What do you think?
Rate this book
Out on a Limb: Selected Writing, 1989-2020
Andrew Sullivan—youngest ever editor of
The New Republic,
founding editor of The Daily Dish, hailed as “one of the most influential journalists of the last three decades” by The New York Times—presents a collection of his most iconic and powerful essays of social and political commentary from The New Republic, The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, New York magazine, and more.
Over the course of his career, Andrew Sullivan has never shied away from staking out bold positions on social and political issues. A fiercely independent conservative, in 1989 he wrote the first national cover story in favor of marriage equality, and then an essay, “The Politics of Homosexuality,” in The New Republic in 1993, an article called the most consequential of the decade in the gay rights movement. A pioneer of online journalism, he started blogging in 2000 and helped define the new medium with his blog, The Daily Dish. In 2007, he was one of the first political writers to champion the presidential campaign of Barack Obama, and his cover story for The Atlantic, “Why Obama Matters,” was seen as a milestone in that campaign’s messaging. In the past five years, he has proved a vocal foe both of Donald Trump and of wokeness on the left. Loved and loathed by both left and right, Sullivan is in a tribe of one.
Bold, timely, and thought-provoking, this collection of Sullivan’s greatest arguments on culture, politics, religion, and philosophy demonstrates why he continues to be ranked among the most intriguing and salient figures in US media.
Over the course of his career, Andrew Sullivan has never shied away from staking out bold positions on social and political issues. A fiercely independent conservative, in 1989 he wrote the first national cover story in favor of marriage equality, and then an essay, “The Politics of Homosexuality,” in The New Republic in 1993, an article called the most consequential of the decade in the gay rights movement. A pioneer of online journalism, he started blogging in 2000 and helped define the new medium with his blog, The Daily Dish. In 2007, he was one of the first political writers to champion the presidential campaign of Barack Obama, and his cover story for The Atlantic, “Why Obama Matters,” was seen as a milestone in that campaign’s messaging. In the past five years, he has proved a vocal foe both of Donald Trump and of wokeness on the left. Loved and loathed by both left and right, Sullivan is in a tribe of one.
Bold, timely, and thought-provoking, this collection of Sullivan’s greatest arguments on culture, politics, religion, and philosophy demonstrates why he continues to be ranked among the most intriguing and salient figures in US media.
Audible Audio
First published August 10, 2021
180 people are currently reading
728 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Sullivan
73 books154 followersAndrew Michael Sullivan is a British blogger, author, and political commentator. He is a speaker at universities, colleges, and civic organizations in the United States, and a guest on national news and political commentary television shows in the United States and Europe. Born and raised in England, he has lived in the United States since 1984 and currently resides in Washington, D.C. and Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Sullivan is sometimes considered a pioneer in political weblog journalism, since he was one of the first prominent political journalists in the United States to start his own personal blog. Sullivan wrote his blog for a year at Time Magazine, shifting on 1 February 2007 to The Atlantic, where it received approximately 40 million page views in the first year. He is the former editor of The New Republic.
Sullivan is sometimes considered a pioneer in political weblog journalism, since he was one of the first prominent political journalists in the United States to start his own personal blog. Sullivan wrote his blog for a year at Time Magazine, shifting on 1 February 2007 to The Atlantic, where it received approximately 40 million page views in the first year. He is the former editor of The New Republic.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 22, 2024
I really like Andrew Sullivan. Not because I agree with everything he says. I don't. And not because he's the smartest commentator out there. He isn't.
What I like about Sullivan is that I genuinely believe (rightly or wrongly) that he simply says what he thinks.
Most people in the public square don't.
Here's how Ta-Nehisi Coates puts it:
“Andrew has never been a prophet, so much as a joyous heretic. Andrew taught me that you do not have to pretend to be smarter than you are. . . . When I read Andrew, I generally thought he was dedicated to the work of being honest. I did not think he was always honest. I don’t think anyone can be. But I thought he held ‘honesty’ as a standard—something that can’t be said of the large number of charlatans in this business.”
Anyone who's informed and says what they think is good by me, irrespective of where they reside on the political continuum. I often get more from those I disagree with than from those in my own camp.
So I really liked this book, which covers tons of ground (from the early internet, to 90s political dramas, to the evolution of the gay rights movement) and is therefore as much history as it is commentary.
His writing on gay rights was so powerful that it helped set in motion a movement that has been historically successful.
Sullivan, moreover, was one of the earliest and most emphatic critics to assert that Donald Trump was a threat to American democracy. He was a true doomsayer: “Trump is not just a wacky politician of the far right, or a riveting television spectacle, or a Twitter phenom and bizarre working-class hero. He is not just another candidate to be parsed and analyzed by TV pundits in the same breath as all the others. In terms of our liberal democracy and constitutional order, Trump is an extinction-level event. It’s long past time we started treating him as such.”
So I've been quite surprised (and a little disappointed) to see him so appalled by Kamala Harris's campaign. He rails against Harris almost daily.
For example:
“The record is somewhat difficult to ignore: Harris favored decriminalizing illegal border crossings, free healthcare for all illegal immigrants, funded bail for BLM rioters, abolition of private health insurance, a ban on fracking, and replacing ICE — ‘starting from scratch.’ She is committed to the woke concept of ‘equity,’ which means ensuring that all identity groups in America ‘end up in the same place’ by government intervention. She favors what we now know are irreversible medical experiments on gay, autistic and trans children. She supports reparations for slavery. She wants to inculcate the core ideas of critical race, gender and queer theory in public schools from kindergarten onward.”
He continued:
“Not voting for Trump is an easy call, of course. But actually voting for the most left-wing candidate in US history — and one in the vanguard of the new left’s woke cultural revolution — forces us into a new, and awkward place: abandoning almost all our previous principles for the sake of preventing one man’s return to office.”
He may be right that certain aspects of a Harris presidency wouldn’t be great. That's true of every administration. But based on his own assessment of Trump, isn't she easily the far better alternative?
In the book he writes eloquently about how his reasoned conservativism leads him to consistently embrace the least-worst option in politics with enthusiasm, instead of pretending there's a better way when there isn't. He should revisit those passages now because when it comes to this year's presidential election he's clearly discarded that approach.
