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America: Imagine a World without Her
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Is America a source of pride, as Americans have long held, or shame, as Progressives allege? Beneath an innocent exterior, are our lives complicit in a national project of theft, expropriation, oppression, and murder, or is America still the hope of the world?
Dinesh D'Souza says these questions are no mere academic exercise. It is the Progressive view that is taught in our schools, that is preached by Hollywood, and that shapes the policies of the Obama administration. If America is a force for inequality and injustice in the world, its power deserves to be diminished; if traditional America is based on oppression and theft, then traditional America must be reformed—and the federal government can do the reforming.
In America: Imagine a World without Her D'Souza offers a passionate and sharply reasoned defense of America, knocking down every important accusation made by Progressives against our country.
Provocative in its analysis, stunning in its conclusions, Dinesh D'Souza's America will be the most talked about book of the year.
Is America a source of pride, as Americans have long held, or shame, as Progressives allege? Beneath an innocent exterior, are our lives complicit in a national project of theft, expropriation, oppression, and murder, or is America still the hope of the world?
Dinesh D'Souza says these questions are no mere academic exercise. It is the Progressive view that is taught in our schools, that is preached by Hollywood, and that shapes the policies of the Obama administration. If America is a force for inequality and injustice in the world, its power deserves to be diminished; if traditional America is based on oppression and theft, then traditional America must be reformed—and the federal government can do the reforming.
In America: Imagine a World without Her D'Souza offers a passionate and sharply reasoned defense of America, knocking down every important accusation made by Progressives against our country.
Provocative in its analysis, stunning in its conclusions, Dinesh D'Souza's America will be the most talked about book of the year.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published December 2, 2014
316 people are currently reading
2196 people want to read
About the author
Dinesh D'Souza
53 books904 followersDinesh D’Souza is a political commentator, bestselling author, filmmaker and a former policy analyst in the Reagan White House, Dinesh D'Souza graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 1983. He served as John M. Olin Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and the Robert and Karen Rishwain Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. D'Souza writes primarily about Christianity, patriotism and American politics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
August 22, 2014
Review in short:
If you're looking for a book that marginalizes the effects of slavery on an entire race, shames you for thinking slavery was wrong, uses successful historical black figures as examples of why racism has never existed and slavery wasn't that bad, while ignoring all the activism and fighting against racism that those same figures did, and ignores Jim Crow altogether...then this is the book for you!
If you find most of those things abhorrent, avoid at all costs. D'Souza says nothing worthwhile or interesting...there is basically nothing to learn from this book.
Oh, there's also a good chunk of the book dedicated to a weirdly specific and complex conspiracy theory to destroy America involving Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton. So, yeah...there's that.
If you're looking for a book that marginalizes the effects of slavery on an entire race, shames you for thinking slavery was wrong, uses successful historical black figures as examples of why racism has never existed and slavery wasn't that bad, while ignoring all the activism and fighting against racism that those same figures did, and ignores Jim Crow altogether...then this is the book for you!
If you find most of those things abhorrent, avoid at all costs. D'Souza says nothing worthwhile or interesting...there is basically nothing to learn from this book.
Oh, there's also a good chunk of the book dedicated to a weirdly specific and complex conspiracy theory to destroy America involving Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton. So, yeah...there's that.
July 5, 2014
Personally, I've always found a great deal of value and insight in Dinesh D'Souza's political and theological work. He is tremendously precise in his communication skills and makes a persuasive case for the position that he takes, whatever the position may be. With that being said, he did not disappoint with this book. In fact, I feel this book is more relevant now in our American history than it has ever been. Predictably, the Progressives are losing their minds at the thought that D'Souza should be taken seriously, however I have not read or heard a Liberal commentator actually refute his arguments; rather they lazily resort to ad hominem attacks against D'Souza's character in hopes of convincing their largely ignorant audience to dismiss D'Souza before ever listening to what he has to say. Overall, I'm very pleased with the book and would challenge any Progressive to wholeheartedly and honestly refute the claims that are made in the book in favor of American exceptionalism.
September 23, 2014
Dinesh D'Souza's work is of astounding fiber. I couldn't believe how well-researched and poignant each point was. Like a skilled orator, seemingly every claim he makes is more powerful and daunting than the last. By the time you are done reading your worldview should be changed forever.
