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Cowards: What Politicians, Radicals, and the Media Refuse to Say
COURAGE COWARDS
As we approach the most important presidential election in America’s history, something has been lost among all of the debates, attack ads, and super- PACs—something that Americans used to hold in very high regard: THE TRUTH.
Glenn Beck likes to say that “the truth has no agenda”—but there’s another side to that: people who have agendas rarely care about the truth. And, these days, it seems like everyone has an agenda. The media leads with stories that rate over those that matter. Politicians put lobbyists and electability over honesty. Radicals alter history in order to change the future.
In Cowards, Glenn Beck exposes the truth about thirteen important issues that have been hijacked by deceit. Whether out of spite, greed, or fear, these are the things that no one seems to be willing to have an honest conversation about. For example:
* How our two-party POLITICAL SYSTEM often leaves voters with NO GOOD OPTIONS.
* How extremists are slowly integrating ISLAMIC LAW into our SOCIETY.
* How PROGRESSIVE “religious” leaders like JIM WALLIS are politicizing the Bible.
* How the CARTEL VIOLENCE on our border is FAR WORSE than people realize.
* How “LIBERTARIAN” has been INTENTIONALLY turned into a DIRTY WORD.
* How GEORGE SOROS has amassed enough MONEY and POWER to INFLUENCE entire ECONOMIES.
In some cases, the truth is out there, but people simply don’t want to hear it. It’s much easier, and certainly a lot more convenient, to keep our blinders on. After all, as a quote attributed to President James Garfield made clear, “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.”
Miserable or not, the truth can no longer be something we hope for; it must be something we live. When courage prevails, cowards do not—and this book was written to ensure that’s exactly what happens.
As we approach the most important presidential election in America’s history, something has been lost among all of the debates, attack ads, and super- PACs—something that Americans used to hold in very high regard: THE TRUTH.
Glenn Beck likes to say that “the truth has no agenda”—but there’s another side to that: people who have agendas rarely care about the truth. And, these days, it seems like everyone has an agenda. The media leads with stories that rate over those that matter. Politicians put lobbyists and electability over honesty. Radicals alter history in order to change the future.
In Cowards, Glenn Beck exposes the truth about thirteen important issues that have been hijacked by deceit. Whether out of spite, greed, or fear, these are the things that no one seems to be willing to have an honest conversation about. For example:
* How our two-party POLITICAL SYSTEM often leaves voters with NO GOOD OPTIONS.
* How extremists are slowly integrating ISLAMIC LAW into our SOCIETY.
* How PROGRESSIVE “religious” leaders like JIM WALLIS are politicizing the Bible.
* How the CARTEL VIOLENCE on our border is FAR WORSE than people realize.
* How “LIBERTARIAN” has been INTENTIONALLY turned into a DIRTY WORD.
* How GEORGE SOROS has amassed enough MONEY and POWER to INFLUENCE entire ECONOMIES.
In some cases, the truth is out there, but people simply don’t want to hear it. It’s much easier, and certainly a lot more convenient, to keep our blinders on. After all, as a quote attributed to President James Garfield made clear, “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.”
Miserable or not, the truth can no longer be something we hope for; it must be something we live. When courage prevails, cowards do not—and this book was written to ensure that’s exactly what happens.
306 pages, Hardcover
First published June 29, 2010
87 people are currently reading
800 people want to read
About the author
Glenn Beck
77 books1,081 followersGlenn Edward Lee Beck is one of America's leading radio and television personalities. His quick wit, candid opinions and engaging personality have made The Glenn Beck Program the third highest rated radio program in America and Glenn Beck, one of the most successful new shows on the Fox News Channel. His unique blend of modern-day storytelling and insightful views on current events allowed him to achieve the extraordinary feat of having #1 New York Times bestsellers in both fiction and non-fiction. Beck also stars in a live stage show and is the publisher of Fusion magazine.
Online, he is the editor of GlennBeck.com and the publisher of TheBlaze.com.
Beck is the author of six consecutive #1 New York Times Bestsellers including his latest book, the thriller The Overton Window. When The Christmas Sweater, his first novel, debuted at #1 on the fiction list, Beck became one of a handful of authors to write books that reached #1 on both the fiction and non-fiction NYT lists.
Online, he is the editor of GlennBeck.com and the publisher of TheBlaze.com.
Beck is the author of six consecutive #1 New York Times Bestsellers including his latest book, the thriller The Overton Window. When The Christmas Sweater, his first novel, debuted at #1 on the fiction list, Beck became one of a handful of authors to write books that reached #1 on both the fiction and non-fiction NYT lists.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
July 16, 2012
This is Glenn Beck's best book yet! To be fair, I will refer to Beck as the author, but this book is the product of 16 different contributors. The credit is given on the title page of the book.
