America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It

by Mark Steyn

"Mark Steyn is a human sandblaster. This book provides a powerful, abrasive, high-velocity assault on encrusted layers of sugarcoating and whitewash over the threat of Islamic imperialism. Do we in the West have the will to prevail?" - MICHELLE MALKIN, New York Times bestselling author of Unhinged

"Mark Steyn is the funniest writer now living. But don't be distracted by the brilliance of his jokes. They are the neon lights advertising a profound and sad America is almost alone in resisting both the suicide of the West and the suicide bombing of radical Islamism." - JOHN O'SULLIVAN, editor at large, National Review

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT.....

Someday soon, you might wake up to the call to prayer from a muezzin. Europeans already are. And liberals will still tell you that "diversity is our strength"--while Talibanic enforcers cruise Greenwich Village burning books and barber shops, the Supreme Court decides sharia law doesn't violate the "separation of church and state," and the Hollywood Left decides to give up on gay rights in favor of the much safer charms of polygamy.

If you think this can't happen, you haven't been paying attention, as the hilarious, provocative, and brilliant Mark Steyn--the most popular conservative columnist in the English-speaking world--shows to devastating effect. The future, as Steyn shows, belongs to the fecund and the confident. And the Islamists are both, while the West is looking ever more like the ruins of a civilization.


But America can survive, prosper, and defend its freedom only if it continues to believe in itself, in the sturdier virtues of self-reliance (not government), in the centrality of family, and in the conviction that our country really is the world's last best hope. Mark Steyn's America Alone is laugh-out-loud funny--but it will also change the way you look at the world.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Islam, Audiobook, Religion, Cultural

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Mark Steyn is a Canadian author and cultural commentator. He has written numerous books, including the New York Times bestsellers America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It. Steyn has been published by magazines and newspapers around the world, and is a regular guest host of the nationally syndicated Rush Limbaugh Show. He also guest hosts Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News, on which he regularly appears as a guest.

Steyn lives and works mainly in Woodsville, New Hampshire. He is married, and has three children.

Reviews

[Whitaker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Update: 27 February 2016

This is how it starts isn't it, through this book and others of its ilk?

On Thanksgiving, a Pittsburgh man accosted his Moroccan cab driver with questions about ISIS, then shot him. Two weeks later, a Michigan man called an Indian store clerk a "terrorist" before shooting him in the face. On Christmas eve in Texas, a local man charged into a Muslim-owned tire shop and shouted "Muslim!" as he opened fire, killing one and critically wounding another.

I know that I'm a voice in the wilderness here, that many of the people who read this book will never change their minds. Nevertheless, I want to note that I was at a Madonna concert last night. Out here in Southeast Asia, there were many women in the audience that were Muslim, who stood out because they were wearing the head covering known in SE Asia as the tudung. They were dancing away and clapping and cheering and laughing at the raunchy songs, the simulated masturbation, the images of gay couples. They cheered when a young Chinese man went onstage wearing a T-shirt proclaiming, "I was straight until Madonna saved me." Not exactly your idea of some traditional, oppressed woman hiding at home and popping out Jihadi babies is it?

And you know what the biggest irony is? The archibishop of the local diocese had recently sent a missive to all Catholics of the country to, as good Catholics, boycott the concert. The contrast between the two couldn't be more stark.

There are as many different kinds of Muslims as there are different kinds of Christians. A very large majority of Muslims are like these women at the Madonna concert: more interested in having a good time and then being moderately religious on Friday than anything else. Frankly, I'd find them more fun to be with than Pat Robertson or Mark Steyn or the Catholic archbishop. At least they aren't interested in converting me or hating me for being gay.

Update: 26 January 2016

Oh, come on guys, just come clean and say the words, "Final Solution".

"When you get these terrorists," Trump said, "you have to take out their families."... and the crowd roared their approval

At least we'll all know where you stand. Just lovin' it!

Update: 12 February 2015

In the wake of the Chapel Hill shooting and the tragic deaths of three young persons who happen espouse the Muslim religion, I think it's worthwhile to add to this review. Books like this are what add to the bigotry and hate. The repeated telling of the lie that the Muslim-Other is the Bogeyman that Must be Destroyed is what leads to incidents like this. To paraphrase Rupert Murdoch, I think all the atheists and white people and especially those who like this book need to stand up and take responsibility for the actions of this murderer and apologise for what your community has done. After all, that's simply applying the kind of logic of this book to yourself.

PS: As a committed and fervent atheist, may I humbly plead with everyone to understand that this man's actions do not reflect my beliefs nor the beliefs of all atheists. Many of us do not believe in violence or in killing theists. We respect the rights of theists to believe what they believe, even while we hope that they will one day see the true light.

Update: December 2011

Ooo, don't they look like scary Muslim fanatics?





Oh… Christian right-wing terrorist?… You sure they're not Muslim? You mean the deadliest terrorist mass killing in 2011 on European soil was perpetrated by a right-wing Christian white supremacist? Errr…

THE FACTS DON'T MATTER. THIS IS RIGHT BECAUSE I SAY IT'S RIGHT!! LA LA LA LA LA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

Here are some actual facts to put things in perspective. It might be useful to note that between 1970 and 2005, the IRA detonated some 19,000 bombs in the UK (with quite a bit of support from Irish nationalists residing in the US). That's 760 bombs a year or an average of TWO A DAY.

In comparison, how many Islamist bomb attacks have there been in Europe since 2001? None. Actually, the biggest bomb attack on Western European soil in recent years has been by the Basque separatists in Spain, not remotely Muslim in any way, shape, or form. And, of course, Anders Breivik perpetrated the most recent mass killing.

Sadly for the thesis in this bookdiatribe of hate, Breivik was motivated by exactly the kind of sentiment expressed here. So, you have to ask yourself, really, which is real threat? And which is the made-up inflammatory gimmick?

Original Review

By parity of reasoning:
- Because Columbine took place, ALL Americans are gun-crazy nut-jobs that seriously hate their lives and want to kill everyone.
- Because the Ku Klux Klan exists in America, ALL Americans are racists who want to lynch and/or enslave anyone who is not white.
- Because there are fundamentalist Christian churches in America who are anti-abortion and believe that wives should be subservient to their husbands, ALL Americans are fundamentalist Christians who are anti-abortion and believe that wives should be subservient to their husbands.

Yes, yes, all the millions and millions and millions of Americans living across America all live and think in exactly the same way, no exceptions. Wow. That's like, waaayyyy deep, dude!

We've seen this kind of racist demonising before. It was in Germany, 1939, by this guy with a funny moustache. He was talking about Jews. Funny, I thought he was the facist.

[Greg · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a waste of trees and space, especially in the overcrowded North Asian country where it was given to me. It also disgraces the hardback book format.
I have no difficulty reading books with views that differ from mine, but I do not read stupid books.
The preface alone characterizes the 1980s and 1990s strife in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Balkans as the fault of ingrates who refused to accept the political boundaries given them by Western European Liberal Democracies.
Of course, being a journalist with a laughably uneducated audience, he would never use the term "liberal democracy," concerned that the use of the word "liberal" would make them uneasy, what with that term's derision on talk radio. So, he just says "democracy." It's incorrect, but let's not have our readers think too much, k?
This man still believes in the "America's about knowing what's best for yourself" ideal, and apparently earnestly.
Don't read this book. Not even as a joke. It's that bad.
Keep in mind I've not even gotten to the "substance" of the book.
Steyn argues that Muslims intrinsically advocate theocracy, as will their children. There may soon be more muslims than christians. This means that our children will all follow Wahhabic Islam, unless we act now. To avoid that, we need to stop being warm fuzzy multiculturalists.
No, seriously. This is the substance of the book.
*edit* aug 2011
I wonder how many of the people on this website recall or were aware of the controversy when we first had a Roman Catholic running for President, and how the exact same dumb arguments about the central flaws of multipurpose-culture-to-blame/inconvenient-poor-people/those-not-like-us keep coming up every couple decades.

I talked about this briefly on my blog, and ended up linked on his homepage for a couple days. I got so much fucking annoying harassment from his fans, all of whom were utter morons.

Wow. I didn't realize I had that kind of vitriol left in me.

[Carlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes this stellar book is about demography. But it is also about civilizational will. Western civilization has given so many hard earned gifts to the world (if you don't know what these gifts I speak of are, I would humbly ask you to read anything from historian Will Durant or Paul Johnson). The question is do we have the will to preserve them? Whatever your feelings about Islam and wars, you have to ask yourself: is having large numbers of un-assimilated Muslim immigrants in Europe, people who in fact hate western culture a good thing in light of the fact that they are out breeding the native, assimilated population? In France, about 10% of the population is Muslim - that isn't big problem. The big problem is that 40% of the 20 year olds in the major cities are Muslim. In a generation, they will take the reigns of power. How French will France be then? We in America have demographic problems too, be we are fortunate (America has always been so very fortunate, thank God) that our immigrants want to be Americans.

[Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Fundamentalist Islamic Fascism" is my acronym for the continuing struggle, what the namby-pamby call the "war" on "terrorism." But terrorism is a tactic, not an ideology, and Islam is the ideology we are contending with, and will continue to contend with, as Steyn's book so aptly points out: it's all about demographics. While the west is navel-gazing, shuttling their only child to ballet, karate, and soccer, the east is having six, eight, and ten children per family. Quite simply, "they" will outnumber "us" in short order and America will face the prospect of living under sharia law. Like the proverbial camel's nose under the tent, America (like France and England now) will become a part of the Islamic caliphate, if only by attrition of non-Islamic populations. In 50 years there will not be a Greek alive. Think about that and read Steyn's chilling, compelling book.

[Amanda R · Rating 5 out of 5]

To put it simply, I really liked this book. From the writer's style and wit to the information conveyed, this is your typical "can't put down" book. For those of you who aren't quite convinced that "global warming" is THE greatest threat to life as we know it, this book is for you. The author's coverage of topics, including how demographics and Europe's general lack of Christian religion has allowed for major changes to take place in many European countries (one of my favorite quotes from the book comes to mind: when religion is marginalized, only the marginalized have religion). Fundalmentalism in any form is dangerous. It especially becomes dangerous when those fundalmentalists think you should convert or be killed. For me, I think Islamo-fascism poses a greater threat to our way of life than the hypothesis called "global warming." Just a thought.

This book is very smartly written, and is not an emotional rant. He has done his homework and knows his topic well.

[Joyce Capron · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK GIVES A REALISTIC VIEW OF IMPORTANT DEMOGRAPHIC AND POLITICAL TRENDS IN THE WESTERN WORLD. THE INFORMATION IT PRESENTS IS EXCELLENT BACKGROUND FOR POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING. EVEN THOUGH THE AUTHOR IS WRITING ABOUT A SERIOUS SUBJECT AND BRINGING IN LOTS OF STATISTICS, HIS STYLE IS SUCCINCT, ENTERTAINING, EVEN DARKLY HUMOROUS. I HAVE PURCHASED SEVERAL COPIES OF THE BOOK TO GIVE AS GIFTS.

WARNING: THIS BOOK IS CONTROVERSIAL. THE DAY ITS PAPERBACK EDITION CAME OUT IN CANADA, AN ISLAMIC POLITICAL GROUP SUED THE AUTHOR FOR DEFAMATION. IMHO, THE AUTHOR IS NOT DEFAMING ANYONE. HE'S JUST EXERCISING HIS RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, SAYING WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr Steyn's main premise rests on three pillars:

1. The West is in demographic decline while Muslim nations breed at a far higher rate.
2. The West is too bulky with bloated government and social welfare programs that cannot be sustained.
3. We are too tired (what he terms "civilizational exhaustion") and ashamed of our greatness to do anything about it.

And if America cannot summon the will to shape the emerging world it will be the "end of the American moment." In the demographic section of the book he takes to task, time and again, the doomsday predictions of the ecochondriac crowd and overpopulation charlatans and points out that the granddaddy of root causes (demography) tells us our planet will be uninhabited before it is uninhabitable. It is human inventiveness that solves those problems and that is the commodity we are running out of.

The conceit of a book like this, in dealing with demographics, is its conclusions are premised on the idea that things will stay the same. But it is by far the funniest in the "death of the West" genre and my only complaint is lack of footnotes.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of you will dislike this book without reading it, I accept that and live with it. All I can do is encourage you to take a look at it and it's subject matter with an open mind. Being honest with yourself is not the same as being "prejudiced". You're only prejudiced if you make up your mind without thinking, before looking at the evidence and the arguments.