He at times has ideas that are a little kookier, but for a conservative in today's world he's a breath of fresh air. He is logical, well-spoken, and not afraid to denounce the Republican party for their facilitating trespasses. He shows a great deal of respect to the opposing party, which both Left and Right could learn from. You trust he truly believes in what he alleges because he's quick to own up to when he disagrees with the party who would so regularly promote him.
It is a shame Mr. D'Souza's book was blocked from the New York Times bestseller lists. His documentary likely won't be seen by quite the crowd Michael Moore commands. Yet, a young American needs to read this. Americans need to know why their country is exceptional and why wealth creation has helped so many of us. It is not the entirety of the answer, but it must be known in today's "progressive" state.
He at times has ideas that are a little kookier, but for a conservative in today's world he's a breath of fresh air. He is logical, well-spoken, and not afraid to denounce the Republican party for their facilitating trespasses. He shows a great deal of respect to the opposing party, which both Left and Right could learn from. You trust he truly believes in what he alleges because he's quick to own up to when he disagrees with the party who would so regularly promote him.
It is a shame Mr. D'Souza's book was blocked from the New York Times bestseller lists. His documentary likely won't be seen by quite the crowd Michael Moore commands. Yet, a young American needs to read this. Americans need to know why their country is exceptional and why wealth creation has helped so many of us. It is not the entirety of the answer, but it must be known in today's "progressive" state.
February 11, 2019
I got to say, I was pretty disappointed with this book. I was really expecting Dinesh to go really into detail about the myths about Columbus and the Mexican-American War. Most of this book is just ranting without much elaboration. I’ve always been used to hearing Dinesh go really into detail on a specific topic with dozens of sources, but he doesn’t do it here. I would recommend reading “48 Liberal Lies About American History” by historian Larry Schweikart or “38 Questions About American History You’re Not Supposed To Ask” by historian Tom Woods.
June 22, 2014
I learned quite a bit from this book. The author does an awesome job of substantiating his claims. Put this on your "must read" list!
July 21, 2014
I picked up this book due to all the controversy surrounding it... from Costco's decision to remove it from shelves and then reversing their decision... to Google's failure to show movie times when searching for D'Souza's movie... to seeing Newspaper reviews slam it and individuals praise it. THIS IS A VERY WELL WRITTEN BOOK and I definitely recommend it regardless of what side of the political fence you are on.
I have seen a number of criticisms slamming Dinesh D'Souza's political perspective and everyone is saying that AMERICA is a book that preaches to the choir, yet with all of this criticism I am finding little evidence of individuals making effective counter arguments to D'Souza's claims.
Sometimes preaching to the choir is not a bad thing, because their songs will sometimes fill the ears of those who for one reason or another have not been listening.
I have seen a number of criticisms slamming Dinesh D'Souza's political perspective and everyone is saying that AMERICA is a book that preaches to the choir, yet with all of this criticism I am finding little evidence of individuals making effective counter arguments to D'Souza's claims.
Sometimes preaching to the choir is not a bad thing, because their songs will sometimes fill the ears of those who for one reason or another have not been listening.
July 12, 2014
D'Souza deconstructs the liberals' false arguments about just what an awful nation the United Stares is, & reminds us that we chose to come here to be free, not be be oppressed. A must read, & in fact should be required reading in any university history class. Highly recommended.
July 23, 2014
Another winner by Dinesh D'Souza. I found this book full of critical thinking, sound arguments, and an extremely competent defense against modern progressivism in America. Definitely a must read if you're concerned about where America has been heading in recent years.
December 24, 2014
First and foremost it should be said that Mr. D’Souza has a sophisticated literary style. He uses a level of language that is rare in today’s media and is almost an art form in its own right. If reviews and ratings were based solely on the eloquence of the author’s prose I would easily give his work five stars and recommend that everyone read it. Furthermore, as an essay conveying a personal point of view, D’Souza again does a great job, there is no doubt, that anyone who reads his work will understand his thoughts and perhaps even gain some appreciation for them.
So, why didn’t I give this book five stars? Well, from the dust jacket and the majority of the reviews on Goodreads, I have to say that I had a certain expectation of what I would find. My hope was that D’Souza would present a well-reasoned argument that used facts to back up his personal opinion. I went in with and open mind and, as I watched my conservative friends become insulted by the material presented in the book, I began to wonder if perhaps I was wasting my time. I continued through to the end and found one chapter in sixteen that actually struck a chord with me. Perhaps not for the same reasons that D’Souza argues, but nevertheless, I can agree on many of the points in his chapter on the American Panopticon.