Equipped with 33 pages of footnotes, Beck goes after some of the biggest cowards in America today. The first chapter looks at the history of progressives in the last century. I always knew that Republican's were just as bad as the Democrats, but I never knew how that was consistent throughout the last century. The history of the Republican party during F.D.R is absolutely ridiculous. The Republicans were running candidates that all believed in basically the same things.
Beck includes an excellent discussion on libertarianism in chapter two. He does a great job at demonstrating how it must play a role in the future of American politics. I especially enjoyed how he showed that you don't have to believe in every tenet of libertarianism to consider yourself a libertarian. Ron Paul and his cult followers are not the gatekeepers.
Chapter three is on George Soros. This guy is a nightmare! The last decade of American politics are a direct result of his meddling in politics, especially on the left side of the political spectrum. This guy has single-handedly caused more damage to our Republic than anyone else alive.
Chapter four looks at economic terrorism. This chapter was written with the help of Kevin Freeman. The financial collapse of 2008 may have been caused by far more than you realize. He makes quite a case for this claim, and it will flat scare the crap out of you.
Chapter five looks at the history of the American Dream. Beck demonstrates how it has been manipulated by politicians to mean not what it usually is conceptualized as. The American Dream is not to have a bunch of stuff, a house, or money, it is simply to just have a chance, to be able to pursue your own happiness.
Chapter six looks at our southern border. The intellectual five-year-olds that we have in American politics should not read this chapter. This topic requires big boys and girls who wear big people pants. Americans need to wake up to what is going on at our southern border. And they really need to wake up to how much the cowards in the Obama administration are trying to hide the truth.
Chapter seven included a discussion on the police state. This chapter focused on how much of our civil liberties we are exchanging in the name of "safety." Americans have become a bunch of pansies since 9/11, and we continue to give up freedoms without much of a fight. At some point we are going to look back and regret what we have done.
Chapter eight focused on Jim Wallis and the progressive left's attack on religion. If you are religious and don't know who Jim Wallis is you need to read this chapter.
Chapter nine looked at the media, probably biggest group of cowards in America. The chapter served as an explanation for the launch of Beck's news media platforms The Blaze and GBTV.
Chapter ten focused on radical Islam, and like chapter six, it should only be read by grown-ups who can have an intelligent discussion on the topic. Beck received help in writing this chapter from Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, a moderate American-Muslim who is boldly calling for reform.
The last three chapters of the book were the best. Chapters eleven and twelve focused on education from two different perspectives. Chapter eleven looked at the whole system, and actually included a discussion on colleges. We always hear how bad our schools are in America, but we never hear anything about how bad our colleges are. Folks, they suck! For the most part, they just serve as liberal indoctrination centers where students are told what to think. Chapter twelve looked at an important sub-topic inside of education, and once again a topic we never hear discussed. Young people in America are not being taught economics and why capitalism is the most moral economic system to ever exist. If young capitalists happen to survive with their values in tact after high school, they must then face an onslaught by their leftist college professors. Chapter twelve was the best chapter in the whole book.
Finally, chapter thirteen focused on the coming intelligence explosion. For anyone that thinks Glenn Beck is a moron, I challenge them to just read these ten pages. I would bet you good money that you change your mind, if you don't you are not intellectually honest and I wish you the best (you are gonna need it in life!). Drawing on the work of Ray Kurzweil. There is an excellent discussion on the "technological singularity." The singularity is "a future period during which the pace of technological change will be so rapid, its impact so deep, that human life will be irreversibly transformed." We must as a people get ready for the coming technological change in our world, if we don't, we are going to be in serious trouble. As the sub-title states, "Adapt or Die." The future is insanely bright if we want it to be. The question is, do we quit being cowards and face it, or do we continue to act like children.
Equipped with 33 pages of footnotes, Beck goes after some of the biggest cowards in America today. The first chapter looks at the history of progressives in the last century. I always knew that Republican's were just as bad as the Democrats, but I never knew how that was consistent throughout the last century. The history of the Republican party during F.D.R is absolutely ridiculous. The Republicans were running candidates that all believed in basically the same things.
Beck includes an excellent discussion on libertarianism in chapter two. He does a great job at demonstrating how it must play a role in the future of American politics. I especially enjoyed how he showed that you don't have to believe in every tenet of libertarianism to consider yourself a libertarian. Ron Paul and his cult followers are not the gatekeepers.
Chapter three is on George Soros. This guy is a nightmare! The last decade of American politics are a direct result of his meddling in politics, especially on the left side of the political spectrum. This guy has single-handedly caused more damage to our Republic than anyone else alive.
Chapter four looks at economic terrorism. This chapter was written with the help of Kevin Freeman. The financial collapse of 2008 may have been caused by far more than you realize. He makes quite a case for this claim, and it will flat scare the crap out of you.
Chapter five looks at the history of the American Dream. Beck demonstrates how it has been manipulated by politicians to mean not what it usually is conceptualized as. The American Dream is not to have a bunch of stuff, a house, or money, it is simply to just have a chance, to be able to pursue your own happiness.
