Author: George F. Will

They say...

The Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist's "astonishing" and "enthralling" New York Times bestseller and Notable Book about how the Founders' belief in natural rights created a great American political tradition (Booklist) — "easily one of the best books on American Conservatism ever written" (Jonah Goldberg).

I say...

While I have tried to read texts on conservative political thinking, outside William F. Buckley and just a very few others, it all strikes me as demonstrating little meaningful rational rigorous structure. Much of what currently passes as "conservative thought" appears to me to be equivalent to a "mad" person's angry screaming. Largely it consists of authors not happy with social change or displeased that others don't do what they tell them to do. Simply, old men telling kids to "stay off their lawn." Emotional musing but not principled policy thought.

Thankfully, along comes George Will's book. I've always enjoyed his well written columns that present solid logic for a point. I don't always agree with said point but appreciate the debate that his engenders in my head. When I do disagree I'm forced to (mentally) present an equally well formed logical argument. I find most other conservative writing to be very easy to dismiss due to the huge logical holes and lack of facts.

George's book is a long and difficult read. The writing is dense, sometimes repetitive, and nearly always stretches the reader's vocabulary demanding frequent consults with a dictionary, which fortunately my ebook reader has built in. Such vocabulary is not only educational in its own right but slows down the reader's pace allowing for more depth of consideration regarding the points made.

If you are serious about politics and haven't read this book, you're not informed. Claim to be a conservative and not read it, then you don't understand what the word means. It's that important. I'd say "read it" but really this is a "study it". Understanding his perspective takes some commitment and work. I find it is worth it. I now understand what George means by "conservative", which I find almost no one, in or out of, the media seems to mean in the same way.