Customer Rating:  
Summary: A Wide Ranging Study
Comment: David Gress attempts to draw the reader into an exploration of Western Civilisation, what it is, where it came from, and to a certain extent where it is going to. His range of scholarship is to be admired and he does produce a coherent conclusion. The obvious criticism of Gress is that he doeas adopt a rather jaundiced view of any idea, movement or person who's political stance is anywhere to the Left of Edmond Burke.In particular he seeks to place this body of thought outwith the mainstream of Western society,something I feel many readers outside the U.S. would no doubt take issue with. My personal view is that this does significantly tarnish his work. Nonetheless, prospective readers are left to make their own judgement.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Magisterial
Comment: In this thought-provoking book, Dr. David Gress examines the history of the very idea of the West. At the beginning of the twentieth century, American educators put together a "Grand Narrative" of Western civilization, that claimed that democracy and freedom began in ancient Greece, suffered a setback with that civilization's fall, and then re-evolved in later times, reaching its height in twentieth century America. However, during the 1960s, and later, Western Civilization came under attack by a liberal elite that sees it not as a glorious march towards freedom, but a disgusting trail of racist, sexist (and so forth) crimes against humanity.Dr. Gress shows how the West evolved, from ancient Rome right to the end of the twentieth century, and how the idea of the West evolved right along side of it. He shows what it is, what it is not, and how historians from all sides of the argument have gotten it wrong. This book is magisterial in its reach, which admittedly does mean that it is somewhat long and drawn out. For all that, though, this book is absolutely fascinating, and it gives the reader an excellent understanding of the West, where it came from, and (quite possibly) where it's going. I recommend this book to all serious thinkers.
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