Chapter six looks at our southern border. The intellectual five-year-olds that we have in American politics should not read this chapter. This topic requires big boys and girls who wear big people pants. Americans need to wake up to what is going on at our southern border. And they really need to wake up to how much the cowards in the Obama administration are trying to hide the truth.
Chapter seven included a discussion on the police state. This chapter focused on how much of our civil liberties we are exchanging in the name of "safety." Americans have become a bunch of pansies since 9/11, and we continue to give up freedoms without much of a fight. At some point we are going to look back and regret what we have done.
Chapter eight focused on Jim Wallis and the progressive left's attack on religion. If you are religious and don't know who Jim Wallis is you need to read this chapter.
Chapter nine looked at the media, probably biggest group of cowards in America. The chapter served as an explanation for the launch of Beck's news media platforms The Blaze and GBTV.
Chapter ten focused on radical Islam, and like chapter six, it should only be read by grown-ups who can have an intelligent discussion on the topic. Beck received help in writing this chapter from Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, a moderate American-Muslim who is boldly calling for reform.
The last three chapters of the book were the best. Chapters eleven and twelve focused on education from two different perspectives. Chapter eleven looked at the whole system, and actually included a discussion on colleges. We always hear how bad our schools are in America, but we never hear anything about how bad our colleges are. Folks, they suck! For the most part, they just serve as liberal indoctrination centers where students are told what to think. Chapter twelve looked at an important sub-topic inside of education, and once again a topic we never hear discussed. Young people in America are not being taught economics and why capitalism is the most moral economic system to ever exist. If young capitalists happen to survive with their values in tact after high school, they must then face an onslaught by their leftist college professors. Chapter twelve was the best chapter in the whole book.
Finally, chapter thirteen focused on the coming intelligence explosion. For anyone that thinks Glenn Beck is a moron, I challenge them to just read these ten pages. I would bet you good money that you change your mind, if you don't you are not intellectually honest and I wish you the best (you are gonna need it in life!). Drawing on the work of Ray Kurzweil. There is an excellent discussion on the "technological singularity." The singularity is "a future period during which the pace of technological change will be so rapid, its impact so deep, that human life will be irreversibly transformed." We must as a people get ready for the coming technological change in our world, if we don't, we are going to be in serious trouble. As the sub-title states, "Adapt or Die." The future is insanely bright if we want it to be. The question is, do we quit being cowards and face it, or do we continue to act like children.
March 25, 2013
It took me a while to get through this book. Not because I didn't like it, but because it always takes me a while to get through non-fiction. Add to the fact that this book deals with some heavy issues, and it's no wonder it took me a month to read it.
I really enjoyed this read. I like Glenn Beck. I like his writing style. I like him as a person.
I also think that the more I read this book, the more I realized I'm closer to a Libertarian than I thought.
I can also say I learned a lot. I feel like I had no idea what the drug cartels were actually like until reading this book. You hear the stories on the radio about a random person here and there being killed, but this chapter really exploded the reality of these cartels. The magnitude of their influence is mind-boggling. It's not even close to "just another gang."
As a frequent listener of my local Fox News talk radio station, I know a lot about what is going on in the world, but because I haven't always listened, there are things I didn't know. Within Beck's chapter on "The Islamist Agenda", I learned a lot of background that I didn't previously know. I was finally able to connect names and places I've heard about to real-life things. This was very helpful to me.
I also really enjoyed reading Beck's chapter on Education in America. I LOVED his idea of shutting the entire system down, truly identifying the problem, then starting over. I liked how he described it as if our educational system is like a flu outbreak. Instead of keeping the schools open to harbor the flu more, shut it down and sanitize/clean it all out. He's absolutely right in saying how screwed up our educational system is. Reading this chapter just brought back memories from junior and senior high school and about how much I didn't learn. I'd like to think the public school district I attended didn't have another agenda, but I can honestly say I don't remember much of what I learned, especially about American history.
All in all, I'm very glad I chose this book as my "Political" book for my book club's Genre Challenge. I've wanted to read one of Beck's books for a while and I'm happy to have delved in. I think this was a great book to start with and hope to read more of his work in the future.
I really enjoyed this read. I like Glenn Beck. I like his writing style. I like him as a person.
I also think that the more I read this book, the more I realized I'm closer to a Libertarian than I thought.
I can also say I learned a lot. I feel like I had no idea what the drug cartels were actually like until reading this book. You hear the stories on the radio about a random person here and there being killed, but this chapter really exploded the reality of these cartels. The magnitude of their influence is mind-boggling. It's not even close to "just another gang."
As a frequent listener of my local Fox News talk radio station, I know a lot about what is going on in the world, but because I haven't always listened, there are things I didn't know. Within Beck's chapter on "The Islamist Agenda", I learned a lot of background that I didn't previously know. I was finally able to connect names and places I've heard about to real-life things. This was very helpful to me.
