Our Culture, What's Left Of It: The Mandarins And The Masses
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- Author：Theodore Dalrymple
- ISBN：1566636434
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Summary
This new collection of essays by the author of Life at the Bottom bears the unmistakable stamp of Theodore Dalrymple's bracingly clearsighted view of the human condition。 In these pieces， Dr。 Dalrymple ranges over literature and ideas， from Shakespeare to Marx， from the breakdown of Islam to the legalization of drugs。 Here is a book that restores our faith in the central importance of literature and criticism to our civilization。 Theodore Dalrymple is the best doctor-writer since William Carlos Williams。 --Peggy Noonan。 Includes When Islam Breaks Down， named the best journal article of 2004 by David Brooks of the New York Times。
Reviews
Julia P
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Ended abruptly， a bit self-ingratiatingly Britain hating， but makes solid unapologetic remarks about culture。
Jason Carter
，
This book is a collection of Dalrymple's essays， penned mostly in the 90s and oughts。 Dalrymple is a peculiar example of a British conservative， having received a medical education and spent most of his adult life as either a prison doctor or a （non-religious） missionary doctor in Africa。With this worldly experience， Dalrymple reflects on what ails the modern world。 On topics as wide-ranging as crime， Islamic immigration， and African tyrannies， he is at his best when recognizing the imperfectabi This book is a collection of Dalrymple's essays， penned mostly in the 90s and oughts。 Dalrymple is a peculiar example of a British conservative， having received a medical education and spent most of his adult life as either a prison doctor or a （non-religious） missionary doctor in Africa。With this worldly experience， Dalrymple reflects on what ails the modern world。 On topics as wide-ranging as crime， Islamic immigration， and African tyrannies， he is at his best when recognizing the imperfectability of human nature。Each essay stands on its own， but the collection makes an integrated whole。 If you ever find yourself scratching your head over the inanities of modern liberalism， these essays may help you put words to your scattered thoughts。 。。。more
Scott Andrews
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Heavy reading。 Most of it essential。
Marco
，
A collection of essays dealing with the decline of culture， written by a psychiatrist/philosopher who has been at and worked in a bunch of different countries， especially third-world ones。
Hoboofawesome
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A mixed bag， but very well worth reading。 The best essays are THE FRIVOLITY OF EVILTHE STARVING CRIMINALA TASTE FOR DANGERHOW TO READ A SOCIETYTHE USES OF CORRUPTIONWHAT WE HAVE TO LOSEWHEN ISLAM BREAKS DOWNBARBARIANS AT THE GATES OF PARIS
Piet
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Alle essays zijn interessant。 Glashelder en consequent doorredenerend weet Dalrymple veel originele inzichten over het voetlicht te brengen。 Een klein minpuntje is zijn onophoudelijke kritiek op de linkse elites die de schuld zouden zijn van veel wat mis is in onze samenleving。 Zijn analyse van de islam is sterk。 Als Fortuyn dit ook zo geformuleerd had， had hij misschien minder kritiek gekregen。Verder schetst hij een toch wel treurig beeld van de Britse onderklasse， de seksuele ongeremdheid en m Alle essays zijn interessant。 Glashelder en consequent doorredenerend weet Dalrymple veel originele inzichten over het voetlicht te brengen。 Een klein minpuntje is zijn onophoudelijke kritiek op de linkse elites die de schuld zouden zijn van veel wat mis is in onze samenleving。 Zijn analyse van de islam is sterk。 Als Fortuyn dit ook zo geformuleerd had， had hij misschien minder kritiek gekregen。Verder schetst hij een toch wel treurig beeld van de Britse onderklasse， de seksuele ongeremdheid en morele verdorvenheid van velen。 。。。more
Maher Razouk
