Customer Reviews: Read 306 more reviews...
 Great Book As Evidenced by Liberal Reviews & Placement August 6, 2008
Plainly this book has been out for quite some time but until it showed up on audio I didn't even know it existed. Why? Because it was well hidden by the major book stores that typically hide anything conservative on the bottom shelf of some sociology section in the back of the store. If this were a fascist-liberal tome like Al Frankens "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot", there would have been 500 copies stacked at the front of every store. Meanwhile, even the "mainstream media" reviews chosen by Amazon were dismissive. What Mr. Goldberg has attempted to do is tell liberals that if you want to uproot fascism in our midst, you best start by looking in the mirror and studying your own history on Eugenics, Abortion, Racism, Class Warfare, Political Correctness, etc. What is more fascist than getting wayward blacks to step back into line by threatening them with Sexual Harassment lawsuits (ie, Clarance Thomas, Juan Williams, and Bill Cosby!!!). To Mr. Thomas' credit, it didn't work on him but it sure seemed to work on Mr. Williams, formerly of the Washington Post, who hasn't said a kind word about conservatives since and on Mr. Cosby who has muted his community responsibility comments. While liberals have educated us all that WWII was a just war for freedom over fascism, what it really was as proven (but perhaps left unsaid), was a struggle for the ideological heart of socialism. As Mr. Goldberg did say, the Soviet propaganda machine (a fascistic organ if ever there was one) successfully painted Hitlerism and Mussolini Fascism as "right wing" and pro-capitalist when they were only such in comparison to Communism. Drawn to its logical conclusion, todays liberals who yell "fascist" at every turn relative to conservatism (ie, "classical liberalism") are in fact, communists. Three cheers for Mr. Goldberg. Its unfortunate that the liberal response to challenges of their orthodoxy is to stick their fingers in their ears and yell "nyah nyah nyah....".
 Falsehoods ahoy! July 31, 2008
3 out of 20 found this review helpful
A poorly researched book that ignores history in favor of partisan pablum for its target audience.
Anyone who knows anything about the history of nationalist populism (a better term for fascism) and its rise from the ashes of the losers of World War I knows full well that the notion of a paternal autocratic state with emphasis on nation, race, religion and creed took root in several countries at roughly the same time. Fascism and its brethren aren't left wing in the slightest and the fallacy put forth that Mussolini was a stealth socialist because of his affiliations in his teenage years is just ludicrous and ignores the reality that he later went and smashed the presses at his old paper and had socialists, communists and liberals rounded up en masse.
Horrible book unless you like being told you're right regardless of the facts.
Thorough, refreshing take on history July 30, 2008
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
"Liberal Fascism" is Jonah Goldberg's marvelously provacative, innovative and thorough book that looks at American history through a new lens: the lens, that is, of fascism. Goldberg argues, rather successfully and after an intense examination of the actual historical facts, that the ideology behind the Democratic Party and other "social engineers" has much in common and, in some cases, derives from the same ideology behind fascism. As Goldberg himself states, he does not intend to call liberals fasicts. He merely wants to point out the danger behind thinking as if we could create a perfect utopia at all, much less through poltical policy. Many fasict characteristics, Goldberg notes, are also observable among American political impulses: the need for strong leadership, the desire for a sense of community, equaling the playing field for everyone, etc. Goldberg is a clever guy, a fantastic writer and really knows his stuff. This important book spans a wide variety of study: historical and cultural, national and international. It should be treated with an open mind and the reader will truly be rewarded--stretched and challenged, but MUCH better informed.
 Well Researched and written July 24, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Aside from the political bickering, Jonah set out a thesis and went about defending it throughout the book. Of course, his references supported his thesis, however he was sure to make attempts at answering some of the criticisms. For fans of his articles on NRO, this is not his typical witty writing style, instead much more formal.
Some very thought provoking sections discuss the political platforms of Mussolini, Hitler, Wilson, FDR, JFK, and Johnson and compare them to today's political environment. Whether you agree or disagree with his position, Mr. Goldberg did an excellent job supporting his thesis with lots of supporting texts and documents. My only complaints were that he uses too much complicated language, making for a slow read and makes reference to obscure historical events that might require a history degree to follow.
Very important book July 23, 2008
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book shows what we Conservative and orthodox thinkers have known for a long time. The Left is not liberal, they are leftist. We are the true descendants of classical liberalism and the promotion of human dignity. The Leftist (self proclaimed liberals) have much in common, not only with their fascist-socialist past, but also, with Nazi eugenics. This is an undeniable truth. Every American should read this book carefully.
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