Out of Step: An Unquiet Life in the 20th Century

by Sidney Hook

One of the most influential philosophers of the twentieth century details the events of his career and describes meetings with people who have shaped the philosophical and political character of recent history

Genres: Philosophy, American History, Autobiography

628 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Sidney Hook was an American pragmatic philosopher known for his contributions to public debates. A student of John Dewey, Hook continued to examine the philosophy of history, of education, politics, and of ethics. He was known for his criticisms of totalitarianism (fascism and Marxism–Leninism). A pragmatic social democrat, Hook sometimes cooperated with conservatives, particularly in opposing communism. After WWII, he argued that members of conspiracies, like the Communist Party USA and other Leninist conspiracies, ethically could be barred from holding offices of public trust.

Reviews

[Patrick Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

2016-Aug? - Remembered reading this book today, since a friend just mentioned an article and book about the 1960s campus protests. Sidney Hook taught Philosophy at Columbia and talked about the revolt on that campus and how it really soured him on the "new left." He considered himself a man of the left, but broke with it after considering how western civilization was so much better than international communism, of which the New Left idolized the ideas. I believe he considered himself part of the "neocons" more famously led by Irving Kristol. But since it has been almost 30 years since I read this book, my memory may not be perfect.

I also remember that his statements on economics were pretty pathetic. He said something nasty and uninformed about Friedrich Hayek and nothing really intelligent about markets vs. government at all. He mentioned Mises not at all, from what I remember. Very sad.

But I do remember that he was very good on western civilization vs. communism, and stood up against the left on that crucial issue. But since he knew nothing of Mises, Hayek and economics in general really, his critique of socialism was pretty wanting in many respects.

I also remember a leftist libertarian professor friend who had a very negative impression of Sidney Hook, even though he had not read this (or any?) book of his, just because of Hook's anti-student rebels on campus stand, after I mentioned how I liked this book. I was pretty shocked, since I thought all libertarians needed to be very pro-property rights and civilized behavior, which were a couple of the very good arguments that Hook used against the student rebels. Strange.

[Clifford Vickrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating account of radical circles in the 1930s, as well as interesting portraits of Dewey, B. Russell, and Einstein, but his posturing as an iconoclast became grating. Hook, after all, won a Presidential Medal of Freedom; the book may well have had the title, "Right at Home."

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The history and personal reflections were most interesting. The philosophy was a bit of a slog, though.

[m · Rating 5 out of 5]

May 30, 2020
Read January 18 to May 11, 2010.