What I like about Sullivan is that I genuinely believe (rightly or wrongly) that he simply says what he thinks.
Most people in the public square don't.
Here's how Ta-Nehisi Coates puts it:
“Andrew has never been a prophet, so much as a joyous heretic. Andrew taught me that you do not have to pretend to be smarter than you are. . . . When I read Andrew, I generally thought he was dedicated to the work of being honest. I did not think he was always honest. I don’t think anyone can be. But I thought he held ‘honesty’ as a standard—something that can’t be said of the large number of charlatans in this business.”
Anyone who's informed and says what they think is good by me, irrespective of where they reside on the political continuum. I often get more from those I disagree with than from those in my own camp.
So I really liked this book, which covers tons of ground (from the early internet, to 90s political dramas, to the evolution of the gay rights movement) and is therefore as much history as it is commentary.
His writing on gay rights was so powerful that it helped set in motion a movement that has been historically successful.
Sullivan, moreover, was one of the earliest and most emphatic critics to assert that Donald Trump was a threat to American democracy. He was a true doomsayer: “Trump is not just a wacky politician of the far right, or a riveting television spectacle, or a Twitter phenom and bizarre working-class hero. He is not just another candidate to be parsed and analyzed by TV pundits in the same breath as all the others. In terms of our liberal democracy and constitutional order, Trump is an extinction-level event. It’s long past time we started treating him as such.”
So I've been quite surprised (and a little disappointed) to see him so appalled by Kamala Harris's campaign. He rails against Harris almost daily.
For example:
“The record is somewhat difficult to ignore: Harris favored decriminalizing illegal border crossings, free healthcare for all illegal immigrants, funded bail for BLM rioters, abolition of private health insurance, a ban on fracking, and replacing ICE — ‘starting from scratch.’ She is committed to the woke concept of ‘equity,’ which means ensuring that all identity groups in America ‘end up in the same place’ by government intervention. She favors what we now know are irreversible medical experiments on gay, autistic and trans children. She supports reparations for slavery. She wants to inculcate the core ideas of critical race, gender and queer theory in public schools from kindergarten onward.”
He continued:
“Not voting for Trump is an easy call, of course. But actually voting for the most left-wing candidate in US history — and one in the vanguard of the new left’s woke cultural revolution — forces us into a new, and awkward place: abandoning almost all our previous principles for the sake of preventing one man’s return to office.”
He may be right that certain aspects of a Harris presidency wouldn’t be great. That's true of every administration. But based on his own assessment of Trump, isn't she easily the far better alternative?
In the book he writes eloquently about how his reasoned conservativism leads him to consistently embrace the least-worst option in politics with enthusiasm, instead of pretending there's a better way when there isn't. He should revisit those passages now because when it comes to this year's presidential election he's clearly discarded that approach.
December 16, 2021
Just tremendous.
These essays are beautifully written, full hearted, and compelling.
I can’t find a better example of why one should read books by authors they may not agree with.
I can’t recommend highly enough!
These essays are beautifully written, full hearted, and compelling.
I can’t find a better example of why one should read books by authors they may not agree with.
I can’t recommend highly enough!
August 29, 2021
Great writing. Great insight. Honest and true. I make sure to watch every time he’s on Real Time.
September 20, 2021
As I read this decades-spanning collection, I found myself wondering whether Sullivan was regurgitating the conventional wisdom of the day or defining it. In any case, his writing is indispensable for getting one’s footing among the fractures in our liberal democratic order. Sullivan is at ease in his own contradictions and passionate about the necessity of reason in the current social and political debates, in which he has played no small part. It is not necessary to embrace his positions to benefit from seeing his mind at work. Some pieces are more vital than others, and there is an undeniably solipsistic tendency that pervades the collection. Nevertheless, a worthwhile and engaging tome.
July 6, 2022
I enjoy political books written by conservative writers. I do not agree with every one of their positions, but I have learned a lot from reading books by people with different views than mine. I find myself agreeing with some of their arguments.
November 21, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy of this book.
Andrew Sullivan is arguably one of the most controversial journalists of our time, and it's easy to see why: he's passionate, outspoken, and heterodox--a conservative, homosexual, HIV-positive, Catholic, English immigrant who embraced blogging early on and has no qualms about speaking his mind. Out on a Limb covers a twenty-one-year period, beginning in 1989 and ending in 2020, and spanning among outlets ranging from New York Magazine to his personal website, The Dish. The articles featured in this collection can be separated into roughly three sections: gay rights and culture (1989-1997), neoconservatism (1998-2016), and the current culture war (2017-2021), with plenty of overlap. Sullivan is an undoubtedly talented writer, but he can be loquacious, and this can grow tiring. The book could have benefitted from being parred down by a quarter or so, with fewer pieces about the same subjects. I am glad to have read Out on a Limb, but it could have made for a tighter, and ultimately more enjoyable, read if it had been better edited.