I also really enjoyed reading Beck's chapter on Education in America. I LOVED his idea of shutting the entire system down, truly identifying the problem, then starting over. I liked how he described it as if our educational system is like a flu outbreak. Instead of keeping the schools open to harbor the flu more, shut it down and sanitize/clean it all out. He's absolutely right in saying how screwed up our educational system is. Reading this chapter just brought back memories from junior and senior high school and about how much I didn't learn. I'd like to think the public school district I attended didn't have another agenda, but I can honestly say I don't remember much of what I learned, especially about American history.
All in all, I'm very glad I chose this book as my "Political" book for my book club's Genre Challenge. I've wanted to read one of Beck's books for a while and I'm happy to have delved in. I think this was a great book to start with and hope to read more of his work in the future.
July 9, 2012
Amazon review:
COURAGE > COWARDS
As we approach the most important presidential election in America’s history, something has been lost among all of the debates, attack ads, and super- PACs - something that Americans used to hold in very high regard: THE TRUTH.
Glenn Beck likes to say that “the truth has no agenda” - but there’s another side to that: people who have agendas rarely care about the truth. And, these days, it seems like everyone has an agenda. The media leads with stories that rate over those that matter. Politicians put lobbyists and electability over honesty. Radicals alter history in order to change the future.
In Cowards, Glenn Beck exposes the truth about 13 important issues that have been hijacked by deceit. Whether out of spite, greed, or fear, these are the things that no one seems to be willing to have an honest conversation about. For example:
How our two-party political system often leaves voters with no good options.
How extremists are slowly integrating Islamic law into our society.
How progressive “religious” leaders like Jim Wallis are politicizing the Bible.
How the cartel violence on our border is far worse than people realize.
How “Libertarian” has been intentionally turned into a dirty word.
How George Soros has amassed enough money and power to influence entire economies.
In some cases, the truth is out there, but people simply don’t want to hear it. It’s much easier, and certainly a lot more convenient, to keep our blinders on. After all, as a quote attributed to President James Garfield made clear, “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.”
Miserable or not, the truth can no longer be something we hope for; it must be something we live. When courage prevails, cowards do not - and this book was written to ensure that’s exactly what happens.
COURAGE > COWARDS
As we approach the most important presidential election in America’s history, something has been lost among all of the debates, attack ads, and super- PACs - something that Americans used to hold in very high regard: THE TRUTH.
Glenn Beck likes to say that “the truth has no agenda” - but there’s another side to that: people who have agendas rarely care about the truth. And, these days, it seems like everyone has an agenda. The media leads with stories that rate over those that matter. Politicians put lobbyists and electability over honesty. Radicals alter history in order to change the future.
In Cowards, Glenn Beck exposes the truth about 13 important issues that have been hijacked by deceit. Whether out of spite, greed, or fear, these are the things that no one seems to be willing to have an honest conversation about. For example:
How our two-party political system often leaves voters with no good options.
How extremists are slowly integrating Islamic law into our society.
How progressive “religious” leaders like Jim Wallis are politicizing the Bible.
How the cartel violence on our border is far worse than people realize.
How “Libertarian” has been intentionally turned into a dirty word.
How George Soros has amassed enough money and power to influence entire economies.
In some cases, the truth is out there, but people simply don’t want to hear it. It’s much easier, and certainly a lot more convenient, to keep our blinders on. After all, as a quote attributed to President James Garfield made clear, “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.”
Miserable or not, the truth can no longer be something we hope for; it must be something we live. When courage prevails, cowards do not - and this book was written to ensure that’s exactly what happens.
September 15, 2012
Another recommended book by Glenn beck where he exposes the media and Left wing bloggers with plenty of footnotes showing their own words how they support the far-left agends and Barack Obama's agenda. If you are a lover of freedom, this book is for you-if you are not sure which side to take, this is for you.
February 16, 2017
Glenn Beck has produced a pretty scary book. Perhaps that’s why his publisher chose a black and orange color scheme on every page. Black and orange for Halloween.
In his introduction, Beck identifies who the cowards are, the politicians, academics, the mass media, movement and business leaders, in fact anyone who perpetuates lies regarding our nation’s problems. These “spineless” cowards, Beck alleges, “are not only unwilling to find solutions,” but often fail to “acknowledge a problem exists.”
Beck begins with a short history of the progressive movement. That’s quickly followed by a discourse on libertarianism, which the talk show host proposes as an anecdote to progressive socialism.
George Soros, the alleged puppet master, gets an entire chapter. Other provocative topics Beck unpacks here are economic terrorism used as weapons of mass destruction, just what is and isn’t the “American dream,” protecting America’s borders and the rise of the police state in the guise of protecting national security. Self-appointed religious left activist Jim Wallis gets his own chapter here too. The mainstream media and its radical bias is a Beck target as well. Islamists’ agenda to usher in Shariah law and a world caliphate gets covered. Then Beck offers some radical ideas to defeat the radicals in charge of public education. Finally, he leaves us with some predictions for the coming artificial intelligence explosion, a “technological singularity” expected by 2045 or later.
