The political book proposing a summation of Western history and culture is a typically conservative creation. It is also typically American. American conservatives are the one sort of people who at the moment decidedly seek to ascertain for their readers whether Western civilisation is salvageable and how that is to be done. All of this… Continue reading Bad writing on The Right Side of History
Tag: writing
Fake scholarship and hatred of the West
No book in recent history has done as much harm as Edward Said's Orientalism. Fantastically dishonest, keenly pseudo-intellectual, shockingly ignorant, and embarrassingly resentful, it stands for the modern academic custom of activist prose posturing for scholarship. Its only truly exceptional mark is its influence. There just isn't a university course in literature in all of… Continue reading Fake scholarship and hatred of the West
The lowest form of political writing: Bob Woodward’s “Rage”
First off, Trump did not lie about the coronavirus in any way approaching the ballyhoo idea raised by the American media in promotion of this reprehensible book. Second thing: Trump followed at all times the operational advice of his medical experts. Third: he and the team were right about closing international travel from China when… Continue reading The lowest form of political writing: Bob Woodward’s “Rage”
Lying, illiteracy, cover-up: Bob Woodward’s craft of political writing
Political discourse is afflicted with bad books and bad reporting. For some reason, as soon as it's news, it's drivel. Bob Woodward (75 in 2018) demonstrates that an entire journalistic reputation can be contrived, if you are willing to print everything you hear. Fear: Trump in the White House, published in September 2018, covers the… Continue reading Lying, illiteracy, cover-up: Bob Woodward’s craft of political writing
Political writing: Ben Shapiro’s first six books
The point about this restriction is that since 2014 - the declining years of Obama's low presidency - Ben Shapiro has turned on to cultural subjects in his book-length publications, reserving the drudgery of quotidian political scrabbles to The Ben Shapiro Show on radio and YouTube - perhaps one of the better decisions he has… Continue reading Political writing: Ben Shapiro’s first six books
Bad writing: a case study of Ben Shapiro’s first six books
There's bad writing and bad writing. One kind makes you wish for life to pass away, the other makes you wish the thing were better. With Ben Shapiro one ponders the second variety: If only it were rewritten, it would make for excellent copy. The facts are all there and decently laid out, the journalistic… Continue reading Bad writing: a case study of Ben Shapiro’s first six books
Putting Up With It 