For anyone interested in a more detailed analysis, here are my thoughts on each of the essays:
“Here Comes the Groom” (1989) - Sullivan’s now-famous argument for why conservatives should support gay marriage. A little brief, but groundbreaking for its time. 8/10
“The Two Faces of Bensonhurst” (1990) - A topic I’m unfamiliar with; not much analysis. 6/10
“Gay Life, Gay Death: The Siege of a Subculture” (1990) - A detailed and heartbreaking look at the AIDS crisis. 10/10
“Taken Unseriously” (1991) - I’d never heard of the subject, Michael Oakeshott, and the essay did not pique my interest. 3/10
“Quilt” (1992) - A beautiful examination of the AIDS quilt. 9/10
“The Politics of Homosexuality” (1993) - An insightful overview of how the public views homosexuality, along with a prescient prediction of how popular opinion would unfold over time and how radicals often favor theatrics over true accomplishments. 9/10
“Alone Again, Naturally” (1994) - Sullivan tries to reconcile his faith with his sexuality in a highly intellectual piece, but gets so bogged down in the details that it turns into a bore. 4/10
“When Plagues End: Notes on the Twilight of an Epidemic” (1996) - A thoughtful reflection on the AIDS crisis, and Sullivan’s ruminations on his own future as someone who is HIV-positive. 10/10
“My America” (1996) - A short but succinct piece about American culture and how it compares to Sullivan’s native Europe. 10/10
“The Princess Bride” (1997) - I erroneously expected this to be Sullivan’s thoughts on The Princess Bride, but what it actually is is a reflection on Princess Diana’s legacy and why she connected so strongly with the American public. 7/10
“Unsung Heroine” (1998) - Once again showing that he was ahead of his time, Sullivan declares Monica Lewinsky the true victim of the impeachment scandal, calls out Bill Clinton for being a narcissist and a predator, and scorns feminists for helping throw Lewinsky to the wolves. 10/10
“Going Down Screaming” (1998) - Sullivan is at his most boring when he’s bemoaning the state of conservatism. There is an irony here, as well, since much of the moral puritanism that Sullivan accuses conservatives of here is what he accuses liberals of now. 4/10
“What’s So Bad About Hate?” (1999) - In a piece that would absolutely get him cancelled today (to the extent that he hasn’t been already), Sullivan explores the nuances of prejudice, hatred, and hate crimes. By blending personal reasoning with academic analysis, he argues that stricter laws and new terminology won’t crush hate crimes; only learning to tolerate each other on our own can achieve that. 10/10
“The He Hormone” (2000) - An examination of testosterone and its effect on society, from self-esteem to crime. Interesting, but not interesting enough to justify the essay’s length. 5/10
“The ‘Invisible Man’” (2003) - A short but excellent reflection on gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin’s life. 9/10
“I Am Bear; Hear Me Roar” (2003) - An explainer on the gay “bear” subculture that sounds peculiar but actually signifies, in Sullivan’s opinion, the normalization of homosexuality as more gay men embrace rugged, imperfect masculinity. 7/10
“Integration Day” (2004) - Sullivan celebrates the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts while also scratching his head over why conservatives refuse to welcome it with open arms. He argues that marriage is a way to normalize homosexuality but fails to see that for many straight people, because marriage is indeed something sacred, extending it to homosexuals, from their perspective, defiles it. 7/10
“Log Cabin Republican” (2005) - Sullivan presents his case for why Lincoln was likely homosexual. Since he is not an historian, it’s hard to know how much of this argument is on the money, but nevertheless, it’s a piece that certainly leaves you thinking. 8/10
“Life Lesson” (2005) - Unlike with gay marriage, Sullivan shows that he understands the conservative mind better than most columnists by making the shockingly-still-uncommon argument that conservatives actually do believe that abortion is murder, and that by claiming it’s a matter of controlling women, liberals are essentially arguing with themselves. He implores liberals to change their approach to the abortion debate by pointing to the one left-wing politician he believes gets it right: the one and only Hillary Clinton. 9/10
“Superstar” (2005) - In a surprising departure from his usual defense of conservatism, Sullivan marks the death of Pope John Paul XVI--whom he never refers to by his papal name--by condemning his celebrity-status, refusal to adopt modern liberal norms, and failure to act on the Church’s child abuse scandal. 8/10
“Crisis of Faith” (2005) - More musings on the intra-party warfare of conservatives and the GOP. Yawn. 3/10
“Still Here, So Sorry” (2005) - A satirical response to a new gay panic: that young homosexuals aren’t scared enough of AIDS. 7/10
“The End of Gay Culture” (2005) - Sullivan reflects on all the ways homosexuality has become normalized--and how this had unwittingly led to the erosion of a separate gay culture. 8/10
“The Abolition of Torture” (2005) - A compelling argument for why torture is antithetical to American values, and how permitting it could lead to a whole world of hurt (no pun intended). 9/10
“Islamo-Bullies Get a Free Ride from the West” (2006) - In what may have been his first foray into anti-censorship (at least in this book), Sullivan bemoans the many media elites who refuse to critique Islam for fear of their physical safety. 8/10
“Gay Cowboys Embraced by Redneck County“ (2006) - Sullivan defends the artistic tastes of the heartland by reporting on how well Brokeback Mountain performed in red states, and reaffirms his belief that the best way to increase gay acceptance is by presenting homosexual relationships in the same light as heterosexual ones. 8/10
“When Not Seeing Is Believing” (2006) - Sullivan’s take on why human beings need religion and how a secular society cannot hope to curb the certainty of radical Islamists. 7/10
“The Reagan of the Left?” (2007) - A first impression of Barack Obama, who Sullivan--like so many other journalists at the time--asserts is a once-in-a-lifetime politician. A short piece that captures the optimism that Obama inspired, the starry-eyed idolization so many had for him, and Sullivan’s own recitation of the oft-repeated but always wrong claim that conservatism is on its deathbed. 7/10
“A Married Man” (2007) - As Sullivan prepares for his own wedding, he reflects on his decades of championing gay marriage and disbelief that it has now become a reality. Pleasant, but not quite as emotional as one would expect someone in his position to be. 7/10
“Goodbye to All That: Why Obama Matters” (2007) - More fawning over Obama. 7/10
“How Did I Get Iraq Wrong?” (2008) - A humble reckoning with Sullivan’s earlier support of the Iraq War. 10/10
“Phobia at the Gates” (2008) - Sullivan’s call to end the ban on HIV+ travelers in the US. 7/10
“Why I Blog” (2008) - When this was first published, it was probably very informative. Now it’s mostly just boring. 3/10