Beck gets skewered and dismissed often by his enemies and critics alike as just another crazy conspiracy alarmist. We can ignore this latest wake-up call from Beck. Or not. If Beck is ultimately proven wrong, then NBC’s Chris Matthews will be proven right. It’s only “looney tunes.”
In his introduction, Beck identifies who the cowards are, the politicians, academics, the mass media, movement and business leaders, in fact anyone who perpetuates lies regarding our nation’s problems. These “spineless” cowards, Beck alleges, “are not only unwilling to find solutions,” but often fail to “acknowledge a problem exists.”
Beck begins with a short history of the progressive movement. That’s quickly followed by a discourse on libertarianism, which the talk show host proposes as an anecdote to progressive socialism.
George Soros, the alleged puppet master, gets an entire chapter. Other provocative topics Beck unpacks here are economic terrorism used as weapons of mass destruction, just what is and isn’t the “American dream,” protecting America’s borders and the rise of the police state in the guise of protecting national security. Self-appointed religious left activist Jim Wallis gets his own chapter here too. The mainstream media and its radical bias is a Beck target as well. Islamists’ agenda to usher in Shariah law and a world caliphate gets covered. Then Beck offers some radical ideas to defeat the radicals in charge of public education. Finally, he leaves us with some predictions for the coming artificial intelligence explosion, a “technological singularity” expected by 2045 or later.
Beck gets skewered and dismissed often by his enemies and critics alike as just another crazy conspiracy alarmist. We can ignore this latest wake-up call from Beck. Or not. If Beck is ultimately proven wrong, then NBC’s Chris Matthews will be proven right. It’s only “looney tunes.”
November 6, 2012
The fourth in Mr. Beck's series of textbooks (the predecessors being An Inconvenient Book, Arguing With Idiots, Broke), Cowards: What Politicians, Radicals,and the Media Refuse to Say is a triumph of libertarian thought. Taking on sacred cows left and right, this entire tome revolves around dissecting the various third rails of politics.
Warming up with a chapter on the dangers of Progressivism, moving on to a takedown of the drug cartels in Mexico and the political infiltration of our own government by political Islamic radicals, and finishing up with a chapter on... futurism and the eventual Singularity of Artificial Intelligence(?!!), this book is moving full throttle and on all cylinders.
I was initially unexcited to read this, as the previous book in the series, Broke, was a slog through various economic policies that informed with numerous statistics and facts but failed to entertain. Cowards is far more engaging for the layperson, a school book on Rockstar and nicotine. This is the libertarian's obstinate battle cry in response to The Invisible Committee's "The Coming Insurrection."
The true genius of the book is not in the way it takes down communism, socialism, revlutionaries, and the like. The genius is in the 30 pages of sources where the facts are written down in black and white... usually from the left-wing gospel of The New York Times or the like. Never again will you have to defend your position by saying, "I heard it on Glenn Beck."
Grade: A
Warming up with a chapter on the dangers of Progressivism, moving on to a takedown of the drug cartels in Mexico and the political infiltration of our own government by political Islamic radicals, and finishing up with a chapter on... futurism and the eventual Singularity of Artificial Intelligence(?!!), this book is moving full throttle and on all cylinders.
I was initially unexcited to read this, as the previous book in the series, Broke, was a slog through various economic policies that informed with numerous statistics and facts but failed to entertain. Cowards is far more engaging for the layperson, a school book on Rockstar and nicotine. This is the libertarian's obstinate battle cry in response to The Invisible Committee's "The Coming Insurrection."
The true genius of the book is not in the way it takes down communism, socialism, revlutionaries, and the like. The genius is in the 30 pages of sources where the facts are written down in black and white... usually from the left-wing gospel of The New York Times or the like. Never again will you have to defend your position by saying, "I heard it on Glenn Beck."
Grade: A
March 1, 2013
My father called this the scariest book he'd ever read. I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but it certainly is a sobering look at how the future of free societies everywhere hangs by a slender thread.
From the title, I expected that much of this book would consist of Beck attacking or exposing various celebrities or media figures as "cowards." But that's not what this book is at all. In fact, the only person this book really comes down hard on is George Soros, a man so rich and powerful that he claims to be able to influence entire economies (and to get a real kick out of doing it, too). Beck seems to get better and better as time goes by, and I'm glad to see he no longer even bothers with stupid stuff like jokes about fat celebrities.
This is a book about all sorts of important issues that the media simply doesn't want to hold a fair, open discussion about: the current state of public education, the ever-expanding behemoth that is the American government, the fact that our two-party election system has failed us, the seemingly inevitable dominance of failed Socialistic principles, the fact that we might all become subservient to our own technology someday soon, etc. And, of course, George Soros.
Some will call this book paranoid. Some will call it ignorant. I call it a refreshing dose of the truth.