I won't try to run down the entire book, you can read it. I'll just ask a couple of questions. Have you followed the news? Are you aware that Europe has largely conceded on Sharia Law? Are you aware that the U.S, is the only western nation whose population is not declining? Are you aware that America's population is only maintaining? Are you aware that populations in the nations in the East and middle East are rocketing?

I wonder how the Supreme Court will rule when Sharia comes before it here in the U.S.

Look, read the book for yourself. Is there over reaction here? Is this just a sensible wake up call? Think about it, I know what I think...the key word here being, "think".

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is the Welfare State leading us down the road to extinction? You bet, says Mark Stein and then he proceeds to make such a good case for that and the resulting Islamicization of Europe that he has been hauled before the Ontario Human Rights Commission on a charge of anti-PC heresy. This is a chilling and wonderfully written book, filled with Steyn's humorous barbs, directed against the timorous PC functionaries of the sort who would turn around every commode in the UK prison system so that Muslim convicts wont have to face Mecca while they take a crap (and also have taken the Union Jack down because it contains the Cross of St George, a foe of Islam). He serves up the crushing demographic numbers of European decline with a soupcon of wit and warns of the end to come if we continue on the present course. A must read.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Steyn argues a frightening case:
Native Europeans are not having children at anywhere near the "replacement rate" of 2.1 children per woman, while Muslim immigrants are having 5,6,7, or more children per woman. Given this population dynamic, within our lifetimes, Europe will become a much different place, a place some have called "Eurabia", as Muslims become a larger minority, then a plurality, then the majority. The Europeans show few signs of recognizing this trend, and even fewer signs of being willing to confront it.

This transformation would leave America largely alone in the world, as most of our traditional allies would likely become hostile, or at least neutral, towards us.

[Jim Stogdill · Rating 1 out of 5]

Someone I know challenged me to read this and I did from the perspective of "understanding people I disagree with." I still disagree though I can see how such a carefully constructed and camouflaged screed can have a certain seductive appeal. In the end, while I can't help but agree with some of the author's opinions of political correctness and the like, this book can be safely categorized as "racism loudly claiming not to be racism."

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realized what I had already known from living in Europe for 2 years about population decline in the western world. A great way for a people to take over the world these days is to have lots of kids. Great information that everyone should know about how to protect ourselves from political correctness as well.

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye opener of a book.

[Alistair · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not care for this book. Although I always enjoy a book that at least causes you to think. Although if you really think that Europe is going to sink under a cultural revolution of islam and give up its history and freedoms, then let me tell you about some land in Florida I'd like to sell you.



Styen cherry picks info to present his narrow right-wing christian view. Fails to see that there is an exceptional movement to reign in fundemental islam in Europe. Fails to note that at the end of the day 99.99% of all muslim immigrants don't give a dam about fundementalism. Fails to take into account the root reasons for the demographic change in both the west and in muslim countries.........doesn't provide any comparison as to the economic or social factors of muslim populations inside western countries and there home countries.

Doesn't take any notice or care of the failed American and European foreign policies which have done little to help the middle east and has sowed the seeds of the growth of fundementalisn itself.

Fails to provide context for his arguements and often for reason known only to him takes pot shots at easy left wing targets like environmentalism.....because in a demographic arguement that makes sense.......Also interesting is his lack of irony...he notes much to his glee all of the failed lefty proficies of the past.....end of oil, population explosion, running out of natural resorces etc, etc.......perhaps we should look at this book the same way, a sometimes funny and strange book, from just another chicken little!



What the world needs is less religon, regardless of which ever desert fantasy people wish to beleive.

[Ram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I admit that after a few pages of this book I had a strong urge to drop it.

I did not read the book description too well and what I expected was an anti Trump book…..something that would match my general beliefs.

Instead I got a lecture against Western nations as being so focused on moral and cultural relativism—with "diversity" and "racism" as their new favorite words. They are so concerned with pluralism and political correctness that they don't notice that Muslims are taking over their countries through immigration and demographics….etc. ….etc.….

Then I gave it a second thought and in the name of pluralism and open mindedness, I decided to continue. (possibly another contributing factor to this is that I started listening to it on a bike ride, and it was the only book on my phone….:) )


The book basically claims:

In most European countries there is a demographic decline, and the percentage of Muslim's is becoming larger (due to immigration and the fact that the Muslim families tend to have more children).

The western world is busy with climate change, population growth and similar issues that may have their importance but are insignificant related to the fact that due to various reasons related to demographics and general culture values, they will become Muslim states.


