I know this was one of the cult books of the 20th century, but I'm going to give some straight forward advice: don't read this book if you don't have I know this was one of the cult books of the 20th century, but I'm going to give some straight forward advice: don't read this book if you don't have a particular interest in the history of ideas or intellectual history of the mid-20th century. It's just that this book is largely marked by the period in which it was written, around 1954-55, during the height of the Cold War. Raymond Aron (1905-1983) was still a rising French intellectual, did not yet have a permanent position at a university or a research institution, but had already made himself noticed in the polemic surrounding Marxism and more specifically Stalinism, especially because he undisguisedly opposed what he called the idolatry of extreme left-wing ideas. In this book he systematically explains his views on this. In other words, you must have some knowledge of Marxism itself, and especially of the French intellectual landscape of the 1950s (Sartre, Merleau-Ponty and Camus are his most famous culprits). And – with my apologies – still 1 element that makes the reading difficult: the book is not as homogeneous as I expected, sometimes it looks more like a collection of previously published articles. (By the way: I read this in French, so I couldn’t comment on the translation)
Enough warnings, I don't want you to get the wrong idea of this fabulous book. What I especially want to emphasize is how lucid Aron's analyzes were: how fearlessly he attacked all the sacred cows (in this case of the left), in an argument that razor sharply exposed the contradictions of Marxism and especially Stalinism and de facto proved how those views in reality were wrong. But there's more. Aron frames his judgment in a broader vision of the naive progressive optimism of the left, of exaggerated philosophies of history in Western culture, of the idolization of the phenomenon of 'revolution' in France, and of the own moral psychology of the intellectual elite. With regard to the latter, in my opinion he occasionally went a bit out of line, for example by scornfully pointing out that intellectuals are not insensitive to the 'pecuniary aspects' of the public forum. I could write endless more about this book, but others have done it much better. I conclude by underlining that - although this book is very dated, especially in terms of context - it is nevertheless testimony to a lucid and brilliant mind, whose pertinance has been confirmed by history. Just one caveat: of course, Aron hasn't written the last, definitive word on leftist ideologies; there are some points where also his views are very out of balance, even one-sided; almost 70 years on it's easier to get a more nuanced picture of things. In my History account on Goodreads I go into a little more detail about Aron and the philosophy of history: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.......more
Lijvig boekwerk over de eerste jaren van het Europese integratieproces. Iets te lijvig naar mijn smaak (Falter gaat bijzonder gedetailleerd in op alleLijvig boekwerk over de eerste jaren van het Europese integratieproces. Iets te lijvig naar mijn smaak (Falter gaat bijzonder gedetailleerd in op alle onderhandelingstrajecten), maar het blijft wel boeiend. Voor zover ik kan inschatten brengt Falter inhoudelijk geen nieuwe informatie aan, maar hij is wel de eerste die terecht het Europese verhaal nauw verweeft met dat van de Koude Oorlog (hoe kan dat ook anders, zou je denken, maar toch). Nadeel daarvan is dat hij ook de heel ingewikkelde wendingen van dat Koude Oorlog-verhaal zeer gedetailleerd weergeeft, en dat had beslist korter gekund. Maar niet getreurd: Falter legt er als klassiek geschoold historicus terecht de nadruk op hoe persoonlijkheden een beslissende wending kunnen geven aan historische evoluties. Wat dat betreft is zijn proloog, met een korte schets van hoe improviserend beleidsmakers dikwijls te werk gaan, veelzeggend. En oh ja, ik zou het nog vergeten: in deze tijden van antipolitiek populisme (ook bij intellectuelen) toont Falter ook aan hoe ‘nobel’ het métier van politicus ingevuld kan worden. Voor de muggenzifters, 2 kleine, maar wel storende foutjes: de naam van de inspirerende Franse socioloog Raymond Aron wordt systematisch fout gespeld; en dat er in de jacht van de Belgische douane op smokkelaars op geen enkel moment geschoten werd, lijkt me onjuist....more
Interessante verzameling beschouwingen van hoe het trauma dat de Appeasement-politiek ten aanzien van Hitler achteraf veroorzaakte, en waardoor de KouInteressante verzameling beschouwingen van hoe het trauma dat de Appeasement-politiek ten aanzien van Hitler achteraf veroorzaakte, en waardoor de Koude Oorlog kon ontstaan. Uiteraard intussen erg achterhaald....more
I can be fairly brief about this book: I just didn’t like it. Take the prologue: 60 pages of verbal acrobatics about a baseball game in 1951 that fortI can be fairly brief about this book: I just didn’t like it. Take the prologue: 60 pages of verbal acrobatics about a baseball game in 1951 that forty years later stills appeals to the imagination. I agree: DeLillo cleverly uses every literary trick in the book to achieve the same effect as a spectacular opening scene in a movie, that continues to vibrate on your retina for hours. But according to me, it's not appropriate to do that with prose, just let each medium/art retain its own strength. And then there is this cliché to zoom in on cult figures like Frank Sinatra or J. Edgar Hoover, who also happen to be in the stadium and have all kinds of reflections on the Cold War.
