Left Illusions: An Intellectual Odyssey FROM THE PUBLISHER
"David Horowitz has had a controversial, complex, and influential career. Born into a communist family, he became one of the founders and intellectual leaders of the New Left in the 1960s. Then, as the result of a tragedy that was both personal and political, be became profoundly disillusioned with the radical movement. In the 1980s he began a second career as a conservative intellectual." Left Illusions follows Horowitz's intellectual path from red-diaper baby to conservative political strategist. Complementing his acclaimed autobiography, Radical Son, the selections in Left Illusions range from his first book on the New Left, published over forty years ago, to his most recent writings on the war against terror. Twenty-eight of the pieces have not been published in book form or were published in books that are no longer in print.
SYNOPSIS
Forty-three selections from Horowitz's work during the Ramparts era to the present are included, drawn from articles and books. The bulk of the text consists of material from his latter, right wing incarnation. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
While most kids his age were outside playing baseball, young Horowitz was attending Communist rallies and parades. During the '60s Horowitz stayed true to his radical roots, becoming a prominent leader of the New Left. But when a close friend was murdered by the Black Panthers, Horowitz sank into a pit of personal and political despair. After a 10-year exile from politics, he finally came to grips with what he now saw as the inhumanity of his radical life and committed what was considered the greatest betrayal (he has been called a Nazi and a "demented lunatic"): he became a conservative. His latest book is a collection of articles, one published for the first time here, and some excerpts from previous books, tracing the scope of his political journey. He writes on race, AIDS and the war on terror, but saves most of his energy for what he views as the destructive force of the progressives, the harm wrought by Communists around the world as well as in America, a criticism all the more poignant coming from one who had once marched in their ranks. Horowitz demonstrates a clear and sound thought process as well as an unusual talent for good writing. Whatever one many think about Horowitz's more controversial views and tactics-such as his denunciation on campuses around the country of the slavery reparations movement-he is one of the best political writers on either side of the aisle. (Nov.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
This new collection of 43 essays complements Horowitz's powerful 1996 memoir, Radical Son. Beginning with his early work, composed while he helped found the New Left during the 1960s, Horowitz (Hating Whitey) recounts his intellectual progression from leftist to conservative by the beginning of the Reagan administration. While Horowitz had intellectual reasons for his change, a powerful one was also personal. When a friend was murdered, allegedly by a member of the Black Panthers, the lack of concern his political allies seemed to display led Horowitz to question his beliefs. As with his other books, Horowitz explains his political shift plus his views on race, multiculturalism, political strategy, and the war on terrorism. Particularly interesting is the section containing chapters on Marx's Communist Manifesto, the environmental movement, and what constitutes the Left and Right in contemporary American politics. Horowitz of course continues his sparring with former colleagues on the Left. One does not need to agree with his political, social, or cultural views to appreciate his sharp intellectual and writing skills. Like another political convert, Whittaker Chambers, he is worth reading. Recommended for all politics collections.-Stephen L. Hupp, West Virginia Univ. Lib., Parkersburg Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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