“Republican Taliban Declare Jihad on Obama” (2009) - A filler piece where Sullivan chastises the GOP once again, only this time for not giving Obama a fair shot. 5/10
“Mad, Maddening America, the Wisest of All” (2009) - Sullivan explains why he loves America’s many eccentricities. 10/10
“Obama’s Race Dream Is Swiftly Shackled” (2009) - Race in America, as told through the Henry Louis Gates home burglary fiasco. It’s thoughtful, but offers no resolution. 7/10
“Leaving the Right” (2009) - Sullivan lists all his grievances with the conservative right. It’s interesting to see what has and has not changed since this was originally published. 6/10
“Obama, Trimmer” (2009) - More Obama-fawning. 4/10
“Dear Ta-Nehisi” (2011) - Sullivan reflects on how his many controversial takes have unintentionally hurt many people, and apologizes for the pain he has caused them, albeit without renouncing any of his past work. 7/10
“Why Continue to Build the Settlements?” (2012) - A scathing critique of Israel’s treatment of Palestine. This article can be a bit hard to follow if one isn’t intimately familiar with the details of the decades’ long conflict. 6/10
“Christianity in Crisis” (2012) - More fretting about the state of modern religion. 5/10
“The First Elite Conservative to Say Enough” (2012) - A short piece about the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Obamacare. After seeing the rise of the populist right, all the hemming and hawing about returning to conservatism’s principled roots feels outdated, and even a bit foolish. 3/10
“Thatcher, Liberator” (2013) - Sullivan springs to Margaret Thatcher’s defense in a spirited piece that woke me from my sleep after the last few essays. 8/10
“Surprised by Grief” (2013) - A sweet, heartbreaking reflection on the life of Sullivan’s now-deceased beagle. 10/10
“Rush Limbaugh Knows Nothing about Christianity” (2013) - Now he’s wringing his hands over Christianity AND conservatism. 3/10
“What is the Meaning of Pope Francis?” (2013) - This long piece will undoubtedly fascinate anyone who is interested in the history and politics of the Catholic Church. For those who aren’t, however. . . 6/10
“Democracies End When They are Too Democratic” (2016) - Sullivan examines the multiple cultural factors that led to the rise of Trump. It’s a bit derivative at this point--although it wouldn’t have been at the time it was written--but it hits all the major beats: class, decadence, race, inequality, globalism, masculinity. 7/10
“I Used to be a Human Being” (2016) - A lengthy examination of the toll that screen addiction has taken on us, which ultimately devolves into more agonizing about spirituality, as can be expected from this writer by this point. 6/10
“America and the Abyss” (2016) - On the one hand, Sullivan’s hand-wringing about the dangers and truly unprecedented nature of Donald Trump functions as a very good summary of the anxiety and confusion that many were feeling at this time. And in Sullivan’s defense, most of what he says is taken from direct quotes from Trump himself. On the other hand, there is something a bit precious about all of it, especially in hindsight. 8/10
“America Wasn’t Built for Humans” (2017) - A harrowing assessment of America’s descent into tribalism and how it’s tearing us apart. 10/10
“Kaepernick’s Message Is Getting Lost--Along with the Facts on Race and Police Violence” (2017) - In yet another piece that would surely get him cancelled (and probably did), Sullivan expresses his support for Colin Kaepernick and BLM while also dissecting the fraudulent statistics often touted by both. 8/10
“We All Live on Campus Now” (2018) - Although there’s some strange wording in this piece (“Yes, this is not about the First Amendment”), Sullivan does an excellent job of explaining why the illiberalism blooming on college campuses is a threat to our culture, and how it has already begun to seep into everyday life. 9/10
“The Poison We Pick” (2018) - A comprehensive overview of the ongoing opioid crisis, including the psychology behind addiction, the history of painkillers, and suggestions for what we should do next. 10/10
“Just Say Yes to Drugs” (2018) - In a reversal from the last essay, Sullivan heartily endorses psychedelics. I’ve started to notice that Sullivan is less compelling when he is in favor of something than when he opposes it, for better or for worse. 7/10
“America’s New Religions” (2018) - The essay that first brought Sullivan to my attention. Arguing that religions are never eradicated, merely replaced, he warns that secular Americans are desperate for something to believe in, resulting in politics and social movements reaching a level of fanaticism that can only be described as religious. 10/10
“The Nature of Sex” (2019) - Continuing his cancellation streak, Sullivan critiques the trans/gender-fluid movement for relying in part on dated stereotypes, and how the erasure of sex undercuts the historic struggles of homosexuals. 9/10
“Why Joe Biden Might be the Best Bet to Beat Trump” (2019) - Aside from making a prescient argument for why Biden’s experience and unpretentiousness made him a prime 2020 candidate, it was also a joy to read all the condescending tweets from pundits that Sullivan references, proclaiming that there was no way in hell anyone would ever vote for Joe Biden. 9/10
“A Plague is an Apocalypse. But It Can Bring a New World” (2020) - This article on COVID-19, and the greater history of pandemics, will likely prove a valuable resource for future generations. But right now, two years into the pandemic, I had to fight the urge not to skip it entirely. 7/10
“The Unbearable Whiteness of the Classics” (2021) - Sullivan expresses his bafflement that classics dating back to Plato and Aristotle are considered agents of white supremacy by some, and argues why they are still an essential part of our culture. 8/10
“Two Sexes. Infinite Genders” (2021) - Sullivan once again ponders the changing nature of sex and gender identity, and how opportunists have started taking advantage of the queer movement now that it is no longer requires any greater sacrifice. 8/10
Andrew Sullivan is arguably one of the most controversial journalists of our time, and it's easy to see why: he's passionate, outspoken, and heterodox--a conservative, homosexual, HIV-positive, Catholic, English immigrant who embraced blogging early on and has no qualms about speaking his mind. Out on a Limb covers a twenty-one-year period, beginning in 1989 and ending in 2020, and spanning among outlets ranging from New York Magazine to his personal website, The Dish. The articles featured in this collection can be separated into roughly three sections: gay rights and culture (1989-1997), neoconservatism (1998-2016), and the current culture war (2017-2021), with plenty of overlap. Sullivan is an undoubtedly talented writer, but he can be loquacious, and this can grow tiring. The book could have benefitted from being parred down by a quarter or so, with fewer pieces about the same subjects. I am glad to have read Out on a Limb, but it could have made for a tighter, and ultimately more enjoyable, read if it had been better edited.
