Not With a Bang But a Whimper: The Politics and Culture of Decline

by Theodore Dalrymple

Overview

In Not with a Bang But a Whimper, Dalrymple takes the measure of our cultural decline, with special attention to Britain-its bureaucratic muddle, oppressive welfare mentality, and aimless young-all pursued in the name of democracy and freedom. He shows how terrorism and the growing numbers of Muslim minorities have changed our public life. Also here are Mr. Dalrymple's trenchant observations on artists and ideologues, and on the treatment of criminals and the mentally disturbed, his area of medical interest.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781566638517
Publisher:	Dee, Ivan R. Publisher
Publication date:	03/16/2010
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	266
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Theodore Dalrymple is a British doctor and writer who has worked on four continents and has most recently practiced in a British inner-city hospital and prison. He is a contributing editor for City Journal in the United States and writes a column for the London Spectator. His earlier collections of essays, Life at the Bottom and Our Culture, What's Left of It, have been widely praised.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Artists and Ideologues

The Gift of Language 5

What Makes Dr. Johnson Great? 17

Truth vs. Theory 33

A Drinker of Infinity 39

Ibsen and His Discontents 54

The Specters Haunting Dresden 71

What the New Atheists Don't See 83

The Marriage of Reason and Nightmare 95

Politics and Culture

The Roads to Serfdom 109

How Not to Do It 123

A Prophetic and Violent Masterpiece 135

It's This Bad 150

Real Crime, Fake Justice 161

Delusions of Honesty 172

The Terrorists Among Us 184

Suicide Bombers 196

Multiculturalism Starts Losing Its Luster 208

In the Asylum 219

A Murderess's Tale 231

Index 243

Editorial Reviews

Mr. Dalrymple illuminates with great clarity and precision some of the most difficult problems of our times.

Washington Times

Beautifully written, insightful, and often sad.

Neofusionist

Brilliant essays.

Conservative Book Club

Mr. Dalrymple illuminates with great clarity and precision some of the most difficult problems of our times.

The Washington Times