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الفيتامينات و العنف！。。نادرًا ما تنتج المجلة البريطانية للطب النفسي للقارئ أي شيء آخر غير الديجافو في أحسن الأحوال والملل في أسوأ الأحوال ؛ لكن مقالاً في عدد يوليو كان مذهلاً في تداعياته وبالتالي حصل على دعاية واسعة。أجرى الباحثون تجربة مزدوجة حول تأثير مكملات الفيتامينات والمعادن على سلوك السجناء الذين تتراوح أعمارهم بين 18 و 21 عامًا。 تم تقسيم مائتين وواحد وثلاثين سجينًا بشكل عشوائي إلى مجموعتين: واحدة تلقت فيتامينات حقيقية ، وواحدة حصلت على دواء وهمي （بلاسيبو） 。 أولئك الذين تلقوا الفيتامينات ال الفيتامينات و العنف！。。نادرًا ما تنتج المجلة البريطانية للطب النفسي للقارئ أي شيء آخر غير الديجافو في أحسن الأحوال والملل في أسوأ الأحوال ؛ لكن مقالاً في عدد يوليو كان مذهلاً في تداعياته وبالتالي حصل على دعاية واسعة。أجرى الباحثون تجربة مزدوجة حول تأثير مكملات الفيتامينات والمعادن على سلوك السجناء الذين تتراوح أعمارهم بين 18 و 21 عامًا。 تم تقسيم مائتين وواحد وثلاثين سجينًا بشكل عشوائي إلى مجموعتين: واحدة تلقت فيتامينات حقيقية ، وواحدة حصلت على دواء وهمي （بلاسيبو） 。 أولئك الذين تلقوا الفيتامينات الحقيقية ارتكبوا حوالي ثلث الجرائم التأديبية وأعمال العنف خلال فترة المتابعة مقارنة بمن تناولوا الدواء الوهمي。أظهر الباحثون أن مجموعتي السجناء لم تختلفا بأي شكل من الأشكال قبل التجربة 。 وبالتالي فإن الانخفاض في السلوك المعادي للمجموعة الثانية كان في جميع الاحتمالات يعزى إلى الفيتامينات。 صحيح أن النتائج لم يتم إعادة إنتاجها في أي مكان آخر 。 صحيح أيضًا أن الباحثين لم يقدموا أي تفسير لسبب إنتاج الفيتامينات لتأثيراتها المزعومة - واحتوت المكملات على الكثير من الفيتامينات والمعادن والأحماض الدهنية التي سيستغرق الأمر عدة أعمار لتحديد أي منها ينتج التأثير المزعوم。ومع ذلك ، فإن التجربة أثارت الآمال في تحقيق اختراق للمجتمع البريطاني الذي تمزقه الجريمة ، وحتى الذي تهيمن عليه الجريمة。 هل يمكن أن يكون مجرد توزيع حبوب الفيتامينات على اللصوص والمجرمين المحتملين لدينا ، سيجعل منازلنا وشوارعنا أكثر أمانًا؟أولئك الذين كانوا يبحثون منذ فترة طويلة عن أسباب لإعفاء المجرمين من المسؤولية عن أفعالهم - كدليل على كرمهم الروحي - سوف يستنتجون من هذه النتائج إما أن الجريمة هي مظهر من مظاهر المرض الجسدي للدماغ أو أنها نتيجة الفقر الذي هو نفسه يؤدي إلى هذا المرض。لكن يجب أن نتوخى الحذر: فالتفسيرات الأخرى ، كما هو الحال دائمًا ، ممكنة。 ليس لدي أدنى شك في حقيقة أن العديد من السجناء الشباب يعانون من سوء التغذية الشديد عند دخولهم السجن ، لأنني أرى كل يوم حالات سوء التغذية الحاد بين أولئك الذين دخلوا مؤخرًا سجن البالغين الذي أعمل فيه。 من بين 20 سجينًا في المتوسط يتم إدخالهم يوميًا ، تظهر علامات خارجية واضحة على سوء التغذية على ستة منهم أربعة مدمنين على المخدرات。 قد يوحي تقدير تقريبي （مع الأخذ في الاعتبار بالعودة إلى الإجرام） أنه ربما يصل 1000 رجل يعانون من سوء التغذية إلى السجن سنويًا: وهذا يعني （إذا كان السجن نموذجيًا ، ولا يوجد سبب لافتراض خلاف ذلك） أنه كل عام يدخل 25000 رجل مصاب بسوء التغذية إلى السجون。 علاوة على ذلك ، فإن سوء التغذية الذي أراه في السجن موجود أيضًا في المستشفى الذي أعمل فيه ، بين الرجال （وبدرجة أقل بين النساء） من نفس الطبقة الاجتماعية مثل السجناء。。Theodore DalrympleOur CultureTranslated By #Maher_Razouk 。。。more
Claire Scorzi
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26 ensaios com muito das experiências do autor em viagens e no seu trabalho como médico em lugares carentes e em presídios， revela um conhecimento de primeira mão por vezes deprimente - mas， verdadeiro。 Uma ou outra reserva minha se dá por colocações - poucas， bem poucas - que soam ou como pontos cegos do autor， ou como hipocrisia social。 Um autor para ser lido， mesmo se de vez em quando discordamos ou é indigesto。 Há muita coisa ruim no mundo， e elas não são bonitas。
Cristian Necșulescu
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A Camusian voice with Shakespearean incisiveness。
Nathaniel Fletcher
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I Went into this book blind， my friend picked it out at a charity shop and I didn't overthink it， in an attempt to not over filter my philosophy purchases and find myself owning a Pidgeon hole of a philosophy shelf。I looked through the contents and chose to delay reading Don't Legalise Drugs as I had a feeling it would be a major point of contention for me and as such started with his first society and politics essay:What We Have to Lose The broken radio， is perfect example of a lack of empathy I Went into this book blind， my friend picked it out at a charity shop and I didn't overthink it， in an attempt to not over filter my philosophy purchases and find myself owning a Pidgeon hole of a philosophy shelf。I looked through the contents and chose to delay reading Don't Legalise Drugs as I had a feeling it would be a major point of contention for me and as such started with his first society and politics essay:What We Have to Lose The broken radio， is perfect example of a lack of empathy or perspective。 Theodore asks that the rebels leave alone a piano， to separate the society the piano came from from its aesthetic beauty， craftsmanship and some other pseudo-spiritual factors， this would be insensitive in isolation but it is in fact worse when viewed along side the closing paragraph。Theodore recalls an ad seen at a airport "the model they chose to advertise their products"（expensive London based formal wear） "was a shaven-headed tattooed monster， with scars on his scalp from bar brawls-the human type that beats women， carries a knife， and throws punches at football games" "savagery is all the rage" it shouldn't take a genius to work out that Theodore is asking the Liberian rebels to do something he cannot， separate an aesthetic from the culture it grew from， you may ask well he witnessed some football hooligans recite a chant including the word fuck with children present。 