For anyone interested in a more detailed analysis, here are my thoughts on each of the essays:
“Here Comes the Groom” (1989) - Sullivan’s now-famous argument for why conservatives should support gay marriage. A little brief, but groundbreaking for its time. 8/10
“The Two Faces of Bensonhurst” (1990) - A topic I’m unfamiliar with; not much analysis. 6/10
“Gay Life, Gay Death: The Siege of a Subculture” (1990) - A detailed and heartbreaking look at the AIDS crisis. 10/10
“Taken Unseriously” (1991) - I’d never heard of the subject, Michael Oakeshott, and the essay did not pique my interest. 3/10
“Quilt” (1992) - A beautiful examination of the AIDS quilt. 9/10
“The Politics of Homosexuality” (1993) - An insightful overview of how the public views homosexuality, along with a prescient prediction of how popular opinion would unfold over time and how radicals often favor theatrics over true accomplishments. 9/10
“Alone Again, Naturally” (1994) - Sullivan tries to reconcile his faith with his sexuality in a highly intellectual piece, but gets so bogged down in the details that it turns into a bore. 4/10
“When Plagues End: Notes on the Twilight of an Epidemic” (1996) - A thoughtful reflection on the AIDS crisis, and Sullivan’s ruminations on his own future as someone who is HIV-positive. 10/10
“My America” (1996) - A short but succinct piece about American culture and how it compares to Sullivan’s native Europe. 10/10
“The Princess Bride” (1997) - I erroneously expected this to be Sullivan’s thoughts on The Princess Bride, but what it actually is is a reflection on Princess Diana’s legacy and why she connected so strongly with the American public. 7/10
“Unsung Heroine” (1998) - Once again showing that he was ahead of his time, Sullivan declares Monica Lewinsky the true victim of the impeachment scandal, calls out Bill Clinton for being a narcissist and a predator, and scorns feminists for helping throw Lewinsky to the wolves. 10/10
“Going Down Screaming” (1998) - Sullivan is at his most boring when he’s bemoaning the state of conservatism. There is an irony here, as well, since much of the moral puritanism that Sullivan accuses conservatives of here is what he accuses liberals of now. 4/10
“What’s So Bad About Hate?” (1999) - In a piece that would absolutely get him cancelled today (to the extent that he hasn’t been already), Sullivan explores the nuances of prejudice, hatred, and hate crimes. By blending personal reasoning with academic analysis, he argues that stricter laws and new terminology won’t crush hate crimes; only learning to tolerate each other on our own can achieve that. 10/10
“The He Hormone” (2000) - An examination of testosterone and its effect on society, from self-esteem to crime. Interesting, but not interesting enough to justify the essay’s length. 5/10
“The ‘Invisible Man’” (2003) - A short but excellent reflection on gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin’s life. 9/10
“I Am Bear; Hear Me Roar” (2003) - An explainer on the gay “bear” subculture that sounds peculiar but actually signifies, in Sullivan’s opinion, the normalization of homosexuality as more gay men embrace rugged, imperfect masculinity. 7/10
“Integration Day” (2004) - Sullivan celebrates the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts while also scratching his head over why conservatives refuse to welcome it with open arms. He argues that marriage is a way to normalize homosexuality but fails to see that for many straight people, because marriage is indeed something sacred, extending it to homosexuals, from their perspective, defiles it. 7/10
“Log Cabin Republican” (2005) - Sullivan presents his case for why Lincoln was likely homosexual. Since he is not an historian, it’s hard to know how much of this argument is on the money, but nevertheless, it’s a piece that certainly leaves you thinking. 8/10
“Life Lesson” (2005) - Unlike with gay marriage, Sullivan shows that he understands the conservative mind better than most columnists by making the shockingly-still-uncommon argument that conservatives actually do believe that abortion is murder, and that by claiming it’s a matter of controlling women, liberals are essentially arguing with themselves. He implores liberals to change their approach to the abortion debate by pointing to the one left-wing politician he believes gets it right: the one and only Hillary Clinton. 9/10
“Superstar” (2005) - In a surprising departure from his usual defense of conservatism, Sullivan marks the death of Pope John Paul XVI--whom he never refers to by his papal name--by condemning his celebrity-status, refusal to adopt modern liberal norms, and failure to act on the Church’s child abuse scandal. 8/10
“Crisis of Faith” (2005) - More musings on the intra-party warfare of conservatives and the GOP. Yawn. 3/10
“Still Here, So Sorry” (2005) - A satirical response to a new gay panic: that young homosexuals aren’t scared enough of AIDS. 7/10
“The End of Gay Culture” (2005) - Sullivan reflects on all the ways homosexuality has become normalized--and how this had unwittingly led to the erosion of a separate gay culture. 8/10
“The Abolition of Torture” (2005) - A compelling argument for why torture is antithetical to American values, and how permitting it could lead to a whole world of hurt (no pun intended). 9/10
“Islamo-Bullies Get a Free Ride from the West” (2006) - In what may have been his first foray into anti-censorship (at least in this book), Sullivan bemoans the many media elites who refuse to critique Islam for fear of their physical safety. 8/10
“Gay Cowboys Embraced by Redneck County“ (2006) - Sullivan defends the artistic tastes of the heartland by reporting on how well Brokeback Mountain performed in red states, and reaffirms his belief that the best way to increase gay acceptance is by presenting homosexual relationships in the same light as heterosexual ones. 8/10
“When Not Seeing Is Believing” (2006) - Sullivan’s take on why human beings need religion and how a secular society cannot hope to curb the certainty of radical Islamists. 7/10
“The Reagan of the Left?” (2007) - A first impression of Barack Obama, who Sullivan--like so many other journalists at the time--asserts is a once-in-a-lifetime politician. A short piece that captures the optimism that Obama inspired, the starry-eyed idolization so many had for him, and Sullivan’s own recitation of the oft-repeated but always wrong claim that conservatism is on its deathbed. 7/10
“A Married Man” (2007) - As Sullivan prepares for his own wedding, he reflects on his decades of championing gay marriage and disbelief that it has now become a reality. Pleasant, but not quite as emotional as one would expect someone in his position to be. 7/10
“Goodbye to All That: Why Obama Matters” (2007) - More fawning over Obama. 7/10
“How Did I Get Iraq Wrong?” (2008) - A humble reckoning with Sullivan’s earlier support of the Iraq War. 10/10