The name of the book comes from the author's claim that European nations have given up defending themselves and rely on America for their defense.

In his opinion, anti-Americanism has two manifestations:

In Muslim eyes, America symbolizes gay porn, , children born out of wedlock, immodest women, and immorality.

In European eyes, America symbolizes a crude and radical Christianity, fat rednecks and uncontrolled firearms.

According to Steyn, America will be the last and only country—as all others will be taken over by Muslims. This will happen only if America will stick to various traditional conservative values.


Well…. I admit that some of the points make sense, and some do not.

I personally believe that progressive and humanistic views are crucial for modern civilization, and all religions are a danger to these values.

At this point, the biggest threat to these values does come from the Muslim religion.

I admit that I don't have the recipe to prevent religion overtaking our life, but I strongly believe that radical conservative ways as seen in the U.S , Russia, Israel and many other countries today is not the solution.


The 4 star score is for the quality of the book, and not necasserily for the rate of my agreament with all the opinions expressed in the book.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Steyn hits a home run. He will definitely dent the minds of pacifists with this new book. His writing is literally laugh out funny and hard hitting at the same time. Everything he points out in the book is factually accurate. Islamofascism is 'THE GREATEST' threat facing the free democratic society in this post 9/11 world. Mark packs this book with factual examples and lays the regressive trends that Europe and Canada are following. Read it now and I promise you'll enjoy it, even if you disagree with him!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up because I love Mark Steyn...he is brilliant and wickedly witty (a lethal combination for me, I'm afraid ;). I wasn't sure what it was about until I started reading...so FASCINATING. This book is full of hard fast facts interspersed with witty one-liners and commentary...quite dismal news delivered for Europe in this book. Most countries in the EU have populations that are halving every generation at best. Anyway, it wasn't what I expected, but I was hooked!

One of my favorite quotes is on the cover above the title (you know, where the publisher puts a raving review..). The quote reads "The arrogance of Mark Steyn knows no bounds" - Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saudi Ambassador to the United States. Oh how I love Mark Steyn...in fact, I have to confess I have inappropriate feelings for him - I told you, brilliance and wit...mmmm - hahahahaha!

[Hugh Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world that we know will not remain for very long if current trends continue. This book is the perfect antidote to claims that we are about to over-populate the planet. In fact, European countries have negative birth rates and the next fifty years could see major changes in their demographics. The massive immigrant populations from Muslim countries could quite plausibly overrun some of the nations of Europe within the next half-century. Steyn presents his evidence, his arguments and the inevitable conclusions if his evidences are correct in so witty a manner that his reading is truly delightful. There is nothing so diverting as the prose of a well-read author with a good wit, as is Mr. Steyn.

[Elisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't express my happiness about being finished! Hallelujah!

The intolerance and Islam bashing in this book soured any points where I would have agreed with him and made this a noxious read I couldn't wait to get through. Seriously, the fact that any educated person propagates such crap flabbergasts me.

I agree with maybe 1% of the notions in this book and those relate to strengthening patriotism in Canada so that home grown people aren't so easily indoctrinated by fundamentalists.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb and exact with pertinent demographics and events.

He only lost me in the intense analogies and super funny convolutions of modern exact media/ entertainment/ colloquial aside similes. But almost all comedy or forms of comparison satire usually do the same for me. I'm too literal, and don't drink that in quickly or easily.

But other than that quality, it's pertinent, exact, and as real as a Chinese virus critical level pandemic on a cruise ship.

Everyone who is alive in 2020 and can read serious numbers and subject matter should read his Demographics section here. I've known this myself for some years already, but that he posited all of this in 2006! Beyond wise, all the way to full blown prophetic. And not only that particular aspect of homo sapiens governmental, location, power structuring for food/goods/happiness etc either. Because it becomes more true every year what the fall outs of those crux dissatisfaction and unhappiness quotients have been and are ever more becoming. Not just in individual moods but in group verbal aggression. Especially when people are carefully taught to self-hate and taught backwards and distorted science in a Chicken Little scenario style.

The children of the Earth's future are coming from all the places who have the greatest disconnects to the modern world. I always and forever have wondered why our "leaders" in all nations have never recognized those numbers and what they "tell" everyone who can count.