Now I may be bias to a bit of rough but hypocrisy is hypocrisy。Don't Legalise DrugsThis book was written in 2005 so I do want to give him some kind of leeway but he makes it really hard when his whole point is， and I'm paraphrasing here 'i know all signs point towards decriminalisation being the best solution but I just don't think its a good idea'With every argument he me makes its like he brings a stack of unrelated fiction to a knife fight。it was at this point I dropped the book and it sat on top of my dresser for two months。The Dystopian Imagination knowing books and understanding them are two different things。 he interprets these books based on his view of the world as do we all， unfortunately he is too far removed from what someone who was child in 2005 experienced as reality， Its me I'm talking about me。 he views the sex end of 2005 as the Sexualization of children by the liberals， I don't even dare to imagine of his thoughts on 2020's curriculum。 Sex ed would have started for me in the UK in 2008 with curriculum that Theodore Dalrymple may have described as perverse and I would describe as woefully lacking in practical information， something I can now blame on people people like this holding it back。we can look at America as a great example of how the individual states handle sex education and the resulting teen pregnancy rates。"and what is political correctness but newspeak， the attempt to make certain thoughts inexpressible through the reform of language" continuing to twist everything to fit a narrative rather than provide ideas of a superior model for society， it leaves me with the following impression of his outlook 'new think bad， old thing work for me'I stopped at three thats enough serious issues for him to diverge my lived reality and what the figures have shown to me。 I've heard Shakespeare and sex is quite good but I'm ngl I've lost all respect for the man at this point。DisclaimerThis book was written in 2005， Theodore has had 15 years of life between then and now， unless he stands by this garbage fire， In witch case。Conclusionclassic culture decline conspiracy， offering no new ideas only seeking to hold us back out a fear of the unknown rather than any measurable concerns， really didn't want to end it this way but I've done everything but explicitly say it， he has given me no choice: 。。。more
Roddy
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An outstanding writer - I find myself wondering how many people there are in the world who are as clever as this。
Javier
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Interesante colección de ensayos del autor， un médico que anduvo por todo el mundo （o， al menos， por los países sobre los que escribe）。 Resalto lo reconfortante del hecho de que una persona con conocimiento de causa in situ， sea la que esté detrás de este tipo de libros; en lugar de la aburguesada inteliguentsia refugiada en la comodidad de sus penthouses céntricos。Theodore posee también amplios conocimientos de literatura y arte; de hecho， estas temáticas son las que ocupan las páginas más inte Interesante colección de ensayos del autor， un médico que anduvo por todo el mundo （o， al menos， por los países sobre los que escribe）。 Resalto lo reconfortante del hecho de que una persona con conocimiento de causa in situ， sea la que esté detrás de este tipo de libros; en lugar de la aburguesada inteliguentsia refugiada en la comodidad de sus penthouses céntricos。Theodore posee también amplios conocimientos de literatura y arte; de hecho， estas temáticas son las que ocupan las páginas más interesantes de esta recopilación。 Por otro lado， en lo que concierne al aspecto socioeconómico no termino de comulgar con sus ideas; incluso en un par de pasajes sentí lo que las nuevas generaciones llaman cringe。 A pesar de ello， me sigue pareciendo una lectura muy positiva y recomendable， tanto por la calidad de información y la experiencia de primera mano， como por la falta de pelos en la lengua de este escritor。Ensayos recomendados: «Why Shakespeare is for all time»， «The rage of Virginia Woolf»， «When Islam breaks down» y «How -and how not- to love mankind» 。。。more
Eric Onderwater
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Excellent analysis of social problems from someone who lived in the problem。 As a Canadian， it's hard to understand the British situation， so hard to really judge many of the conclusions。 But the thought process and the values of the writer make sense to me。 Excellent analysis of social problems from someone who lived in the problem。 As a Canadian， it's hard to understand the British situation， so hard to really judge many of the conclusions。 But the thought process and the values of the writer make sense to me。 。。。more
Edward Crawford
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An interesting one。。。 Literate， challenging， thought provoking and insightful。 But， also， narrow-minded， xenophobic， classist and condescending。 As a non-Brit， but a citizen of an ex-colony， I feel this book is quite pessimistic as the picture presented is of a Dickensian England， but much worse。 It seems the good doctor would prefer a traditional England， where everyone quotes the Bard， plays cricket， builds empires （to bring civilisation， of course） and writes billowing verse。 Yes， he neatly d An interesting one。。。 Literate， challenging， thought provoking and insightful。 But， also， narrow-minded， xenophobic， classist and condescending。 As a non-Brit， but a citizen of an ex-colony， I feel this book is quite pessimistic as the picture presented is of a Dickensian England， but much worse。 It seems the good doctor would prefer a traditional England， where everyone quotes the Bard， plays cricket， builds empires （to bring civilisation， of course） and writes billowing verse。 Yes， he neatly disects many modern issues， but neglects to acknowledge many of the positives from his own or other modern societies。 The words of Richie Edwards rang in my ears throughout: "I am all the things that you regret， a truth that washes and learned how to spell。" 。。。more
Leandro Couto
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I loved most of these articles。 Theodore Dalrymple is an expert analyst of the consequences， structures and relations behind our culture and society。 At times Theodore Dalrymple sounds condescending or heartless until you remember he spent most of his life in hell-holes and horrible places dedicated to helping the people afflicted by the ideas he denounces。 My favorites essays: The Starving Criminal， The Uses of Corruption， How and How Not to Love Mankind， What's Wrong With Twinkling Buttocks？， I loved most of these articles。 Theodore Dalrymple is an expert analyst of the consequences， structures and relations behind our culture and society。 At times Theodore Dalrymple sounds condescending or heartless until you remember he spent most of his life in hell-holes and horrible places dedicated to helping the people afflicted by the ideas he denounces。 My favorites essays: The Starving Criminal， The Uses of Corruption， How and How Not to Love Mankind， What's Wrong With Twinkling Buttocks？， Sex and the Shakespeare Reader and Don't Legalise Drugs。 。。。more
Gautham Guganesh
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The author takes a jackhammer and brings it down with such tearing force on the mockery of a life engendered by modernist ideas of sex， politics， art and much more。 Highly informative and intuitive。
Seamusin
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It held me for a while but turned out to be an opinionated rant。 Lots of truth in what he says， but the style just repulsed me。
Marcus Whybrow
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Tradition is an ark which some would scuttle for fun。
James
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This man can write。 And just when the reader thinks that the next essay in the collection cannot surpass the one he or she has just finished in terms of style， prescience， raw intelligence， or as a genuine invitation to deep thinking， the next one proves to be even better。 I spaced these out over time so that I wouldn’t be a literary glutton。 They are also wholly depressing—but the writing is so good that one wants more。 This collection is as good as Life at the Bottom。 Read it immediately。
Lukas Cech
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Some good thoughts hidden in mostly old gentlemans rants about the youngstersDid your grandparents ever tell you things were better when they grew up？ That's what you'll mostly find in the book。 There is some good food for thought， but you have to waddle through a lot of ranting。 And there's a few strong presumptions， like that a big tattooed guy has to be a rough bonehead。 Give a person a chance before judging him by his cover。 Some good thoughts hidden in mostly old gentlemans rants about the youngstersDid your grandparents ever tell you things were better when they grew up？ That's what you'll mostly find in the book。 There is some good food for thought， but you have to waddle through a lot of ranting。 And there's a few strong presumptions， like that a big tattooed guy has to be a rough bonehead。 Give a person a chance before judging him by his cover。 。。。more