Despite what I had read and believed I would see, D’Souza begins his work by dividing the population into two groups – the Conservatives and the Progressives. The Conservatives embodied what D’Souza terms “The Sprit of 1776,” while the Progressives are imbued with “The Sprit of 1968.” Whether intentionally or not, this dichotomy is portrayed as absolute and probably best described as follows (I can’t copy and paste the text for copyright reasons, but it is found in the second paragraph of the second chapter):
Conservatives love the America of Columbus, the Fourth of July, innovation, work, the “animal spirit” of capitalism, the Boy Scouts, parochial schools, traditional families and flag-saluting veterans.
Progressives love the America of tolerance, social entitlements, income and wealth distribution, affirmative action, abortion, feminism, and gay marriage.
REALLY? It’s one or the other? Those are the sides? The population is split into a two-bucket histogram and you are either a conservative who embodies all that is, in D’Souza’s mind, good or a Progressive who is full of all that is bad? You are either trying to make the country great or destroy it (create it anew in a more appropriate form)? You know who else sees the country as being in two categories? D’Souza’s adversary Michael Moore, mentioned many times in this work for his extremely “progressive” point of view. Fortunately for us, and perhaps unfortunately for D’Souza and Moore, the population is really more of a bell curve with most of us sitting to the right or left of center. Sadly for everyone, the people with the loudest voices are on either side and have completely lost sight of the fact that it is debate and compromise between opposing viewpoints that makes us succeed as a nation.
If you agree with the categorical separation of the population above, and are not going to be offended by prose that is covertly and overtly racist and sexist at times, then I recommend that you read the book. In the course of reading it, you are not going to come to see a different point of view, but it will affirm what you already believe. If you disagree with D’Souza and are willing to see past some of the points that offended even some of my more conservative friends, then you may find the historical information presented interesting. If none of that sounds like you, then you should probably not read the book – you’re not likely to enjoy it.
In closing, I was disappointed in this book. The arguments are well written, but in the world of being able to instantly fact-check anything, there were several holes in D’Souza’s presentation – for instance, while the US is indeed reducing its nuclear arsenal, it is still SIGNIFICANTLY larger than D’Souza argues. Further it is larger and more sophisticated than the next contender, Russia, who’s arsenal we have been helping disassemble for years. His main arguments for what makes the United States great are our vast wealth creation and military might (secondary arguments include innovation and religion – specifically Christianity). While he may in fact have many good points, the rather myopic nature of his presentation creates a divisive and vitriolic outcome. 1776 was a long time ago, and while the Founders certainly laid a great foundation, the world is nothing like it was 238 years ago. To assume that They would not have adapted to the ever changing world to ensure the continued success of the United States is not only naive, it is preposterous given that they granted the ability to modify the Law of the Land. The important parts of D’Souza’s message will sadly be lost, covered in the same, far-right rhetoric (along with the far-left bombast) that has, and continues to, divide the nation and hinder any sort of compromise or stability within our government, and correspondingly within the nation.
So, why didn’t I give this book five stars? Well, from the dust jacket and the majority of the reviews on Goodreads, I have to say that I had a certain expectation of what I would find. My hope was that D’Souza would present a well-reasoned argument that used facts to back up his personal opinion. I went in with and open mind and, as I watched my conservative friends become insulted by the material presented in the book, I began to wonder if perhaps I was wasting my time. I continued through to the end and found one chapter in sixteen that actually struck a chord with me. Perhaps not for the same reasons that D’Souza argues, but nevertheless, I can agree on many of the points in his chapter on the American Panopticon.
Despite what I had read and believed I would see, D’Souza begins his work by dividing the population into two groups – the Conservatives and the Progressives. The Conservatives embodied what D’Souza terms “The Sprit of 1776,” while the Progressives are imbued with “The Sprit of 1968.” Whether intentionally or not, this dichotomy is portrayed as absolute and probably best described as follows (I can’t copy and paste the text for copyright reasons, but it is found in the second paragraph of the second chapter):
Conservatives love the America of Columbus, the Fourth of July, innovation, work, the “animal spirit” of capitalism, the Boy Scouts, parochial schools, traditional families and flag-saluting veterans.
Progressives love the America of tolerance, social entitlements, income and wealth distribution, affirmative action, abortion, feminism, and gay marriage.
REALLY? It’s one or the other? Those are the sides? The population is split into a two-bucket histogram and you are either a conservative who embodies all that is, in D’Souza’s mind, good or a Progressive who is full of all that is bad? You are either trying to make the country great or destroy it (create it anew in a more appropriate form)? You know who else sees the country as being in two categories? D’Souza’s adversary Michael Moore, mentioned many times in this work for his extremely “progressive” point of view. Fortunately for us, and perhaps unfortunately for D’Souza and Moore, the population is really more of a bell curve with most of us sitting to the right or left of center. Sadly for everyone, the people with the loudest voices are on either side and have completely lost sight of the fact that it is debate and compromise between opposing viewpoints that makes us succeed as a nation.
If you agree with the categorical separation of the population above, and are not going to be offended by prose that is covertly and overtly racist and sexist at times, then I recommend that you read the book. In the course of reading it, you are not going to come to see a different point of view, but it will affirm what you already believe. If you disagree with D’Souza and are willing to see past some of the points that offended even some of my more conservative friends, then you may find the historical information presented interesting. If none of that sounds like you, then you should probably not read the book – you’re not likely to enjoy it.
In closing, I was disappointed in this book. The arguments are well written, but in the world of being able to instantly fact-check anything, there were several holes in D’Souza’s presentation – for instance, while the US is indeed reducing its nuclear arsenal, it is still SIGNIFICANTLY larger than D’Souza argues. Further it is larger and more sophisticated than the next contender, Russia, who’s arsenal we have been helping disassemble for years. His main arguments for what makes the United States great are our vast wealth creation and military might (secondary arguments include innovation and religion – specifically Christianity). While he may in fact have many good points, the rather myopic nature of his presentation creates a divisive and vitriolic outcome. 1776 was a long time ago, and while the Founders certainly laid a great foundation, the world is nothing like it was 238 years ago. To assume that They would not have adapted to the ever changing world to ensure the continued success of the United States is not only naive, it is preposterous given that they granted the ability to modify the Law of the Land. The important parts of D’Souza’s message will sadly be lost, covered in the same, far-right rhetoric (along with the far-left bombast) that has, and continues to, divide the nation and hinder any sort of compromise or stability within our government, and correspondingly within the nation.
June 21, 2014
An insightful perspective deserving thoughtful consideration. For some readers, it will challenge a person's paradigm, for others it will verbalize intuition, but for all is is a worthwhile read. 1776 or 1968, our choice!
July 31, 2014
Just started reading it, but wondering why this book will not come up under a search for "America" in Goodreads? Best selling author, current movie out? Interesting....
July 21, 2014
D'Souza does a stellar job succinctly illuminating the ideological tug-of-war Americans currently face, capably defending the "spirit of 1776", America as she was designed from her inception to be, admitting and exploring her failures, celebrating her successes, and highlighting the dangers of a progressive departure from the things that have made America great.
On a personal level, I feel validated. I cheered. I cringed. I feared. And I had hope. The spirit in which I was raised, and the beliefs I have struggled with and come to embrace, have been bolstered and energized. A patriotic fire has been fanned under this fanny. Every lover of America should read this book before they cast another vote!
The thing lacking (likely intentionally and for valid, if not perfect, reasons), was more of a discussion about how Christianity (and rejection of Christianity) influenced and continues to play a role in shaping our ideologies. It seems somewhat unnatural to separate these things from the worldviews (as they relate to religion, morality, the meaning of life, etc.) that shape them, and feels a bit off that a book about a Christian nation makes so little reference to our God, especially given that D'Souza is a Christian. But I am definitely giving him the benefit of the doubt and will be reading more of his books.
On a personal level, I feel validated. I cheered. I cringed. I feared. And I had hope. The spirit in which I was raised, and the beliefs I have struggled with and come to embrace, have been bolstered and energized. A patriotic fire has been fanned under this fanny. Every lover of America should read this book before they cast another vote!
The thing lacking (likely intentionally and for valid, if not perfect, reasons), was more of a discussion about how Christianity (and rejection of Christianity) influenced and continues to play a role in shaping our ideologies. It seems somewhat unnatural to separate these things from the worldviews (as they relate to religion, morality, the meaning of life, etc.) that shape them, and feels a bit off that a book about a Christian nation makes so little reference to our God, especially given that D'Souza is a Christian. But I am definitely giving him the benefit of the doubt and will be reading more of his books.