“Phobia at the Gates” (2008) - Sullivan’s call to end the ban on HIV+ travelers in the US. 7/10
“Why I Blog” (2008) - When this was first published, it was probably very informative. Now it’s mostly just boring. 3/10
“Republican Taliban Declare Jihad on Obama” (2009) - A filler piece where Sullivan chastises the GOP once again, only this time for not giving Obama a fair shot. 5/10
“Mad, Maddening America, the Wisest of All” (2009) - Sullivan explains why he loves America’s many eccentricities. 10/10
“Obama’s Race Dream Is Swiftly Shackled” (2009) - Race in America, as told through the Henry Louis Gates home burglary fiasco. It’s thoughtful, but offers no resolution. 7/10
“Leaving the Right” (2009) - Sullivan lists all his grievances with the conservative right. It’s interesting to see what has and has not changed since this was originally published. 6/10
“Obama, Trimmer” (2009) - More Obama-fawning. 4/10
“Dear Ta-Nehisi” (2011) - Sullivan reflects on how his many controversial takes have unintentionally hurt many people, and apologizes for the pain he has caused them, albeit without renouncing any of his past work. 7/10
“Why Continue to Build the Settlements?” (2012) - A scathing critique of Israel’s treatment of Palestine. This article can be a bit hard to follow if one isn’t intimately familiar with the details of the decades’ long conflict. 6/10
“Christianity in Crisis” (2012) - More fretting about the state of modern religion. 5/10
“The First Elite Conservative to Say Enough” (2012) - A short piece about the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Obamacare. After seeing the rise of the populist right, all the hemming and hawing about returning to conservatism’s principled roots feels outdated, and even a bit foolish. 3/10
“Thatcher, Liberator” (2013) - Sullivan springs to Margaret Thatcher’s defense in a spirited piece that woke me from my sleep after the last few essays. 8/10
“Surprised by Grief” (2013) - A sweet, heartbreaking reflection on the life of Sullivan’s now-deceased beagle. 10/10
“Rush Limbaugh Knows Nothing about Christianity” (2013) - Now he’s wringing his hands over Christianity AND conservatism. 3/10
“What is the Meaning of Pope Francis?” (2013) - This long piece will undoubtedly fascinate anyone who is interested in the history and politics of the Catholic Church. For those who aren’t, however. . . 6/10
“Democracies End When They are Too Democratic” (2016) - Sullivan examines the multiple cultural factors that led to the rise of Trump. It’s a bit derivative at this point--although it wouldn’t have been at the time it was written--but it hits all the major beats: class, decadence, race, inequality, globalism, masculinity. 7/10
“I Used to be a Human Being” (2016) - A lengthy examination of the toll that screen addiction has taken on us, which ultimately devolves into more agonizing about spirituality, as can be expected from this writer by this point. 6/10
“America and the Abyss” (2016) - On the one hand, Sullivan’s hand-wringing about the dangers and truly unprecedented nature of Donald Trump functions as a very good summary of the anxiety and confusion that many were feeling at this time. And in Sullivan’s defense, most of what he says is taken from direct quotes from Trump himself. On the other hand, there is something a bit precious about all of it, especially in hindsight. 8/10
“America Wasn’t Built for Humans” (2017) - A harrowing assessment of America’s descent into tribalism and how it’s tearing us apart. 10/10
“Kaepernick’s Message Is Getting Lost--Along with the Facts on Race and Police Violence” (2017) - In yet another piece that would surely get him cancelled (and probably did), Sullivan expresses his support for Colin Kaepernick and BLM while also dissecting the fraudulent statistics often touted by both. 8/10
“We All Live on Campus Now” (2018) - Although there’s some strange wording in this piece (“Yes, this is not about the First Amendment”), Sullivan does an excellent job of explaining why the illiberalism blooming on college campuses is a threat to our culture, and how it has already begun to seep into everyday life. 9/10
“The Poison We Pick” (2018) - A comprehensive overview of the ongoing opioid crisis, including the psychology behind addiction, the history of painkillers, and suggestions for what we should do next. 10/10
“Just Say Yes to Drugs” (2018) - In a reversal from the last essay, Sullivan heartily endorses psychedelics. I’ve started to notice that Sullivan is less compelling when he is in favor of something than when he opposes it, for better or for worse. 7/10
“America’s New Religions” (2018) - The essay that first brought Sullivan to my attention. Arguing that religions are never eradicated, merely replaced, he warns that secular Americans are desperate for something to believe in, resulting in politics and social movements reaching a level of fanaticism that can only be described as religious. 10/10
“The Nature of Sex” (2019) - Continuing his cancellation streak, Sullivan critiques the trans/gender-fluid movement for relying in part on dated stereotypes, and how the erasure of sex undercuts the historic struggles of homosexuals. 9/10
“Why Joe Biden Might be the Best Bet to Beat Trump” (2019) - Aside from making a prescient argument for why Biden’s experience and unpretentiousness made him a prime 2020 candidate, it was also a joy to read all the condescending tweets from pundits that Sullivan references, proclaiming that there was no way in hell anyone would ever vote for Joe Biden. 9/10
“A Plague is an Apocalypse. But It Can Bring a New World” (2020) - This article on COVID-19, and the greater history of pandemics, will likely prove a valuable resource for future generations. But right now, two years into the pandemic, I had to fight the urge not to skip it entirely. 7/10
“The Unbearable Whiteness of the Classics” (2021) - Sullivan expresses his bafflement that classics dating back to Plato and Aristotle are considered agents of white supremacy by some, and argues why they are still an essential part of our culture. 8/10
“Two Sexes. Infinite Genders” (2021) - Sullivan once again ponders the changing nature of sex and gender identity, and how opportunists have started taking advantage of the queer movement now that it is no longer requires any greater sacrifice. 8/10
December 20, 2021
A wonderful read for those of us who find ourselves with views simultaneously on the “right” of some issues and on the “left” on others. One is forced to think it though with Sullivan and either agree or at least say his was a well thought out argument. Highly recommended.
September 13, 2023
There was this axis of writers affiliated with the New Republic in the 90s whom I was introduced to via Robert Wright's books and then Bloggingheads.TV but then expanded to Glenn Loury, Mickey Kaus and of course Andrew Sullivan.
Andrew is an interesting person (British, gay, catholic, conservative, aids survivor) and a very good and thoughtful writer. The essays are chronological so it starts in the late 80s when Andrew was advocating for marriage equality (and fervently against civil unions) at a time when it was well outside the Overton window. I found it fascinating to see such a macular and well reasoned defense of gay marriage given it's legitimacy just seems so self-evidently just to my modern ears.
His early writings were generally his best in my opinion. His reporting and personal stories from the frontline of the aids epidemic were incredibly shocking and powerful. He also has some excellent pieces pieces wrestling with and attempting to reconcile a faith with homosexuality.
Maybe my favorite piece in the entire book was an essay opposing hate crime laws, which was 20 years old but seemed extremely relevant today. He has some lighter pieces, one on the rise of the bears in gay culture was funny but still surprisingly deep and informative.
Towards the middle Andrew spills A LOT of ink on the Pope which was impressive for his knowledge of history and theology and had some interesting nuggets, but generally lost me.
After that the essays move into more recent pieces which I thought were over represented in these works, like maybe Andrew didn't want to share royalties with the New York Times so he favored blog posts. Later topics like the Iraq war, GW Bush's betray of conservatism, and Andrews infatuation with Obama, loathing of Trump and on to opioids, COVID and Trans issues.
This was a good book, but I would generally recommend someone who is interested cherry pick the essays that appeal to them instead of reading it cover to cover.
Andrew is an interesting person (British, gay, catholic, conservative, aids survivor) and a very good and thoughtful writer. The essays are chronological so it starts in the late 80s when Andrew was advocating for marriage equality (and fervently against civil unions) at a time when it was well outside the Overton window. I found it fascinating to see such a macular and well reasoned defense of gay marriage given it's legitimacy just seems so self-evidently just to my modern ears.
His early writings were generally his best in my opinion. His reporting and personal stories from the frontline of the aids epidemic were incredibly shocking and powerful. He also has some excellent pieces pieces wrestling with and attempting to reconcile a faith with homosexuality.
Maybe my favorite piece in the entire book was an essay opposing hate crime laws, which was 20 years old but seemed extremely relevant today. He has some lighter pieces, one on the rise of the bears in gay culture was funny but still surprisingly deep and informative.
Towards the middle Andrew spills A LOT of ink on the Pope which was impressive for his knowledge of history and theology and had some interesting nuggets, but generally lost me.
After that the essays move into more recent pieces which I thought were over represented in these works, like maybe Andrew didn't want to share royalties with the New York Times so he favored blog posts. Later topics like the Iraq war, GW Bush's betray of conservatism, and Andrews infatuation with Obama, loathing of Trump and on to opioids, COVID and Trans issues.
This was a good book, but I would generally recommend someone who is interested cherry pick the essays that appeal to them instead of reading it cover to cover.
January 29, 2022
Andrew Sullivan is a gifted writer and cultural commentator. This collection of his articles span two plagues - the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and the COVID 19 outbreak of 2020. Between these two valleys Sullivan's work represents very compelling examinations of religion, culture, LGBTQ issues, the splintering and decay of our civic space, and an American conservative movement that forsook substance and sputtered out of control. Sullivan tackles very American issues with a strong British Tory sensibility which is able to illuminate the whole picture by capturing large swaths of tradition. His essay, "The Poison We Pick" about the opioid crisis haunted me.
My only gripe was that Sullivan's selections seemed like they were trying to solidify his work as a body of thought. I would have liked for him to include some writings that he later came to disagree with, such as his advocacy for the Iraq war. It would have been helpful to read through those retracted ideas to get a fuller picture of the development of his thought. "Out on a Limb" suggests a kind of intellectual drama that was pretty muted in the context of the book.
But this gripe is minor. Sullivan is worth reading and this group of essays is a great start.
My only gripe was that Sullivan's selections seemed like they were trying to solidify his work as a body of thought. I would have liked for him to include some writings that he later came to disagree with, such as his advocacy for the Iraq war. It would have been helpful to read through those retracted ideas to get a fuller picture of the development of his thought. "Out on a Limb" suggests a kind of intellectual drama that was pretty muted in the context of the book.
But this gripe is minor. Sullivan is worth reading and this group of essays is a great start.
September 27, 2021
Agree with him or not -- and I found myself easily doing both, often in the same essay -- for one to reduce his writing to such facile terms is to totally miss the point. There is no denying that Sullivan is one of the most important and necessary voices in today's political and cultural discourse. To ignore him is to deprive yourself of some astoundingly well considered opinions and, perhaps even more fundamentally, one of the best journalistic practitioners of the English language.
I read this collection through the audiobook primarily because Sullivan read it himself and thus was able to read it with all intended emphasis and cadence the work deserves. And at 60 essays and 576 pages, I was truly disappointed there was not more here. Thankfully, most of his work is available at the publications and sites where he's written, and continues to write -- most notably, now, at the Weekly Dish.
Highly, highly recommended for anyone who values considered opinions, no matter where you may fall on the political, social, and cultural spectra.
I read this collection through the audiobook primarily because Sullivan read it himself and thus was able to read it with all intended emphasis and cadence the work deserves. And at 60 essays and 576 pages, I was truly disappointed there was not more here. Thankfully, most of his work is available at the publications and sites where he's written, and continues to write -- most notably, now, at the Weekly Dish.
Highly, highly recommended for anyone who values considered opinions, no matter where you may fall on the political, social, and cultural spectra.
November 26, 2021
These writings are a great demonstration of why Sullivan has become such a big name in American journalism. Sullivan's writings on the AIDS epidemic are heartbreaking and the best writing that I've personally read on the subject. His writings on American politics document the radicalization of both parties as well as the collapse of the American political landscape into partisan deadlock. His writings about religion and spirituality capture this moment in time when it often feels like technology, the internet and social media have all ganged up and done away with God.
In short, herein you have a pretty good case for why Sullivan is *the* quintessential writer of our time. What draws me to him is his authenticity. I don't always agree with everything that Sullivan believes but I know for sure that he believes it. This is unfortunately a fleeting resource as much of journalism has declined into yet another form of ideological virtue signaling.
This book was a breath of fresh air and an excellent resource in understanding our current moment.