Kagan2017
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"Where a reputation for intolerance is more feared than a reputation for vice itself， all manner of evil may be expected to flourish。" "Where a reputation for intolerance is more feared than a reputation for vice itself， all manner of evil may be expected to flourish。" 。。。more
David Robertson
，
This is a stunning book。 A delight。 “Dalrymple is a writer of genius: lucid， unsentimental， and profoundly honest…。。He is one of the great essayists of our age” （Denis Dutton）。 I have no idea how I missed this book （which came out in 2005） but I am so glad I found it now。 It is one of the best books in terms of understanding our contemporary society。 Dalrymple is a doctor and writer。 His experience， intelligence and breadth of knowledge make his observations astute， witty and insightful。 I will This is a stunning book。 A delight。 “Dalrymple is a writer of genius: lucid， unsentimental， and profoundly honest…。。He is one of the great essayists of our age” （Denis Dutton）。 I have no idea how I missed this book （which came out in 2005） but I am so glad I found it now。 It is one of the best books in terms of understanding our contemporary society。 Dalrymple is a doctor and writer。 His experience， intelligence and breadth of knowledge make his observations astute， witty and insightful。 I will do a fuller review of the book later。 The fact that he is not a Christian makes his comments even more astounding， because in so many places he comes up with a biblical analysis （if he does not quite get the solution）。“Princess Diana was useful both alive and dead to British liberals， who habitually measure their own moral standing and worth by their degree of theoretical hatred for and opposition to whatever exists” 。。。more
Angela
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Toward the end， this became a long polemic with subtly racist undertones。 Dalrymple got more and more priggish and uptight and weird about sex。 Had a hard time finishing it。 He really rails on， doesn't he？ I did very much enjoy his essays on Mary Cassatt， Miro， Turgenev and dystopian literature， though。 Toward the end， this became a long polemic with subtly racist undertones。 Dalrymple got more and more priggish and uptight and weird about sex。 Had a hard time finishing it。 He really rails on， doesn't he？ I did very much enjoy his essays on Mary Cassatt， Miro， Turgenev and dystopian literature， though。 。。。more
Brian
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A solid and helpful piece of work。 Dalrymple sacrifices all of the sacred cows of modern leftists。 I do feel that Dalrymple occasionally resorts to hyperbole when precision would be more appropriate--attributing the lack of grocery stores in inner-city areas to drug abuse， for example。
Nathan Albright
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In many ways， I can imagine the way that the author would sound if one were interacting with him。 He sounds like a somewhat elderly and somewhat cranky person who would have a lot of strong opinions and who would greatly bemoan the way things were and point to ways in which life was superior in the past。 Just because I know plenty of people who say such things does not mean that such people are necessarily wrong。 One of the advantages of living a long time is having at least the potential for In many ways， I can imagine the way that the author would sound if one were interacting with him。 He sounds like a somewhat elderly and somewhat cranky person who would have a lot of strong opinions and who would greatly bemoan the way things were and point to ways in which life was superior in the past。 Just because I know plenty of people who say such things does not mean that such people are necessarily wrong。 One of the advantages of living a long time is having at least the potential for experience across a broad area of time， where one can see the interaction between cultural and moral superiority in the past and between technological superiority in the present。 Reading this book （especially the last chapter "After Empire"） gives a chilling discussion， free of racist ideology or multiculturalist cant， on how it is that civilizations decline all the faster when cultural elites join the barbarians at the gate instead of making a brave last stand for the culture that grants them a privileged position in the first place。 And what is going on in the UK is certainly something that can provide a lesson for other societies not as far along in the process of corruption。