July 30, 2014
This book has a powerful message
This is a thought provoking book that discusses the decline of American values and American pride. He says the American dream is on the decline because some of the leaders are responsible for it. He observes that if this decline continues, then United States of America as we know it will cease to exist, essentially committing in a national suicide. D’Souza is especially critical of the policies of Obama. His policies have led the nation to stagnation, impoverishment, indebtedness, and decline. At its heart, America is a celebration and we must rejoice with all its intellectual and material wealth. America is worth saving, and we have the tools to do so in our DNA, just waiting to be harnessed, but socialist devils like Obama and Hilary Clinton are progressively killing this potential. There is a good deal of American history written in this book and it reads effortlessly.
This is a thought provoking book that discusses the decline of American values and American pride. He says the American dream is on the decline because some of the leaders are responsible for it. He observes that if this decline continues, then United States of America as we know it will cease to exist, essentially committing in a national suicide. D’Souza is especially critical of the policies of Obama. His policies have led the nation to stagnation, impoverishment, indebtedness, and decline. At its heart, America is a celebration and we must rejoice with all its intellectual and material wealth. America is worth saving, and we have the tools to do so in our DNA, just waiting to be harnessed, but socialist devils like Obama and Hilary Clinton are progressively killing this potential. There is a good deal of American history written in this book and it reads effortlessly.
July 5, 2014
A powerful, patriotic defense of American history against the liberal critique of America as a force of evil in the world.
July 8, 2014
Best history lesson ever! I think everyone should read this book. It's very well researched, every point is poignant - it made me think.
August 3, 2015
The author denounces the following points:
- America is a nation of thieving and plundering.
- Capitalism is framed as theft, that there are only makers and takers.
- Wealth is not earned
- Achievement is unearned.
- The value of occupations is monetarily unbalanced.
Thought I would have a hard time reading this book and grasping his points, but he is an excellent writer. Can't wait to read his book - What's so Great about Christianity - since I see he is a Christian apologist.
I read Howard Zinn's book, A People's History of the United States and I thought it had some validity at the time. After reading this perspective of American history, I think I tend to embrace the logic that this author serves up. It's a powerful book that I will be thinking about for a long time to come. Hope everyone reads it to gain a different perspective.
- America is a nation of thieving and plundering.
- Capitalism is framed as theft, that there are only makers and takers.
- Wealth is not earned
- Achievement is unearned.
- The value of occupations is monetarily unbalanced.
Thought I would have a hard time reading this book and grasping his points, but he is an excellent writer. Can't wait to read his book - What's so Great about Christianity - since I see he is a Christian apologist.
I read Howard Zinn's book, A People's History of the United States and I thought it had some validity at the time. After reading this perspective of American history, I think I tend to embrace the logic that this author serves up. It's a powerful book that I will be thinking about for a long time to come. Hope everyone reads it to gain a different perspective.
August 17, 2015
D'Souza presents arguments for the 'other' side, the one we never hear about, and I have to say, they make sense. If you want to know the ideas from both sides, this book is a must-read. Actually, I can't think of anyone who wouldn't benefit from reading it.
I LOVED the clear and building logic. So gratifying as layer build upon layer. Especially enlightening were D'Souza's ideas on the world economy.
I kept thinking this book should be named 'Common Sense' but I guess that title was already taken.
I LOVED the clear and building logic. So gratifying as layer build upon layer. Especially enlightening were D'Souza's ideas on the world economy.
I kept thinking this book should be named 'Common Sense' but I guess that title was already taken.
July 29, 2014
Dinesh outshines himself yet again. Talk about an American hero; he truly knows the capitialist, American system! His contrast with what we have or had depending on your perspective is stunning. He really takes a look at the system in place to demean this only system that has brought more people up in the world. You never read about socialist states making people rich because it does not exist. Dinesh is a worth read. FULL of history and truth in these very dangerous times.
July 17, 2014
A must read. He is very pro-America, shouldn't we all be?
January 21, 2016
This book lost me straight away right in the introduction, when D'Souza mentions that the US risks becoming a "second Canada." I'm not really sure what he means; a country with a stable political system, growing economy, universal health care, higher gender equality and lack of ethno-racial violence? Probably not. More likely that he means Canada doesn't have as many missiles and tanks as the US, and therefore, can't invade as many countries.
D'Souza's anti-Obama rhetoric is passionate to say the least. Most of it is a little silly, especially when he talks about Obama wanting to bring down the US from within, how he is passionately "progressivist" and "anti-colonial", and wants to see the US decline. Its a bid crude, though is typical of the more low-brow tendencies in American discourse to navigate towards extremes rather than the middle ground.
