[Vision2020] Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries

[Saundra Lund]

Melynda Huskey <melyndahuskey at earthlink.net> asked:
"On your honor, has anybody read all of LeComte (as opposed to excerpts)?
*All* of the Kinsey Report?

OK, on my honor, while I've not read *all* of LeComte, I can honestly say I
read every last word of _The Kinsey Report_!

It was a fascinating read, but in the interest of honesty, it was required
reading for a college class.

And, just look where it's gotten me:  I'm in a long-term committed
relationship!  Oh, the horror!!!  Just think what I could have become had I
not read that harmful book!

;-)


Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
Edmund Burke

***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2005 by Saundra Lund.
Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside the Vision 2020 forum
without the express written permission of the author.*****

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Melynda Huskey
Sent: Wednesday, 01 June 2005 4:59 PM
To: Vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th
Centuries

A fascinating glimpse into conservative thought.  And the questions it
raises . . . not just about what drove individual choices, although of
course that's a matter of amused speculation, but ranging fairly far afield.
 
How many of the judges do you suppose had actually read all ten of the books
on the list--not to mention the extras?   
 
I'll 'fess up; I've read only 6 of the top 10.  On your honor, has anybody
read all of LeComte (as opposed to excerpts)?  *All* of the Kinsey Report?
If we can count extensive chunks I fare a little better--8 out of the top
10, and 12 of the honorable mentions.  But that's still not very impressive.
I'm embarrassed to say that I've never even cracked the spine (or seen it,
come to that) of Herbert Croly's *The Promise of American Life.*  And
although I'm a Fabian by inclination, I missed the Webb's *Soviet Communism*
too.  Guess I'd better make up that summer reading list.
 
Some truly incendiary books didn't make the list: Margaret Sanger's
*Motherhood in Bondage,* for example.  Peter Singer's *Animal Liberation.*
Rushdoony's *Institutes of Biblical Law.*  (okay, maybe not that one).  I
can imagine some folks making a case for the documents of the Second Vatican
Council, even.
 
No fiction made the list at all . . . although I suspect that fiction
(particularly if you add film/radio/television fiction) is much, much more
powerful in shaping people's world views than works of philosophy or
political economy.
 
On the other hand, what pleasant company in which to loiter--people who
object to Mill's *On Liberty,* for heaven's sake, and who've taken the
trouble to find out about the politics of Betty Friedan's boyfriends.  Under
the circumstances, I suppose it's a relief to find *Mein Kampf* at #2.  
 
I wonder if they'll do a counterpart listing the ten most helpful books?
I'd love to see that, too.
 
Melynda Huskey