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The Jonathan Dolhenty Archive |
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Index to Brief Book Reviews:
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by Alex Berenson Putnam Adult - February 2009 Reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty This novel falls into the thriller-adventure-spy genre, a category which I occasionally read just for the pure sake of entertainment and pleasure. There are times in one's life when reading scholarly and "great" books in philosophy and literature (which I have to read because of my vocation) can become tedious and an escape is necessary from the burdens of such thought-provoking texts into something akin to fantasy, something that appeals to one's imagination rather than to one's intellect; a sort of "vacation" from serious topics and controversial issues into a world of chills and thrills. Such, at least, is my personal justification for reading novels which will never make the list of classic literary works. That is, if I need a rationale at all for spending time in pure entertainment and pleasure. "All work and no play, makes Jon a rather dull person," so to speak. This is my first exposure to Alex Berenson's hero, John Wells. Berenson has written two previous novels with this hero in play and I intend now to obtain these and read them because Wells is a very interesting protagonist and Berenson writes an excellent thriller. Some activities portrayed in The Silent Man seem almost implausible -- stealing a nuclear weapon out of a well-guarded Russian storage facility, for instance -- until one realizes that we currently live in an almost implausible world of international intrigue and state-organized and state-sponsored terror. John Wells, certainly not your run-of-the-mill CIA agent, has to deal with this dangerous situation, along with all sorts of problems and subplots working against him, including his own emotional insecurities and personality defects. He is not the "super-hero," merely a human hero, caught up in a web of invidious schemes that threaten civilized life as we know and live it. Of course, these are the makings of an excellent thriller and Berenson's novel is an excellent thriller, a real page-turner which forces one to stay up late into the night and course through the book at a rapid pace. The problem is that, unfortunately, a work such as this has to come to an end. But the reader who is a lover of the thriller genre will not be disappointed and will look forward to the next installment in the adventurous life of John Wells. As for me, I can hardly wait. I need another "vacation." Highly recommended for those who need an escape from the ordinary affairs of daily living into an exciting world of chills and thrills. |
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Hell On Earth: Brutality and Violence Under The Stalinist Regime by Ludwik Kowalski Wasteland Press - July 2008 Reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty Those readers who have a limited knowledge of the terrors of Stalinism will undoubtedly benefit from reading Ludwik Kowalski's book. It is unfortunate today that when one discusses "dictators" or "totalitarianism," it is Adolf Hitler that seems to come to mind for most people yet, compared to Joseph Stalin and his fellow Communist colleagues, Hitler was a piker. (For support of this assertion, I direct the reader to Dr. Rudy Rummel's website at www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/welcome.html where this retired political scientist keeps track of such statistics.) Those who argue that Hitler was much worse than Stalin when it came to mass killings may have to rethink their view. For the author of Hell on Earth, this assuredly is a very personal book. Kowalski's father was an idealistic Communist who left his native Poland to help create the "Great New Society" in the Soviet Union. Later arrested by Soviet authorities and sent to a labor camp, he died while working in a gold mine. It seems to be the author's conclusion that his father's death was the result of being a naive idealist deceived by Communist propaganda. If that is so, it certainly was not the first time (nor probably will it be the last time) that a young gullible idealist was sucked into the lies and deceptions that constitute the practical reality of the Marxist-Leninist political philosophy. (During the 1930s and 1940s, there were a few reporters for the "New York Times" and other publications, not to mention many American "intellectuals," who were similarly deceived, as I recall.) One of the most interesting features of the book are the comments by some (mostly professors) who take issue with Kowalski about the terrors of Stalinism and the death-statistics he presents. One can only draw the conclusion that there are some naive idealists still out there who apparently cannot recognize and accept the Soviet failures and the realities of living under a Communist system of totalitarianism. But, like the traditional universal skeptic in academic philosophy, some people simply cannot acknowledge the truth or the possibility of obtaining it. Although I have no problem at all with the content of this book, -- indeed, I substantially agree with its findings and conclusions -- the writing style is sometimes problematic. That does not, however, detract from the importance of the work and I recommend reading it, especially to those readers who are not intimately acquainted with the terrors of Stalin's regime. |
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Know It All: The Little Book of Essential Knowledge by Elizabeth Humphrey, et. al. Reader's Digest Books - October 2008 Reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty
I have always had a certain fondness for books like this simply because they are fun to peruse when one has a few minutes to spare. It is not a book I feel I have to read from page one to the end. I can skip around reading only what momentarily appeals to me or skim for some specific bit of information. It is, in a way, a sort of mini-encyclopedia and such works do have a place in one's personal library. So, for the general reader who simply wants to acquaint himself or herself with some general information about the world of science, geography, history, religion, social studies, and the arts, Know It All should prove a valuable resource. Moreover, if you like to quiz yourself about what you've read, there are quizzes at the end of each subject-section and a final chapter which presents a series of "test yourself" questions. The only shortcoming I found with the book is the failure to provide a bibliography or a list of resources for further reading. Other than that, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to general readers and I suspect that especially children and teenagers would find the book enjoyable and valuable.
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Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age by Maggie Jackson Prometheus Books - June 2008 Reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty
This latter point, of course, is a paraphrase of the title of Maggie Jackson's latest book Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age. The major problem we face now, Jackson seems to say, is INATTENTION; that is, we are no longer engaging in such activities as reflection, searching for deeper meanings, taking time to relax and participate in traditionally intimate conversations, getting to know people in a personable way, taking the time to discern the really important from the merely transitory, and so on. We as a society and as individuals are, in other words, not paying ATTENTION. At least to the things we ought to be paying proper attention to. In her book, Jackson provides a historical survey of the problem, cites a lot of research drawn from a wide range of scholarly fields including empirical science and philosophy, and provides quotations from a diverse population of thinkers who have considered aspects of the main problem she addresses. There is a lot of detail here to be digested; the reader, hopefully, is not suffering from the very problem the author discusses. One may argue, however, as to whether the current situation will lead to a genuine "dark age." Some might say that that suggestion might be just a little bit hyperbolic. Nevertheless, the author does raise some interesting questions and attempts to provide some workable solutions. So, in this period of constant motion, multitasking, social networking, instant messaging, and electronic overload, it might just be worthwhile for everyone to slow down a little, sit back and relax, read this book, and pay ATTENTION to what Jackson is saying.
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Where Does the Money Go?: Your Guided Tour to the Federal Budget Crisis by Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson Collins - February 2008 Reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty
Outside of global terrorism and the international need to urgently develop a winning strategy for bringing about fully functioning nation-states with liberal democratic governments, I can't think of a more important topic for national discussion in this election year than dealing with the immense problem all Americans face with the national debt at the point it is ($9 trillion and growing!). Something simply has to be done and done quickly; an economic catastrophe for the United States looms on the near horizon. Now, it needs to be said that Bittle and Johnson do not propose "the" solution to the problem of the growing national debt. They do an excellent job of presenting the problem (both historically and in its present manifestation), providing the reader with a multitude of statistics (with appropriate graphs and charts), and analyzing the ins and outs of various ways to approach the problem, with critiques of some solutions already suggested. In the final pages of the book, the authors state six "realities" which every voting American ought to internalize: (1) We have to start now; (2) We have a short-term problem and a long-term problem -- we need to address them both; (3) We need to address the waste, fraud, and abuse issue, and then we need to move on; (4) We need voters to demand that candidates take a stand on this issue; (5) We need to think about what we can live with -- not what we personally want; and (6) To solve this problem, we need a different state of mind. In my opinion, these pretty much summarize the ideas that Americans need to face before it is too late. If there is any good news in this book, it is that Bittle and Johnson are convinced that the federal budget problem and, therefore, the problem of the national debt, can be solved. And, furthermore, in the appendix, they provide many resources that the reader can use for more information, including websites, printed publications, groups working on the issue with varied points of view, plus resources to consult before you vote in this year's election. Highly recommended reading -- especially right now!
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by Traci L. Slatton Delta - January 2008 Reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty
The setting, for me, couldn't be better: the city of Florence and its environs during the Italian Renaissance. This is a period of history that I continue to study with particular interest. Combining a fictional protagonist, Luca Bastardo ("Luca the bastard"), with actual historical personalities, such as Giotto di Bondone, Leonardo da Vinci, the Medicis, and so forth, along with actual historical events such as the Inquisition and the terrible medieval plague, can be fraught with danger since all too often it results in a story with a mono-dimensional protagonist, shallow historical characters, a superficial plot, and a less than profound background against which the action plays. Fortunately, that is not the case in this story; Slatton has done her research. The major themes in this delightful book are Luca's search for who he is, where he came from, and what his destiny is. These are the major themes of any truly "classical" work of literature. But that is not all that Slatton brings to this work. Virtually all of the perennial problems with which humanity suffers and the very fundamental questions which we all ask ourselves at some point in our lives play a part in this beautiful story. I think the reader will find this a hard book to put aside. I know I did. It is not often that a literary work of this type can be described as a page-turner. Furthermore, I don't think any serious reader will come away from the reading without being profoundly affected. And, maybe, that more than anything, makes this story a potential future classic. Highly, highly recommended.
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The Ten Golden Rules: Ancient Wisdom from the Greek Philosophers on Living the Good Life by M. A. Soupios, Ph.D. and Panos Mourdoukoutas, PhD. Hampton Roads - April 2009 Reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Dolhenty There is, of course, nothing new in this book; nothing that has not been written before. The ten golden rules presented here have been much discussed for the past several millennia; indeed, the origin of these golden rules for the Western world, as is true of their variants, was the ancient world (primarily ancient Greece with some help from a few ancient Roman thinkers). Much of the material is drawn from Aristotle, Plato, and the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers. Be that as it may, there is justification for a new presentation of the ancient truths discussed in this book. First, one can hardly get enough advice often enough about how to live the good life. Second, we seem to constantly need a reminder about the rules discussed here. And third, it does seem important to reexamine these golden rules and update them with practical examples relevant to our contemporary environment. I might make what I think is an important point here. It is vital that the reader read the Preface to this book before getting into the text itself. The reason for my saying this is the use of the term "good life." This term had a very particular meaning in ancient wisdom, just as the term "happiness" as used today is not the same as the use of that term in, for instance, Aristotle or the Stoic philosophers. The term "happiness" as used today is more akin to the concept of "psychological contentment." For the Greek philosophers, "happiness" was much, much more than the mere satisfaction of one's temporal or fleeting desires. It seems that some critics of this work may have missed the point of the book and expected more than the book is designed to give. This is not a text in the history of ancient philosophy, especially not a work in Greek philosophy itself. It is not a detailed guidebook in ethical theory or moral philosophy. Indeed, it is hardly a textbook in philosophy at all. It is, however, a work of "applied" or "practical" philosophy, this being in contrast to what is usually called "speculative" philosophy. And, in a way at least, it is a contribution to a growing field within academic philosophy itself called "philosophical counseling" -- which is becoming very popular -- especially since so much of modern psychotherapy appears to have failed with so many. Personally, I find nothing to criticize regarding this book. The authors have selected and organized the rules for living a good life in such a way that the text should appeal to virtually anyone. They have provided contemporary examples of excess and deficiency regarding the rules. It may even encourage some readers to begin to read the writings of the ancient Greek and Roman thinkers who dealt with the issue of how to live a good life. And in that case, I can hardly recommend a better starting place than with Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics," followed by the writings of Stoics such as Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius. This book is highly recommended. |
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Trivia
addicts should love this book! As should those
readers who have an encyclopedic thirst, a need to
accumulate bits and pieces of information just for
the fun of it (or maybe to impress friends at the
next cocktail party). The title -- Know It
All -- is, of course, obviously a case of
hyperbole since the topics are limited and the
information provided for each of the topics is
neither comprehensive nor complete. There are only
nine subjects covered and each topic within a
subject is discussed on two facing pages, but the
facts (and factoids) are presented in a very brief,
appealing manner which makes them easily accessible
for readers even as young as nine or ten. And the
photographs and drawings are very well done. If,
however, the reader is expecting a scholarly and
extensive work of intellectual erudition, this is
not the book you want.
There
is little doubt that over the past few decades,
particularly during what has been referred to as
"the computer age," the world of intellectual
activity has substantially changed. So-called
"multitasking" has become common. "Sound-bites"
provide many people with all the news they get.
Rapid-moving video games provide many with most of
the entertainment they experience. The technology
of "virtual" reality is becoming so "real" it is
becoming increasingly difficult to determine what
is "actually real" from what is "virtually real."
Add to all this the reports that attention deficit
syndrome (ADD) and hyperactive behavior among the
young are growing problems in our fast-moving
society, and one might be tempted to conclude that
we are, in fact, "distracted" to the point where
the erosion of attention will result in a
soon-to-occur "dark age."
Scott
Bittle is an award-winning journalist as well as
the executive editor of a public affairs website
called Public Agenda Online. In Where Does the
Money Go? he and his co-author Jean Johnson
have put together an extremely valuable tool for
American voters, especially so in this vital
presidential election year. The book, as described
by the authors in the preface, is "a
straightforward explanation of what politicians,
economists, think tanks, and lobbyists are arguing
about when they fight about the federal budget."
And so it is.
I
read quite a few popular new novels during the
course of a year, but I generally don't write
reviews of them. Now and then, however, a novel
comes along that really impresses me and, indeed, I
think may well become a classic piece of
literature. Immortal by Traci L. Slatton, a
first-class historical novel, is just such a work.
It satisfies many of the criteria that I think a
true classic must meet such as a great theme (or
themes), deals with important human values, has
memorable characters, has the potential to speak
across time, and is written in fine prose. Whether
or not this book becomes a genuine literary
classic, of course, will depend on whether it is
read by the generations to come. It does, in my
opinion, have that potential.
Main Page & Index
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