But it isn't complete tripe; I agree with him that Americans have much to be proud of, and that the US plays an important balancing role in world affairs. Whereas the US is certainly guilty of egregious errors and crimes (Vietnam and Iraq, to say the least), it would be a little silly to say that the US was worse than China, Soviet Russia, etc. The predominant reason that Europe did not survive under Nazi control, and that Soviet control over East Europe didn't spread to the West were because of the US. Further, the US role in dismantling the European empires cannot ignored either.
However, his rants against the "blame America first" crowd - which includes Native American activists seeking land-rights resolution - verges on being racist. As a person of South Asian heritage, D'Souza gets away with saying much that others might not be able to, including that African American communities and American Indians are lazy and more interested in complaining than becoming self-sufficient.
This isn't a great book, and is a bit too typical of the popular discourse on US politics to tend towards extremes.
D'Souza's anti-Obama rhetoric is passionate to say the least. Most of it is a little silly, especially when he talks about Obama wanting to bring down the US from within, how he is passionately "progressivist" and "anti-colonial", and wants to see the US decline. Its a bid crude, though is typical of the more low-brow tendencies in American discourse to navigate towards extremes rather than the middle ground.
But it isn't complete tripe; I agree with him that Americans have much to be proud of, and that the US plays an important balancing role in world affairs. Whereas the US is certainly guilty of egregious errors and crimes (Vietnam and Iraq, to say the least), it would be a little silly to say that the US was worse than China, Soviet Russia, etc. The predominant reason that Europe did not survive under Nazi control, and that Soviet control over East Europe didn't spread to the West were because of the US. Further, the US role in dismantling the European empires cannot ignored either.
However, his rants against the "blame America first" crowd - which includes Native American activists seeking land-rights resolution - verges on being racist. As a person of South Asian heritage, D'Souza gets away with saying much that others might not be able to, including that African American communities and American Indians are lazy and more interested in complaining than becoming self-sufficient.
This isn't a great book, and is a bit too typical of the popular discourse on US politics to tend towards extremes.
July 3, 2014
Dinesh's book is well written and, at times, frightening! It stands as a wake up call to all Americans to get our heads out of the dirt and take action by defending our moral values and world view that others can look up to. If things keep going the way that they do, we will live in a totalitarian state where freedom will no longer have any meaning. Read this book and you will understand. A lot of research was done and true history is presented in this book and I guarantee you that you will feel empowered to take a stand. I have read Dinesh's previous book, "Obama's America", and the predictions in that book are turning into reality. I highly suggest reading this book even if you do not agree with the conservative content in this book or if you don't fully believe in American exceptionalism.
July 4, 2016
Judging from the title, I expected an exploration of how different world history would look had America never existed. In actuality, though, AMERICA: IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT HER does very little delving into hypotheticals. Instead, it gives a rousing defense of this country's founding, and explains to the PC crowd why America is not the Evil Empire it's so often made out to be.
Yes, America has made mistakes, and author Dinesh D'Souza doesn't try to offer excuses for them. What he does offer is some desperately needed context and clear-headed reasoning. If you are an emotional knee-jerk reactionary, you'll probably want to head for your safe space.
Yes, America has made mistakes, and author Dinesh D'Souza doesn't try to offer excuses for them. What he does offer is some desperately needed context and clear-headed reasoning. If you are an emotional knee-jerk reactionary, you'll probably want to head for your safe space.
January 26, 2022
Should be read by all Americans or those who want to become American. Refutes logically many of the negative myths about America. Presents many facts and references to support the arguments presented. I also watched the movie, that I plan to also buy at some point, and found it to closely follow the book. Excellent book.
June 23, 2014
It wasn't anything like I thought it would be from the title and from the movie preview I saw. I thought it would be an imagining of a kind of parallel earth where America never happened. Instead, it was a good text on parts of our history and about the value of our country. But I am disappointed it wasn't what I thought. My fault :(
August 1, 2015
This is more of a 2.5 stars read. A couple of things: the narrator (Walter Dixon) read way too quickly. It was like he had another appointment soon and needed to hurry things along. It was distracting. The content was a little over the top. He made a number of blanket statements about liberals, very short-sighted and off-putting.
I think Mr. D'Souza has some interesting ideas which are truly thought-provoking unfortunately he is extremely disrespectful to Mr. Obama. One does not need to like or agree with the current President of the United States but one should be respectful. He not once addressed him as President Obama or at least Mr. Obama. We should still respect people even if you don't care for their politics or the person. Another thing ... it is called the "Affordable Care Act" not "Obamacare." If you want to be taken seriously, call things by their proper names. We do not refer to Medicare as Johnsoncare or Social Security as Roosecurity.
I feel Mr. D'Souza would do a better job on getting his message out by not attacking one person but opening lines of discussion and suggesting ideas everyday citizens can do to continue to make America a great nation.
I think Mr. D'Souza has some interesting ideas which are truly thought-provoking unfortunately he is extremely disrespectful to Mr. Obama. One does not need to like or agree with the current President of the United States but one should be respectful. He not once addressed him as President Obama or at least Mr. Obama. We should still respect people even if you don't care for their politics or the person. Another thing ... it is called the "Affordable Care Act" not "Obamacare." If you want to be taken seriously, call things by their proper names. We do not refer to Medicare as Johnsoncare or Social Security as Roosecurity.
I feel Mr. D'Souza would do a better job on getting his message out by not attacking one person but opening lines of discussion and suggesting ideas everyday citizens can do to continue to make America a great nation.
July 17, 2014
I recommend this to everyone who is intrigued by the question posed by the author in the title: What if America had never existed? Unfortunately, we may soon experience the answer to that question as we have become a nation of materialists who have neither the time nor interest in doing what is necessary to reclaim the breadth of our freedom from an increasingly overreaching state or to in the end remain free.
August 6, 2014
I listened to this on audio and honestly think I am going to listen to it a second time. He put out a lot of historical facts about America, explaining many misconceptions along the way. I especially liked his argument for capitalism--made perfect sense. I was afraid this might be boring, but found it was quite interesting and told in such a way that many people can relate to--not just lawyers or politicians. I wish this was required reading for students in high school and college.
July 14, 2014
Worthwhile reading - don't miss the movie
February 11, 2017
Doesn't deserve a rating. Absolute drivel...
Read
December 15, 2024DNF !!! Collection of hypotheticals and gibberish.
For example it starts right off with a commentary on the Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus (The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays). The author writes: "Camus was original in that he raised existential despair to a universal human level--we are all in the same predicament--and because he considered suicide as not just something people do, but something we ought to regard as a moral option, perhaps even a moral imperative." That is deliriously misleading.
The Myth of Sisyphus is basically a long argument against suicide, i.e. the opposite of something suggesting that suicide is a moral imperative. It is definitely not about universal despair. Here is a quote from the last paragraph of the Myth of Sisyphus: "... Sisyphus teaches the higher fidelity that negates the gods and raises rocks. He too concludes that all is well. ... The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy."
Why is D'Souza bringing up Camus? I don't know. He chose to. But then he is twisting its meaning 180 degrees away from the truth. Flaming red flag for bulls**t.
One more example: he quotes Muhammad Ali saying "Thank God my granddaddy got on that boat!" This seems very fishy and I would guess is a fake quote, but D'Souza is sloppy and gives no reference, as he would do if he were "a scholar" who cared about accuracy. I would fact check him if I could but he won't let me know what his source is. Here is an opportunity for him to provide one, or else admit he's wrong about that quote.
I could go on.
For example it starts right off with a commentary on the Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus (The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays). The author writes: "Camus was original in that he raised existential despair to a universal human level--we are all in the same predicament--and because he considered suicide as not just something people do, but something we ought to regard as a moral option, perhaps even a moral imperative." That is deliriously misleading.
The Myth of Sisyphus is basically a long argument against suicide, i.e. the opposite of something suggesting that suicide is a moral imperative. It is definitely not about universal despair. Here is a quote from the last paragraph of the Myth of Sisyphus: "... Sisyphus teaches the higher fidelity that negates the gods and raises rocks. He too concludes that all is well. ... The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy."
Why is D'Souza bringing up Camus? I don't know. He chose to. But then he is twisting its meaning 180 degrees away from the truth. Flaming red flag for bulls**t.
One more example: he quotes Muhammad Ali saying "Thank God my granddaddy got on that boat!" This seems very fishy and I would guess is a fake quote, but D'Souza is sloppy and gives no reference, as he would do if he were "a scholar" who cared about accuracy. I would fact check him if I could but he won't let me know what his source is. Here is an opportunity for him to provide one, or else admit he's wrong about that quote.
I could go on.
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