When the culture and demographics tell you what they tell you. Who has joy? Who has enthusiasm and inspiration to birth the tomorrow? But this book is far more than just the demographics. It's ultimately in the second two points (1st is demographics) the facts and histories of practiced appeasements and what that truly produces in culture clash outcomes.

Excellent, excellent book. I see proof of it every day if I take the train or use public transit. And more and more childless, sad, selfish, self-hating (despite their Free Tibet stickers of high level social hubris advertisement) angry and weak souled people are seen to be pouting everywhere you look and go.

Everything he says about multiculturalism is 5 stars. Especially when one huge set believes that every other religion/soul course/law system is worthy of nothing but a justified death unless it is theirs. If you travel- everything he has said in this 2006 book, is already becoming visibly true.

Read this and don't believe the 1 star trolls. China has already discovered and fully understands how harmful that 1 baby policy of the past was to them. The highest and best resource of any civilization is its core youth populations. Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, Canada and many other places are very very sick in their greatest resource.

The quotes at the beginning of each chapter are at a 6 star level to the pertinence of the contents. I especially was blown away by Shakespeare. That guy sure knew people, and not not just individuals either. But humans in groups and their social psychology.

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I have serious issues with the narrator of this book. He is the same as the narrator of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, which I hated partly because the narrator sounded so smug and arrogant - I hated it the restly because it was just crap. I read the introduction of this book online and eagerly downloaded the audiobook from my library. I nearly cried when I heard the narrator's voice. I'm afraid that may have soured the experience for me.

Notwithstanding the narrator's grating tones, the author makes an interesting point:

People in the western democracies are not reproducing. Of those countries, America has the highest fertility rate of 2.1 births per couple. Greece, Italy, and Spain have rates of 1.3, 1.2, and 1.1 respectively. Who is going to take care of the aging populations of these countries when they are all on welfare? According to Mark Steyn, the Muslim immigrants who are outbreeding the native populations by a landslide.

What this portends for Europe is a whole lot of speculation on the author's part, but it is hard to argue with the sheer simplicity of the statistics. The world is becoming more Muslim, if only because Western post-Christians can't be bothered to have any kids.

Another part of the book I found interesting and gratifying is the author's railings against the welfare state that Europe has become and which many in America are trying to bring about. Not only are bloated social welfare programs collapsing under shrinking population levels, but they are destroying the will of man to fight for and take care of himself and others. People are professing tolerance and diversity not through education, but through ignorance. Mark Steyn's book is a wake up call to the masses befuddled by the opiate of government welfare to the point that they can't reproduce to save their way of life.

[bp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read Steyn online, in commentaries, and magazines, but never attempted a book by him. Shame on me! The guy is a delight, and incendiary to boot. How I knew I would like this book before I even cracked it: the cover quote. Usually these things are drippy and praise-laden, along the lines of "Smith's book is a masterpiece of zippity do dah".
What does this guy put on the cover?
"The arrogance of Mark Steyn knows no bounds" - Prince Turki al-Faisal
Heh.
This is a guy who can write seriously and urgently about complex and interesting subjects, but isn't so weighted with self-importance that he can't look into the camera and wink. Which he does. Often.
I may have found a new boyfriend here.

[Michael David Cobb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mark Steyn isn't a great writer, in fact his book, America Alone isn't a very good book. I think he's way better as a radio commentator and columnist. So this effort seems a bit scattershot for me. But I think it's just the kind of book that someone like me needs to have read. It gives me a handful of double-ought shotgun shells of red hot facts to spew. By 'someone like me' I mean someone with a reason to defend America in the face of all the gibberish that passes as constructive dissent.

The other day, I was talking with some friends about global warming. 'Jack Jones', is Boy's best friend's dad. We're kind of 'best neighbors'. Jack's an investment adviser with a rather serious portfolio of clients. So he gets paid to make sense of global events. He reminded me that there's some interesting things going on in the commodities markets with corn. I told him that I look to the supermarket shelves: when we're down to just 3 kinds of corn flakes, then I worry. He agreed. More likely the price will go to 7 bucks a box first. On global warming, he reminded me of something we can all try at home. Put ice cubes in a glass, then fill it with water. When the ice melts, the level of the water goes down, not up. So let's not worry about flooding Manhattan.