From the title, I expected that much of this book would consist of Beck attacking or exposing various celebrities or media figures as "cowards." But that's not what this book is at all. In fact, the only person this book really comes down hard on is George Soros, a man so rich and powerful that he claims to be able to influence entire economies (and to get a real kick out of doing it, too). Beck seems to get better and better as time goes by, and I'm glad to see he no longer even bothers with stupid stuff like jokes about fat celebrities.
This is a book about all sorts of important issues that the media simply doesn't want to hold a fair, open discussion about: the current state of public education, the ever-expanding behemoth that is the American government, the fact that our two-party election system has failed us, the seemingly inevitable dominance of failed Socialistic principles, the fact that we might all become subservient to our own technology someday soon, etc. And, of course, George Soros.
Some will call this book paranoid. Some will call it ignorant. I call it a refreshing dose of the truth.
October 6, 2016
I've often found myself feeling sheepish when talking about my reading choices, and then realizing that to be entirely truthful, I must mention that I'm reading a book by Glenn Beck. To be completely honest, it was through the writings of Glenn Beck that I was introduced to mainstream conservative thought. My only reason for feeling slightly embarrassed for reading (or in this case, listening) to one of his books is not because he is an inaccurate source of information, but because he has a reputation for being so.
My rather ironic intellectual cowardice aside, "Cowards" is another fine tome by the prolific conservative media mogul. Beck dishes out his thoughts on everything from the media to capitalism to environmentalism to radical Islam. He continues to be spot on in his arguments and understanding of the issues, much more than his critics give him credit for.
Although reading some of his other works, such as "Arguing with Idiots" and "An Inconvenient Book" has led me to believe that a lot of these are essentially rehashes of each other, focused on different topics as the particular year of publication dictates, I will not hesitate to say that Beck knows how to write, and furthermore knows what he's talking about. The issue on radical Islam was particularly comprehensive, providing several sources that I may look into in the future.
My rather ironic intellectual cowardice aside, "Cowards" is another fine tome by the prolific conservative media mogul. Beck dishes out his thoughts on everything from the media to capitalism to environmentalism to radical Islam. He continues to be spot on in his arguments and understanding of the issues, much more than his critics give him credit for.
Although reading some of his other works, such as "Arguing with Idiots" and "An Inconvenient Book" has led me to believe that a lot of these are essentially rehashes of each other, focused on different topics as the particular year of publication dictates, I will not hesitate to say that Beck knows how to write, and furthermore knows what he's talking about. The issue on radical Islam was particularly comprehensive, providing several sources that I may look into in the future.
December 9, 2012
This wasn't my favorite of Glenn Beck's books. There were some really interesting chapters and some chapters that weren't all that interesting to me. One thing I will definitely give him is that every chapter was well researched and well documented.
The chapter on technology was super interesting, it was probably my favorite chapter. It made me want to read The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology. There were a few other really good chapters as well. I really liked the chapter on Libertarianism as a political philosophy.
The chapters on George Soros and the Muslim Brotherhood were both well researched and informative, but I suppose I just wasn't as interested in the subject matter, so I enjoyed those chapters less.
One thing that possibly made me not like it as much was that I prefer to read on my Kindle Touch. This book is filled with colorful graphics and backgrounds. When these are translated to the black and white Kindle Touch, many of them are hard to decipher and there is text that is completely unreadable. I read most of this book on my computer or iPad, neither of which is my favorite to read on.
The chapter on technology was super interesting, it was probably my favorite chapter. It made me want to read The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology. There were a few other really good chapters as well. I really liked the chapter on Libertarianism as a political philosophy.
The chapters on George Soros and the Muslim Brotherhood were both well researched and informative, but I suppose I just wasn't as interested in the subject matter, so I enjoyed those chapters less.
One thing that possibly made me not like it as much was that I prefer to read on my Kindle Touch. This book is filled with colorful graphics and backgrounds. When these are translated to the black and white Kindle Touch, many of them are hard to decipher and there is text that is completely unreadable. I read most of this book on my computer or iPad, neither of which is my favorite to read on.
October 28, 2012
“Cowards” was a fast read for me. For regular listeners of Glenn Beck’s radio show, much of this will be review, but with additional detail. Like most of Glenn’s books, each chapter presents a different area of concern—from media bias, to education reform, to radical Islam.
And as always, the chapters are heavily footnoted. My eBook version showed 350 pages, seventy of which were footnotes. (Here the eBook version especially shines, because hyperlinks in the text take you straight to the footnote for that text.)
It isn’t a partisan book. The first chapter illustrates how members of both parties have marched America in a progressive direction, and the second chapter makes a reasonable case for what Glenn calls “commonsense libertarianism.”
There are also chapters dedicated to George Soros and Jim Wallis (of the evangelical “left”) and a haunting exposition about the problems on the Mexican / American border. Being a tech guy, one of the chapters I found most interesting, was the last where Glenn talks about the coming intelligence explosion. Intriguing stuff.
All in all, an interesting and sometimes alarming read. I recommend it.
