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 enlarge | Author: Russell Kirk
Publisher: BN Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $17.99
Buy New: $12.00
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New (5) from $12.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 22391
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 466
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.2
ISBN: 9659124112
Dewey Decimal Number: 320
EAN: 9789659124114
ASIN: 9659124112
Publication Date: August 20, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 The Definitive Volume for Conservatives December 29, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
~The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot~ by the late Russell Kirk is arguably one of the greatest contributions to twentieth-century American conservatism. This is real conservatism, not the typical neocon tripe by David Frum or Sean Hannity that masquerades behind the appellation of 'conservative.' Kirk presents a rock-solid historical journey through the conservative mind. Conservatives are of course more sober-minded than the assorted radicals and progressives of the Left. Conservatives have a sound doctrine of anthropology, because they grasp man's nature, and are realistic about the implications of it. Whereas, the political Left has a positive view of man, and from that emanates romantic quixotic fixations that manifest themselves in repugnant ideology that seldom meshes with reality.
The vignette sketches of Edmund Burke, John Adams, John Randolph, John Calhoun, Thomas Macauley, James Fennimore Cooper, Alexis de Tocqueville, John Quincy Adams, Benjamin Disreali, Irving Babbitt, George Santayana, and other luminaries represent insightful overview of the conservative movement in all its stripes. The essence of conservatism always lingered in the American mind, but when Russell Kirk distilled its core principles in his erudite works, he reinvigorated the intellectual groundwork for its defense and continuance. "People will not look forward to posterity", Burke wrote, "who never look backward to their ancestors."
"As the prophet of American conservatism, Russell Kirk has taught, nurtured, and inspired a generation. From... Piety Hill, he reached deep into the roots of American values, writing and editing central works of political philosophy. His intellectual contribution has been a profound act of patriotism. I look forward to the future with anticipation that his work will continue to exert a profound influence in the defense of our values and our cherished civilization."
--Ronald Reagan
History of conservative ideas September 16, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This widely embraced overview of the history of conservativism gives readers a peek into the thoughts of the main conservative thinkers who have significantly influenced its contemporary form. Alexis de Tocqueville said that, "The surface of American society is covered with a layer of democratic paint, but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic colours breaking through." Kirk shows us the pallet to which de Tocqueville is referring.
illumination on every page March 13, 2007
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book gave greater breadth and depth to my knowledge of conservative history and philosophy than any other book.
What I found to be most enjoyable about this book is its examination of the nature of many conservative thinkers, showing similarities and differences in the thinking of those who made the greatest impact on conservative philosophy. While the specifics of each thinker often differed, the "permenant things" remained in agreement and are the subject of our conservation.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in an overview of conservativism in politics or philosophy, and just as highly recommend it to liberals as a wonderful "come from"; that they may understand the nature and history of conservativism.
The Conservative's Bible November 5, 2006
4 out of 21 found this review helpful
Kirk's book is supposedly the bible of Conservatives. Not neo-conservatives, but Conservatives. He sets up the long standing debate between the French, and Voltaie, and the English, using Burke as it's spokesman Supposedly Kirk would limit the vote, have a professional class of government officials, reduce if not eliminate most taxes, and let each individual strive for success. This is the basic mantra of classical conservatives, and is all well and good as far as it goes, but only a few of the many ever succeed this way. One of the surprises is how young Kirk was when this book was written; it's as if he had some inspiration for on high (probably not), or was cherry picking history (probably closer to the truth).
After reading this book I had a better understanding of where the Conservatives are coming from, althohgh I still don't understand why an obscure Royalist politician from the 18th century should be their flag bearer. Royality as a form of government most likely will never occcur in the US, although we seem to flirt with it from time to time.
Conservatives seem not admit of a meritotocracy, as we currently have in the US: they would rather rely on accidents of birth, cronyism and college organizations to select administrators, rather than people who have succeeded in other venues. A very informative, albeit frightening, book.
The Stupid Party July 30, 2006
18 out of 23 found this review helpful
This book has been a major inspiration to me and my way of thinking. It is not very difficult to go online and read any number of Conservatives talking about all of the issues of the day. But, this book stands alone in following and celebrating the history of Conservative intellectuals. Often times it is portrayed (not without some merit) that Conservatives are anti-intellectual. I have frequently heard that Liberals are just naturally smarter or more inclined to be an intellectual. But, The Conservative Mind blows a hole through all of that. Kirk examines major Conservative thinkers like: Edmund Burke, John Adams, George Canning, Benjamin Disraeli, John Randolph of Roanoke, Orestes Brownson, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John C. Calhoun, and T. S Eliot (amung many many others).
The most difficult aspect of this book is to accept John Randolph and John Calhoun as figures to be celebrated. They both were men who used their talents to protect an evil system of slavery. Although, as another reviewer elquently noted, Kirk was not endnorsing slavery or racism or anything like that. Just the fact that Conservatism is a The "negation of ideology," and that change will happen, in Kirk's prospective Calhoun was only following that line of thinking. I personally don't agree with it that far. As obviously slavery was antithesis of what the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution stand for. But, again stating, Kirk is not writing to argue that slavery should not have been eliminated- only that change has to follow the methods of that society.
I would recommend this to anyone- Conservative or Liberal. It is a magifnicent study of Conservativism. It can be a little dense at times, but that is to be expected and it shouldn't detour anyone from reading it.
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