What follows is a meandering, kaleidoscopic novel in which both the baseball match as the Cold War are the connecting elements: it's so artificial that it seems like DeLillo wanted to show off: "look how ingenious I can make things..." and forgets that there also has to be some content. No, this book really was wasted on me (so I confess I didn't finish it)....more
Collection des sources, en particulier les textes de l'ancien Premier ministre et ministre des Affaires étrangères belge Paul Henri Spaak.Collection des sources, en particulier les textes de l'ancien Premier ministre et ministre des Affaires étrangères belge Paul Henri Spaak....more
To me, this is the central paragraph of this book (p 490): "For all the passions that they arouse, the evidence of this book is that histories foundedTo me, this is the central paragraph of this book (p 490): "For all the passions that they arouse, the evidence of this book is that histories founded on the rival grand narratives of ‘exploitation’ and ‘modernization’ have limited value as a guide to the Eurasian past. That is not because we cannot find plentiful evidence of both phenomena in action. But neither had a free rein. Each became entangled in the politics and culture of the states and regions where its influence was felt. Each was forced into compromise to win over the local allies and agents without which it was (usually) hamstrung. Both were dependent on the fluctuating conditions that favoured or deterred imperial ambition, commercial expansion and cultural assertion in different parts of the world. (...) There is no neat chronology of imperial rise and fall; no neat geography of European mastery over the rest of Eurasia. Nor indeed did the ‘empire’ of the West come to an end in the bonfire of colonial vanities that we call decolonization..”
History, according to Darwin, is so contingent that great narrative structures as 'imperialism', 'modernism', 'the Great Divergence' etc. are too simple. Everything is so conditioned by its circumstances that you simply can't generalise. According to me, in its turn, this is far too exaggerated by Darwin. I think every historian really has to generalize and seek for patterns and use theories,... BUT he/she mustn't forget history is always made in very precise circumstances, and broader contexts that are always very specific!
A bit of an unusual Greene novel, as it is composed as a road trip in a rickety car, through Spain. Now, when I reveal that the fellow-travellers are A bit of an unusual Greene novel, as it is composed as a road trip in a rickety car, through Spain. Now, when I reveal that the fellow-travellers are a catholic bishop-to-be-against-his-will and a marxist ex-maior, it's clear we nevertheless are in Greene-country. Quite amusing (and sometimes hilarious) are the multiple references to the classic Don Quixote story of Cervantes (the rickety car, - an old Seat -, clearly being Rocinante). The mild tone is striking, because the central theme of the book is tolerance. Of course, also the other typical Greene themes (faith, evil, guilt...) are touched upon, but not so heavy-handed as in some of his classic novels, although I must concede that the lengthy conversations between the protaganists can become a bit tedious. It's also nice to contrast this work with Don Camillo and Peppone, by the Italian writer Guareschi, that also confronts a priest with a fanatic communist. And then there's the 'road movie' setting, effectively adapted to a television film in 1985, starring Alec Guinness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3FZn... (recommended)....more
At the time (beginning of the 1980's) this was a basic work on the issue of nuclear weapons. Of course, in the meantime it's clearly outdated. But theAt the time (beginning of the 1980's) this was a basic work on the issue of nuclear weapons. Of course, in the meantime it's clearly outdated. But the main message (how nuclear deterrence works) still is valid....more
The classic murder story, in Vienna, occupied by the Allies (Soviets included). Remarkable for the build up of suspense. Difficult to distinguish fromThe classic murder story, in Vienna, occupied by the Allies (Soviets included). Remarkable for the build up of suspense. Difficult to distinguish from the film, of course. ...more
Humorous spy story, with a typical Greene undertone. Especially enticing is the characterization of Wormold as a man who, against his will and skill, Humorous spy story, with a typical Greene undertone. Especially enticing is the characterization of Wormold as a man who, against his will and skill, finds himself in an impossible situation and still manages to get out of it. It's great how Greene succeeds in combining irony with the heavy themes of responsibility and conscience. Not his best one, but greatly entertaining!...more
Eerder uitgeschreven cursusnota's dan een echte studie. Klassieke visie op de Koude Oorlog. Intussen lichtelijk verouderd.Eerder uitgeschreven cursusnota's dan een echte studie. Klassieke visie op de Koude Oorlog. Intussen lichtelijk verouderd....more
Vrij gedetailleerd overzicht. Goede synthese. Duidelijk revisionistisch uitgangspunt, maar soms wil de auteur het iets te fervent bewijzen. Intussen lVrij gedetailleerd overzicht. Goede synthese. Duidelijk revisionistisch uitgangspunt, maar soms wil de auteur het iets te fervent bewijzen. Intussen lichtelijk verouderd....more
This was a great read because of the analytic views and the synthesis. Striking is the importance Gaddis accords to the protagonists of the 1980s, whiThis was a great read because of the analytic views and the synthesis. Striking is the importance Gaddis accords to the protagonists of the 1980s, whilst he gives less attention to the structural backgrounds. In my view the importance of Reagan is exaggerated....more
Verzamelwerk over de gevolgen van de Koude Oorlog voor België. De artikelen bestrijken een heel breed veld, er is zelfs aandacht voor mentaliteitsgescVerzamelwerk over de gevolgen van de Koude Oorlog voor België. De artikelen bestrijken een heel breed veld, er is zelfs aandacht voor mentaliteitsgeschiedenis....more
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