And as always, the chapters are heavily footnoted. My eBook version showed 350 pages, seventy of which were footnotes. (Here the eBook version especially shines, because hyperlinks in the text take you straight to the footnote for that text.)
It isn’t a partisan book. The first chapter illustrates how members of both parties have marched America in a progressive direction, and the second chapter makes a reasonable case for what Glenn calls “commonsense libertarianism.”
There are also chapters dedicated to George Soros and Jim Wallis (of the evangelical “left”) and a haunting exposition about the problems on the Mexican / American border. Being a tech guy, one of the chapters I found most interesting, was the last where Glenn talks about the coming intelligence explosion. Intriguing stuff.
All in all, an interesting and sometimes alarming read. I recommend it.
June 26, 2012
Whether or not you agree with Glenn Beck, take the time to read this book. The chapter on education will leave you dumbfounded. How can the United States be "one of the top nations in per capita education spending", yet out of the 34 civilized countries our children rank 25th in Math, 14th in Reading and 17th in Science. The chapter on George Soros will infuriate you. The links between George Soros and Campaign Finance Reform and 527s are well documented. Is there really a shadow party with Soros pulling all the strings? Nothing is off limits including: progressives, libertarians, islamists, the American Dream, the financial crisis. The problem at our borders is not just illegal immigration, but problems with drugs and with crime. All material in this book is documented in over 30 pages of citations. This is a must read.
August 10, 2012
I highly recommend reading this book before the election in November. You may not agree with everything Beck says, and may even get angry over some of it - but I think that's part of the point. We all need to think for ourselves about the issues, the current condition of our country, and the direction we are moving in - and not just accept what we hear from the politicians themselves or mainstream media.
"Perhaps you and I have lived with this miracle too long to be properly appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again." - Ronald Reagan
"Perhaps you and I have lived with this miracle too long to be properly appreciative. Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again." - Ronald Reagan
December 19, 2014
im not a paranoid, conspiracy-theory kind of person and normally I wouldn't read a book like this, but its title jumped out at me from where it was propped up in the library and when I read the subtitle, I knew I had to give it a whirl. It's an incredible read, and one I think everyone should at least skim through. One of the reasons I liked it is because it doesn't bash either side of the "two party" coin; it just gives opinion on issues concerning immigration, terrorism, Islam, etc. I won't use the 'states the facts' well because I didn't want this review to turn into a fact arguing sort of thing. I was very interested in the financial terrorism information and found the section on Greece to be intriguing. It is 269 pages long, but it is text book style, so you're reading more than that.
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September 29, 2021This is a worthwhile read for independently minded people. Not politically correct at all, which I appreciate; saying the things that should be said by our elected officials but aren't. He unapologetically takes on both sides of the isle, though he presents his case against Progressives very well. I don't think the book was intended to convert anyone to a Libertarian point of view, but he does lay out a good case for it, dispelling some of the stereotypes along the way.
As other reviewers have stated, lots of material that has already been presented on his radio show, but much more besides, and here you get greater context and source references.
The messages within each chapter are presented clearly, while the progression throughout the book jumps around quite a bit.
3.5/5
As other reviewers have stated, lots of material that has already been presented on his radio show, but much more besides, and here you get greater context and source references.
The messages within each chapter are presented clearly, while the progression throughout the book jumps around quite a bit.
3.5/5
August 31, 2012
as usual love points that Beck brings to the table, gives you something to think about.
chapter. 13 is way scary. talking about the pace of technology in the future...iT people seem to reach a consensus that by the turn of the century at the latest we will have developed. AI. that is smarter. than we are...they call it the Singularity. once that happens, if we are ready, the machines will make progress occur so quickly that it will be difficult to fathom. if we are not ready and don't program the AI. with our values we are in a whole world of Battlestar. Gallactica. some say this could/ will happen by 2045.....cripes I could still be alive!
chapter. 13 is way scary. talking about the pace of technology in the future...iT people seem to reach a consensus that by the turn of the century at the latest we will have developed. AI. that is smarter. than we are...they call it the Singularity. once that happens, if we are ready, the machines will make progress occur so quickly that it will be difficult to fathom. if we are not ready and don't program the AI. with our values we are in a whole world of Battlestar. Gallactica. some say this could/ will happen by 2045.....cripes I could still be alive!
June 20, 2012
This book is twenty-five percent foot note citations. Very well documented and very informative. Knowledge is empowering. It prepares you for future possibilities and I feel more prepared after reading this. Common sense solutions to common problems and knowing just who the cowards in America are is enlightening. Though most were easy to identify before reading this. Actions do speak louder than words, but in a lot of these cases, their own words are just as condemning.
That last chapter on Singularity was odd though. I don't think I can wrap my mind around those technological ideas.
That last chapter on Singularity was odd though. I don't think I can wrap my mind around those technological ideas.