Mark Steyn has given us a signal to worry about and it is the fall of Europe. If there's anything completely coherent in 'America Alone' it is that it paints a bleak picture for the EU's undeclared war against Islamism. The EU, according to Steyn, is outsourcing its democracy to Muslim youth. So what we Americans need to watch, instead of corn flakes and coastlines, are what concessions EU ministers will do in the face of its losing demographic battle against Muslim youth and how bold the radical Islamists will be in that rising tide. Here are some buckshot for you, the most popular name for male babies in Amsterdam is Muhammed.

The current talking point on Right Radio these days is whether or not Liberals and Democrats have any idea of the size of the Islamic foe. The answer is no, of course not. The correct estimate is that it may or may not matter because nobody, it seems, has any strategy to help 'Moderate Islam' actually moderate the rest of Islam. But the syllogism works something like this:

Who is the enemy? Jihadis?
Where do they get support? Islamists
Who are the Islamists? People who want to live under sharia.
Where do Islamists get support? From all sorts of Muslims.

There are dots to connect for sure. Let the FBI do that. But the fact of the matter is that Jihadis only get support from Muslim communities, and Muslim communities in the West are working their way towards and through all sorts of concessions via a multicultural imperative of Western liberals. The only chance to have Jihadis are through politically active Muslim population bases. And these bases are all over Europe.

Steyn isn't long on solutions. He tends to offer a rather dim outlook. His gripes are classically conservative but he doesn't do so much to rally the troops. He speaks in the voice of someone who thinks it should be obvious that what we have in the West is worth preserving, so he doesn't go into all that. In that regard he's not got a popular book. He's not likely to win any converts to his vision through any cheerleading, however he does show a hundred different examples of what we generally understand in the conservative movement. That's good enough.

What Steyn gives me is a reason to be a bit more strenuous in my questioning of our ethics with regard to the tolerance of Islam. I've never bought into the 'Clash of Civilizations' theory, primarily because I don't regard Islamists as particularly civilized, nor do I give much credit to the Iraqi militants in their free for all. So I am more likely to ask whether or not the momentum in political Islam is pro- or anti-Western and who arises to block or accommodate cultural concessions. I think that my experience with emergent American populations will be instructive in this, especially since I believe I see clearly through the hokum of multicultural politics. I know a self-hating, self-destructive white liberal when I see one, and I know exactly how loud minority activists walk all over them. And I see their mutual disinvestment in patriotic faith work its retarded miracles. So I'm watching, and guess what? I'm not beyond consideration of loyalty oaths.

I have a great deal of confidence that American prejudices against Europeans can and will be easily awakened from slumber if we see more of the sort of sissyfied crumbling that Spain demonstrated in the wake of the Madrid bombings. And I now expect to see more of that sort of event in the near future. What 'America Alone' does is prepare me to understand how it was that the British allowed their sailors and marines to be captured, Europeans truly are far along the road towards capitulation. They're much worse than we are. We at least still have red states, whereas all of the EU has seemed to have gone baby soft blue.

Americans on the whole will recognize what's up. Half of us do already. It's not close to being too late.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I'm an independent who voted for Obama (and Kerry). I grew up in a conservative Northeastern suburb, and currently live in Berkeley, CA. I consider myself liberal on social issues, and pretty conservative on fiscal issues. I'm a member of the Sierra Club, and believe global warming is a serious threat, which means that Mark Steyn thinks I'm an idiot (and told me so many times during the course of this book). But by gum, I read America Alone cover to cover, because I love my Republican father, and he wanted me to read it so much that he had a copy mailed straight to my door.

So color me surprised when I actually found the book--mostly--quite eye-opening, persuasive, and even enjoyable, however often I may have found myself in strong disagreement with Steyn's overall worldview. He can be extremely funny, and not just when he's mocking me and my friends. He makes some very compelling arguments about the demographic growth of the Muslim world, its general susceptibility to an extremist version of Islam, and the need for the West to be culturally confident in the face of it. I don't know enough about Europe to be able to put his arguments in context (most of his concern is with demographic trends there), and I'd be curious to read some other viewpoints. But on the face of it, I put down the book pretty well persuaded by his core arguments.