This book of a bit more than 300 pages is divided into two sections and quite a few small chapters that illustrate various points about the UK and its empire past and present。 The author begins with a discussion of arts and letters （I）， which include smaller chapters on the frivolity of evil， the way that some people have a taste for danger， the importance of Shakespeare， the problems with writers like Virginia Woolf and D。H。 Lawrence who raged against the culture of their time without providing a better replacement， how to and how not to love mankind， various neglected geniuses and dystopian imaginations， and the question of what art is in the first place。 After this the author shifts to society and politics （II） with chapters on such areas as what we have to lose， why Havana is going to seed， the uses of corruption， criminal malnutrition， sex， drugs， and childhood， what happens when Islam breaks down， Paris' barbarian problem， and why Zimbabwe fell apart as it did after empire。 The author mixes reading and textual analysis with a great deal of personal observation and trenchant criticism of the way things are。There is a deep degree of poignancy one gains from reading a book like this。 The author was a longtime doctor who managed to turn his cynicism about the state of society into research about what was going on and how that society was going wrong。 Quite honestly， some of what he has to say are pretty shocking。 He has a particularly pointed comment about the way that Princess Di was both built up and torn down in ways that were unkind， even as she failed to act as the author believes that royals should。 The book is full of odd observations， like the relationship between the desire for intimacy on the part of single parents and the rise of an uneducated class of young person who has to leave home early for being surplus to requirements， a general drain on resources， and targets for abuse by nonrelatives in the household。 These are definitely problems that extend beyond the UK。 So too there is the issue with people simply not being raised to feed themselves correctly， to the point where drug abuse and a general lack of knowledge lead to chronic malnutrition among lower classes。 The author reminds us too that if we are to be truly compassionate， our compassion must be for people and not merely for categories。 。。。more
John O'Brien
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Witty and insightful commentary on the social conditions in England today， and their underlying relation to the moral condition of the U。K。 Essays are taken from his published pieces from the early 2000s。 Some essays concern currents in literature and art。 A master writer who is also a doctor on the front lines。
Joshua Waddell
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This is the quintessential work for anyone that wishes to understand or refute the doctrine of social conservatism。
Greg Rice
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This book consists of a series of essays by Theodore Darlrymple （real name Anthony Daniels） in which he describes some of his broad ranging experiences and views on humanity， British society， the media， and politics in general throughout his career as a doctor working in locations as disparate as a Birmingham Prison Hospital， Rhodesia and Zimbabwe。 The first few pieces address Dalrymple's accounts with British society from his front line experiences in a Prison hospital。 Here he has treated hund This book consists of a series of essays by Theodore Darlrymple （real name Anthony Daniels） in which he describes some of his broad ranging experiences and views on humanity， British society， the media， and politics in general throughout his career as a doctor working in locations as disparate as a Birmingham Prison Hospital， Rhodesia and Zimbabwe。 The first few pieces address Dalrymple's accounts with British society from his front line experiences in a Prison hospital。 Here he has treated hundreds of men and women caught in a seemingly endless cycle of unemployment， hedonism， unplanned pregnancy， infidelity and drug abuse。 As these people are born into broken families that are entirely dependant on the support of the welfare state （in several cases for several short generations）， many are raised without any parental guidance or care and are destined for a life consisting of short-term selfish pleasure seeking that is devoid of meaning， direction or responsibility。I strongly believe his views on British Society in general have been warped to some degree by the frequency and severity of these cases。 However， the positive to this is that it gives him greater perspective to assess the route cause of these problems and Darlymple places the blame for this firmly at the door of liberal left minded politicians and elites。 He argues that in creating a culture of rights at the expense of any responsibility or social duty children in these families have become an inconvenient by-product （and often a tool with which to obtain further state support） of their parent's self-centred quest for pleasure。The state effectively has become a father figure to these children， providing a social and financial safety net that allows them to live a life of behaviour without consequence。 Their upbringings and futures are disregarded and the cycle repeats， as he describes in passionate and often quite shocking prose through a number of encounters。It is important to make clear that he does not blame the individuals he treats for their predicaments， but instead provides precise and scathing critiques of the society and culture which has allowed their seemingly inevitable behaviour to flourish。 On the contrary， he sympathises with them to the extent that the welfare state and the inter-generational cycle of broken homes has denied them the opportunity to become fully functioning members of society。The above is just a brief taste of some of the ideas and views in this book。 The views are uncompromising and while Darylmple would certainly appear to be more aligned to the right than left， he is not just a bitter old conservative。 He appreciates the importance of the welfare state and government bodies in keeping those most vulnerable in society secure。 The issue is that through his experiences he has known so much institutional failure he argues it has all been taken to the extreme， and he is trying to aid people whose lifestyles are fundamentally broken。 His views on British society in particular feel balanced given the time devoted to discussion of other societal models such as communism and consideration of Cuba's political past。I feel the book loses a degree of momentum when discussing the decline of popular culture and the significance of Shakespeare purely because the subject matter isn't quite as interesting to me and doesn't feel as socially relevant。 At times his opinions become a little to personal and baseless which undermines the rest of the book （for example his needless criticism of Elton John at Princess Diana's funeral） However， it finishes strong when he targets what is in his opinion the largely failed experiment of multiculturalism in modern Britain and France。Overall this is a book that will leave you engaged， frustrated and often depressed。 Many people will identify with his outlook that in our modern， multicultural， politically correct society， failure to act through the widespread and often irrational fear of offending anyone （whether minority or otherwise） can lead to inaction and ultimately a loss of cultural identity and values。 As Edmund Burke once said:'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing'。 I for one often find myself asking what it really means to be British/English in 2016。 This book is a largely fair and balanced assessment of human nature and modern society that is well written and borne out of real life experience。 。。。more
Corinne Wasilewski
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The older I get， the more I love essays。 Dalyrmple is a master of the art form。 He’s widely travelled， extremely well read with a solid knowledge of both arts and science， as well as being a doctor with first hand experience of life in prisons， ghettos， third world countries and places of political upheaval which allows him to write with incredible insight and conviction。 He’s not afraid to point fingers which I’m OK with so long as his arguments back him up。 As a reader， I get the impression th The older I get， the more I love essays。 Dalyrmple is a master of the art form。 He’s widely travelled， extremely well read with a solid knowledge of both arts and science， as well as being a doctor with first hand experience of life in prisons， ghettos， third world countries and places of political upheaval which allows him to write with incredible insight and conviction。 He’s not afraid to point fingers which I’m OK with so long as his arguments back him up。 As a reader， I get the impression the writer’s primary motivation through life has been a sense of duty and a recurring theme in these essays is the need for people to balance individual rights with personal responsibility。 I also like his recognition of man's capacity for both good and evil， regardless of upbringing or societal influences。 These are a collection of well written essays that are firmly anchored in reality and not tied to some pie in the sky here’s hoping utopia。 。。。more
Lea Dokter
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