August 9, 2012
A refreshing look at the progressive agenda that has infected both political parties and the media. With well-researched and documented information, Beck examines how we often don't even get half the story about who is behind the curtain in the real land of Oz. He has a light, breezy style of writing that makes this an easy read, though sometimes the light tone can undermine the seriousness of the material presented. However, he writes in everyday language for the average citizen and the message is loud and clear - wake up America and pay attention to what's going on.
March 15, 2014
Personally I didn't find this book as interesting as I anticipated I would. I did however find a few sections very interesting. Media for example. Instead of blasting the media for being too liberal and biased, he pointed the finger at conservatives for not being willing to put in the time and effort to be a member of the media; a good take that I hadn't considered before.
All in all, I felt it was less meat and more fluff though, perhaps trying to skim too many topics lightly rather than fewer more adequately.
All in all, I felt it was less meat and more fluff though, perhaps trying to skim too many topics lightly rather than fewer more adequately.
July 22, 2012
Glenn is right on as usual--things are not just fine. One beginning quote is from George Orwell, "In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." We are certainly in a time of deceit.
Glenn names names. Why do we put up with these sleazeballs who take our money, limit our freedoms and the treat us like we are scum? More of our citizens need to wake up and restore honor in our lives and in our nation before our hard won liberty will be gone.
Glenn names names. Why do we put up with these sleazeballs who take our money, limit our freedoms and the treat us like we are scum? More of our citizens need to wake up and restore honor in our lives and in our nation before our hard won liberty will be gone.
October 5, 2012
So far this book has been an eye opener on all fronts of this political heirarchy. I 'm not a complete idiot, but I like the dumbed down approach Beck uses to convey the message. The pieces to the puzzle really fall into place by reading this book so if you' re an audience member, pick it up. Many different and diverse programs from the past and from recent history have been uncovered and the veil political parties have been wearing this whole time has been taken off.
October 15, 2012
Excellent book. Glenn spells out topics most main stream media or other book writers won't touch. He will show the evils of Republican Progressives as well as Democrat Progressives. There seems to be a topic he won't touch.
I am still reading this book and about to start Chapter 10 of 13. I highly recommend this book, even for the die hard Liberals. Now some areas might make you cringe and spew obscenities at Glenn, but you will get over it.
I am still reading this book and about to start Chapter 10 of 13. I highly recommend this book, even for the die hard Liberals. Now some areas might make you cringe and spew obscenities at Glenn, but you will get over it.
November 12, 2012
If you are a GB junkie like me meaning I listen to every radio episode since GBTV/Blaze TV started then I didn't learn a lot I didn't know which is why I give it 3 stars. If you are not a GB fan then this is the book for you, mainly because of the extensive footnoting to help do your own homework. If you want to know what's going on with less or non-covered issues then this is a fabulous book and will "make your eyes bleed." and wish you hadn't voted for Obama.
November 6, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this! It took me quite awhile because I continued reading fiction on top of reading this and it normally drew the short straw!
It was incredibly informative and very well written. Glenn Beck actually had 15 people co-write with him on this book. It is clear by the sense of humor in large chunks of the book that he did a lot of it.
Each chapter feels likes its own book all drawn together by the basic message of "truth and intelligence over lies and corruption".
It was incredibly informative and very well written. Glenn Beck actually had 15 people co-write with him on this book. It is clear by the sense of humor in large chunks of the book that he did a lot of it.
Each chapter feels likes its own book all drawn together by the basic message of "truth and intelligence over lies and corruption".
July 21, 2012
I only wish that I had purchased this book instead of borrowing from the library. Would loved to have been able to highlight and reference later and also pass on to my family members. Shared different highlights with my 13 year old son as well. The chapter on Drugs, Terrorists and Murders in Our Backyard was eye opening, as well as the chapter on Education. Everything is well cited.
June 22, 2015
Great book but it'll scare you to death about the future of our country. I gave it 4 stars because the book starts out talking about all the coward politicians and officials (i.e. say they'll fix things but never do and actually contribute to the problem), but veers away from that in the later sections. Still a good read though.
October 18, 2012
Very distrubing and informative. Beck discusses many areas of great concern that our country is currently experiencing, but we still have the opportunity to change direction. I really found Beck's last chapter, "Adapt or Die" to be intriguing. It is about artifical intelligence explosion happening by mid-century. UNBELIEVABLE!
October 28, 2013
A good book about the inner workings of progressives in government, education and big corporations. What I like about the book is there are almost 50 pages of footnotes to verify where the facts come from.
July 4, 2012
This is a well written textbook on everything Beck finds wrong with our culture and government. Extremely well documented. He really offers no solutions and therefore the book is depressing especially for those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior.
October 22, 2012
I urge everyone to read this book. There are so many important chapters. I was impressed with the information in the chapter on education. Good basic facts. It will open your eyes and you can start educating yourself on what is going on in our country. A must read.
September 20, 2012
Great closing section on Singularity. Never really considered the implications of that before. A moral defense of capitalism par excellence. Lots of references to other avenues in my reading. Highly recommended.
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