I have to say, however, I think it's unfortunate that Steyn, a National Review columnist who writes as 'The Happy Warrior,' was clearly aiming this book at his usual NR audience. He peppers his prose with numerous, mocking take-downs of people and ideas he doesn't like--liberals, progressives, securalists, environmentalists (especially Al Gore--my God, he *hates* Al Gore), multiculturalism, gay marriage, etc.--and often without much, if any, relevance to his arguments. That's fine if you're preaching to the choir; you'll get a lot of Amens, you'll fire up the faithful. But if you're serious about disseminating your arguments, don't you want to persuade as many people as possible? And if you spend much of your book insulting approximately 50% of the populace, how do you expect them to get past the preface? I think it's a lost opportunity.

Furthermore, I'm amazed there's seemingly no dissonance for Steyn when he spills so much ink lambasting environmentalism and then writes, as item #8 on his list of solutions to the Islamic problem, "Cease bankrolling unreformable oil dictatorships by a long-overdue transformation of the energy industry." Has it occurred to the Happy Warrior that he may have common cause with some of his enemies? If we're looking to forestall a global hot war, maybe we could start by diffusing the culture war here at home. I don't think it's serving us well, but Steyn appears to celebrate it.

In a similar vein, Steyn characterizes France's opposition to the Iraq war as "a sign of weakness" to the Arab population, one of many places where he equates strength with force. Yet forty pages later he writes, refreshingly, "An army is only one weapon a civilization wields, and the weapon of last resort, too." OK. I know he's not too keen on French leadership, but can't he even consider the possibility that those who opposed the invasion of Iraq didn't do so out of weakness, but out of a conviction that other weapons at our disposal might actually be more effective? Steyn seems primarily concerned in this book with re-establishing cultural strength, integrity, and assertiveness. And although 8 of his 10 solutions to the Islamic problem could be characterized as the use of "soft power" (a term I'm sure he hates), nearly everything else he writes underscores this equivalence of strength and force. He spends a lot of time warning against looking weak (which, of course, only emboldens our enemies) and not so much time exploring what can--and has--happened when we wield our power unwisely.

So, you see, I take issue with some things. But again: I found much to admire here. Though I find his excoriation of multiculturalism to be extreme, I really take to heart the idea that we needn't apologize for our culture and its values, nor compromise them unthinkingly. And I take seriously his argument that the welfare state can dangerously erode our capacity for self-reliance. Along the way, I had some good laughs, and my political skin got a little thicker. I guess you could say I learned some stuff. And so, in the end, I'd consider it a highly worthwhile experience.

[Jamie Belanger · Rating 4 out of 5]

America Alone is an interesting book about demography, multiculturalism, and the fast-growing Muslim population in nearly every country on the planet. Many parts quite frankly made me uncomfortable, but then I think that was the intention of the book: a no-holds-barred examination of the current state of the world. Many people want socialized programs like welfare, national healthcare, etc; but hardly anyone thinks of what happens to their society when you *need* immigration to support those systems because your indigenous population is not reproducing at a healthy rate. Further complications arise when your immigrant population refuses to assimilate to your culture.

As a science fiction writer, this is just the sort of book I like to read. It presents a lot of information and paints a very interesting picture of where we are and where we could be in just a few decades.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frightening view of the future, if you enjoy freedom, value of the individual, democracy, human rights, education for women, separation of church and state, and other taken-for-granted causes of prosperity that were developed if not invented in the course of Western civilization. Unfortunately, Steyn's view is well-supported and cogently argued. This would be dreadful reading except for the fact that Steyn is a remarkably funny and original writer.

Re Jon Stewart: would his fans approve of his humor if it were not so relentlessly left-liberal in it's satire? Do they also find humor in Steyn, Coulter, P.J. O'Rourke?

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this book definitely makes you think. I can't say if everything that he says in here is true but most things really make sense.

I love how he talked about people having the will to stand up and do something. He also talked about how the welfare states are just shooting themselves in the foot and makes a really good case on demographics.

Altogether, this will really make you think and maybe want to start changing some things in your life to make a positive difference and prevent some of the things that are happening or could happen.

[Savannah Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an eye-opener to be sure. The only reason I didn't rate it higher was that the stats and predictions were so depressing that it made the book difficult to enjoy. I recommend this book to anybody with an interest in the future of our nation.

[James Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I would have liked this book better if the author hadn't talked so much about the dangers of Islam.

[James · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very Fox News-y. Maybe willing to buy the fact that low birth rate leads to immigration leads to cultural change. But man this guy just does not like muslims.