Review by Choice Review
The age of Trump raises serious questions about the nature and direction of American conservatism. In this timely collection of essays, most originating from lectures given over more than a decade, Deneen (Univ. of Notre Dame) attempts to shed light on the nature of true conservatism, distinguishing it most sharply from the liberal tradition ("the world's first ideology"), individualism ("radically autonomous human beings"), and the philosophical foundations of the American founding. He writes not as an historian but as a conservative political theorist deeply concerned with the state of conservatism. The book is meant not to persuade non-conservatives to conservatism but to cause self-identified conservatives to reflect on what in America they are trying to conserve. Though the work is not philosophically rigorous, it is filled with wisdom, charm, and insight, especially in his frequent appeals to Tocqueville. The chapter on manners is first-rate. This is not the definitive work on conservatism, but conservatives today would do well to ponder the questions Deneen raises and seriously consider the solutions he offers. Recommended for all readership levels. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. --Stephen Wolfe, Louisiana State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
