Book Review: Birth of Britian

History of the English Speaking Peoples: Birth of Britian Vol 1 by Winston S. Churchill

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


On a scale of 1 - 5

Clarity/Consistency 2 - I found myself getting confused numerous times because on numerous occasions rather than outright say things, he would make the reader read between the lines, or put things in terms that did not make sense to me. Overall structure was mostly but not totally sequential.

Rationality 5 - I found no fallacies.

Creativity 4 - He makes the reader read between the lines, which was quite witty at times (when it made sense to me).

Narrative 4 - There was a fair amount of balance by telling stories when interesting enough.

Paradigm Shift 3 - I did learn a lot and gained a much better understanding of the middle ages in regard to political conflict and the function of the monarchy as it existed in England.

Emotion 4 - Was not the most emotional book, but Churchill does definitely praises some kings and historical events more than others and draws the reader into that admiration or disapproval.


View all my reviews

Goldberg on "Third Way" Politics

The "middle way" sounds moderate and un-radical. Its appeal is that it sounds unideological and freethinking. But philosophically the Third Way is not mere difference splitting; it is utopian and authoritarian. Its utopian aspect becomes manifect in its antagonism to the idea that politics is about trade-offs. The Third Wayer says that there are no false choices-"I refuse to accept that X should come at the expense of Y." The Third Way holds that we can have capitalism and socialism, individual liberty and absolute unity. Fascist movements are implicitly utopian because they-like communist and heretical Christian movements-assume that with just the right arrangement of policies, all contradictions can be rectified. This is a political siren song: life can never be made perfect, because man is imperfect. This is why the Third Way is also authoritarian. It assumes that the right man-or, in the case of Leninists, the right party-can resolve all of these contradictions through sheer will. The populist demagogue takes on the role of the parent telling the childlike masses that he can make everything "all better" if they just trust him.

Page 130 from Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg.

Questions for Cultural Artifacts

I have started to read "Culture Making" by Andy Crouch. In the first chapter he mentions five questions to be asked about cultural artifacts that I find to be a revealing and worthy excercise.

1. What does this cultural artifact assume about the way the world is.
2. What does this cultural artifact assume about the way the world should be?
3. What does this crultural artifact make possible?
4. What does this cultural artifact make impossible (or at least very difficult)?
5. What new forms of culture are created in response to this artifact?

New Links

I am updating my links based on the blogs I have been reading that I find helpful.

Popular Mechanics has a lot of helpful tips (especially for men) and even had an article a while back that discredited much of the 911 conspiracy theory. There is an extensive archive of the old issues here.

Works and Days is a social commentary by historian Victor Davis Hanson. He has written quite extensively on classical history and history of war. You might call him a conservative. He has more articles here.

Greg Mankiw wrote my Economics textbook (Mine is an earlier edition). Brilliant man. I am not sure were he leans politically, but he makes a lot of sense and can dumb things down for the rest of us.

Ben Stein. Need I say more? Ok, Ben Stein on economics.

Instapundit being mostly political (with some entertainment mixed in) and leaning conservative. Updated very frequently.

22 Words is Abraham Piper's blog of brevity. He tends to be thoughtful and his topic range is wide.

Flauvius Josephus

Josephus was a historian around the time of first century church. As he was not a believer, I suspect that his words about Christ may be sarcastic, but interesting nonetheless.

On Jesus:

Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it is lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works-a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day. (Antiq. 18.3.3)

On John the Baptist:

Now, some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God, and that very justly, as punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist; for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness. Now, when [many] others came in crowds about him, for they were greatly move [or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties by sparing a man who might make him repent of ti when it should be to late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death, Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God's displeasure against him. (Antiq. 18.5.2)

Excerpts from "The works of Josephus" translated by William Whiston. 1987 by Hendrickson Publisers, Inc.