In short, herein you have a pretty good case for why Sullivan is *the* quintessential writer of our time. What draws me to him is his authenticity. I don't always agree with everything that Sullivan believes but I know for sure that he believes it. This is unfortunately a fleeting resource as much of journalism has declined into yet another form of ideological virtue signaling.
This book was a breath of fresh air and an excellent resource in understanding our current moment.
September 4, 2022
I have been reading Andrew Sullivan since 2003. I sometimes agree with him, am sometimes frustrated by him, but I have grown to love and admire him deeply over the years for being both a man of his convictions, and a man who is open to growth and willing to challenge and expand his own thinking. His writing, even the writing I disagree with, has come to feel like a conversation he and I are having in my own mind at this point. This magnificent collection would be a perfect entry point for anyone seeking to acquaint themselves with Sullivan's work and get a sense of the breadth and depths of his interests and thinking. These pieces are of the sort that both engage the intellect and the heart, which is a highlight of Sullivan's style. I was thankful for the time I spent reading this book; it felt very well used. Highly recommended.
June 22, 2023
Sullivan is an amazing writer; I listened to his collected writings read by Andrew himself.
It was fascinating to hear his critique of the Catholic Church, his arguments for Gay marriage, the discussion of his AIDs diagnosis, living through it, and then realizing he was going to survive it.
I thought his critique of Democrats and of Republicans was really interesting in contrast to today.
I got through about 80% of the book. I figured I got the gist of his writings and perspective.
You can find Andrew on his substack at https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/
I decided to read this book after seeing him on Bill Maher https://www.hbo.com/real-time-with-bi...
It was fascinating to hear his critique of the Catholic Church, his arguments for Gay marriage, the discussion of his AIDs diagnosis, living through it, and then realizing he was going to survive it.
I thought his critique of Democrats and of Republicans was really interesting in contrast to today.
I got through about 80% of the book. I figured I got the gist of his writings and perspective.
You can find Andrew on his substack at https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/
I decided to read this book after seeing him on Bill Maher https://www.hbo.com/real-time-with-bi...
November 26, 2023
Andrew Sullivan has assembled here a collection of his essays highlighting key issues from the past 30 years beginning with the AIDS crisis, politics of the times, the Clintons, wars, Obama, Popes Benedict and Francis, Israel/Palestine, the deepening degradation of political discourse, Trump, Covid, and much more. A brilliant scholarly writer, he offers his narrative is delivered with a profound undercurrent of compassion and kindness rooted in his Christian faiith. His historical knowledge has served to deepen my understanding and recalibrate my worldview. I especially recommend the audio version read by the author. I’m a subscriber to his weekly podcast, which I heartily recommend.
May 29, 2024
A great collection of essays on politics and culture from one of the essential conservative writers of our time--so that even when I disagree with him, and that happened a lot, I found his perspective honest, thoughtful and compassionate. Surprisingly some of the best essays in this book were critiques of progressivist "woke" ideas about culture, that although were sometimes overheated (and I hate the term "woke") still made valid points about the distinction between what he calls the "successor" ideology and liberalism.
April 6, 2023
I read this book slowly, had it in my coffee table and picked it up to read one or two articles at a time. I think this is the way to read it, focusing in each of them without a rush. The book is prescient and deep but, as a compilation, still carries the marks of contemporary writing. Wonderful, allowed me to gain perspective on many issues that appear as “novelty” but are not such.
February 26, 2022
Andrew Sullivan is a conservative writer who's views sometimes don't fall in lockstep with the Right. Most interesting essays were towards the end in which he predicts TFG's ascendance and affects on society and our democracy.
October 19, 2022
Andrew Sullivan is a gay, catholic, conservative journalist, and voice of reason that is desperately needed in our current polarized political environment. Not always in accordance with my thinking, but he is brilliant and presents a rational stage for discourse.
September 12, 2021
My new favorite writer. He is a deeply religious man, I am a secular humanist. He would tell you that makes me a deeply religious man. True, he's still my new favorite writer.
October 7, 2021
An exceedingly good writer. Fascinating to see his thinking over a 30-year period.
October 27, 2021
A series of Andrew Sullivan’s best essays from the last decade. Well thought out and written with depth. Very insightful and thought provoking.
December 29, 2021
Outstanding.
July 22, 2024
Its highs...
... are stratospheric, while its lows are merely a little boring. Sullivan is an excellent writer, but probably an even better thinker.
... are stratospheric, while its lows are merely a little boring. Sullivan is an excellent writer, but probably an even better thinker.
January 21, 2025
I may not always agree with the author, but he always gives me something to think about.
December 19, 2022
I've been a big fan of Andrew Sullivan from his many appearances on tv talk shows over the years. Though his politics differ greatly from mine, I've always considered him very insightful.
Though many of the early articles on the AIDS epidemic were very difficult to listen to due to the sadness of the topic, Mr. Sullivan does an amazing job of being both literary and informative. Many of the later articles in the book are really remarkable and would form the backbone of a truly centrists ideolgy.
There is some annoying pandering to the Catholic church that appears from time to time. Whereas he is critical of many people in the book for inconsitency, obstinance, and ignorance, he finds many ways of forgiving this in the church. This is very disappointing. Also, his reverance for Ronald Reagan is quite disgusting and heartbreaking.
Though many of the early articles on the AIDS epidemic were very difficult to listen to due to the sadness of the topic, Mr. Sullivan does an amazing job of being both literary and informative. Many of the later articles in the book are really remarkable and would form the backbone of a truly centrists ideolgy.
There is some annoying pandering to the Catholic church that appears from time to time. Whereas he is critical of many people in the book for inconsitency, obstinance, and ignorance, he finds many ways of forgiving this in the church. This is very disappointing. Also, his reverance for Ronald Reagan is quite disgusting and heartbreaking.
January 23, 2022
Exceptional. His call for Gay Marriage in the 1980s were visionary and brave, but his reasons are pragmatic and not preachy. To see something go from an unlikeliest cause to completely accepted within one’s lifetime is something very few public intellectuals in history can claim. And his rumination on losses of the AIDS epidemic is haunting.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews