Anónimo

Trick of definition to make political points

Revisado: 08-18-24

Did you know that if you take several different thinkers who all share a dislike of Zionism without using their definitions of zionisms but your own... that you can make easy points?

"Zionism is support for a Jewish homeland". Sure. But where and how will that homeland be created, and what is the morality of such a project? That is what antizionists argue about. That the Author express confusion to why the left see Israel as an imperialist entity is not confusing, which it appears as to the author.

The obnoxious attitude towards the left, which is reduced to a pastiche without much attempt to understand, strikes one in the introduction. The gall to generalize the sheer plurality of leftwing perspectives into generalized abstractions is also obnoxious. The arrogance about others not knowing Israeli history and thereby having flawed opinions...

I only made it halfway through Arendt before writing this. That Arendt apparently doesn't understand the relevance of establishing a state to have dignity makes one really question the Author's knowledge. "The Right to have Rights" is a critique about what, exactly?

The book may make some points later, but its claim to be an investigation of the Left's relation to Zionism is about asaccurate as something one sees from rightwing Youtube.

In light of current events this book is a misfortunr

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

simply one of the best and absolutely insane

Revisado: 07-20-21

What's there to say? LA punk and absolute debauchery put into a story of personal struggles and music history.

A book you have to hear

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A selection for Americans interested in America

Revisado: 09-26-20

It is a great course and posess a wide selection of books from all eras of *European and American* litterature. Nowhere are the great stories of other continents, no Shahnemah, no Epic of Gilgamesh, no Water Margin etc. If this course was interested in the topics of Love, Adventure, Patriotism it is truly sad how limited the module is in geographical scope.

It is also sad how the lessons to be learned are tailored for the Americans to learn. The section of Adventure feature many stories of war and courage, but we're implied to understand these in the context of American engagements in the Middle East.

I am disappointed how the great works of litterature are not approached from a universal perspective, what they can tell us of the human condition, but what they can tell of today.

That's a mistake.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

Uncritical glorification of the Imperial Navy

Revisado: 07-18-20

It's a monumental book no doubt, rich in history with a flair for story-telling. Making a history for a 400 year old institution is no small task but the book manage to deliver it with passion and excitement.

However, I think the book is almost completely lacking in a critical analysis of the navy and its role in British imperialism's ugly sides. The 19th century is portrayed as this glorious epoch where the navy ensured justice and stability... but what about it's use of debt trapping the new latin american nations? What about the injustices of the world that the system also created?

Most telling is how the book almost completely side-lines the Opium wars, giving them a few sentences but no in-depth analysis or narration. It was a triumph for the navy, but hardly It's most charming episode. It dedicates more time to describe how Hong Kong was a boon to Imperial China's economy and engagement with the world.

Another telling bias is how the Copenhagen raids in the Napoleonic wars are portrayed as these daring-do's, and not British state-terrorism, a common perception at the time.

It also describes French revolutionary terror as totalitarian, which is an absurd ahistoricism.

And these are the big "wait, what?" moments that I can remember sitting here on the loo.

It's a gripping book full of heroes and adventure, but don't take the history as the ultimate analysis of the events.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Thorough, but too focused on Afro-American

Revisado: 08-05-19

It lacks the history of anti-asian racism! I understand that anti-black racism is the most dominant one, but ignoring the multitude of racism limits it, which is ironic since it makes a good job of highlightimg the intersectionality of prejudices.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona