forefront of politics. The reader of Microtrends is given a great opportunity to learn much about polling data and how it can be used to profit businesses, politicians, and perhaps even guide governmental policy in a positive direction. Some of the trends Mr. Penn identifies are obvious, such as the homeschool movement. He occasionally gives a nod to some of the far left radicals, such as the transgendered that actually do not qualify as microtrends even by his own criteria. But on the whole he has identified some interesting movements such as Pro-Semites, Wordy Women, DIY Doctors, and others that make the average reader pause and think. This is a prescient work, that should be studied by marketers and politicians everywhere. And it wouldn't hurt for us average Joe's to read it either.
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Do-Gooders: How Liberals Hurt Those They Claim to Help (and the Rest of Us), by Mona Charen. The problem with good intentions is that they often prompt action that results in bad things. In fact this is more often than not the case. Mona Charen points out some of the bad things that have resulted from good intentions in recent American History. She points out that true compassion, true good intentions would take the effect of actions into account, making social policy more conservative, indeed, more conservative.
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Twice as Good, by Marcus Mabry
This is an interesting biography of Condoleezza Rice that delves into her antecedents, childhood, and education, seeking to understand the public Condoleezza Rice.
Mabry does a nice job on Rice's early life. His writing is clear and crisp. His research is deep and personal. He has interviewed many of the people close to Ms. Rice and reproduces fascinating quotes. However, his political bias is revealed in the second half of the book. At this point the book no longer seems to be a biography. Instead it appears to be an attempt to criticize U.S. foreign policy. Of course, at the point Condoleezza Rice joins the second Bush Administration her history must be inextricably mixed with this aspect of governmental action. Yet, the sense is that Mabry is marshaling facts to make a case. When I was a history major in college, I was taught not to write the conclusion of my research paper first. I get the feeling that Mabry came to this book with too many foregone conclusions and only found the evidence that would support his made up mind.
See our in-depth review at the Conservative Monitor
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The new Anti-Semitism: The Current Crisis and What We Must Do About It, by Phyllis Chesler. Is anti-Zionism (read anti-Israel) the same as anti-Semitism? Ms. Chesler believes so and makes a strong argument that this is the case. In this well-reasoned and impassioned history/analysis/commentary she argues that the modern leftist intelligencia is aiding and abetting terrorists by their protests and stances on the War on Terror. She makes clear that Israel's war is America's war. We are fighting, ultimately, to preserve our way of life. Phyllis Chesler is an unrepentant liberal feminist, but this does not prevent her from making some very salient points about politics and war. This book is highly recommended.
Read Our In-Depth Review in the Conservative Monitor!
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The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning, by Etta Kralovec and John Buell (a scant 119 pages). This purported intellectual and much touted study reveals an alarming lack of common sense and self-discipline on the part of its psuedo-intellectual proponents. It claims that homework retards social development, disrupts families and is not productive. Much of their assumptions are based on anecdotal evidence or suspect studies. Common sense and definitive studies refute their arguments. Homework, indeed promotes learning, self-discipline, mental accuity and if all these were not enough - keeps our youth from hanging out on street corners or lying on the couch imbibing the pap distributed by MTV.
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The Diversity Hoax, edited by David Wienir and Marc Berley. This is a collection of the thoughts and stories of young law school students attending Berkley. It is a clear exposition of how the liberal thought police have come to dominate one of America's most prestigious law schools. It is a rather startling look at what liberal political correctness has done to students and how it attempts to keep conservatives "in their place." - An interesting read and a fresh approach.
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Beyond All Reason: The Radical Assault on Truth in American Law (hb,192pp) by Daniel A Farber and Suzanna Sherry. This scholarly work is actually by a pair of avowed liberals. It attacks a movement in law that they label "radical multiculturalism". Mr. Farber and Ms. Sherry see a decline in the rule of law based on reason that has sustained the western world for millennia being replaced by an irrational power struggle based on such factors as race or economic status. They describe how this phenomena is occurring in American law schools and throughout the legal system and show where it will logically take American Society if not stemmed.
There is a new book out by a liberal journalist that seems to validate all that conservatives have been saying about the politics of race for years. In Liberal Racism (hb), by Jim Sleeper we have the acknowledgment that Liberals play racial politics and that their politics are destructive to "non-whites". By setting the bar lower for non-whites "they are being denied the satisfaction of equal accomplishment." He sees the racial politics as tending to tear at the fabric of society. So much for President Clinton's race initiative which only furthers this trend.
Race, Crime and the Law (hb, 624pp), by Randall Kennedy. Like most Harvard Law professors Mr. Kennedy conveys somewhat of a liberal slant to his work, yet there is also something of the practical in his thinking. His suggestion of abolition of preemptory challenges to jurors by defense and prosecution would solve many legal problems such as over lengthy trials and discrimination by hand-picked juries. He also takes on Paul Butler's theory that Blacks have been so oppressed in the US that any crime they commit is justified. Kennedy points out that a justice system is hardly doing Blacks a favor by returning criminals to the streets whose next activity is likely to prey upon the Black Community. There is much to consider in this book.
Microtrends, by Mark J. Penn
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