American Power and the New Mandarins: Historical and Political Essays

Chomsky had a real edge in those early days. You could feel his rage, and his frustration. I miss that; it wasn't long before Chomsky's political writings became formulaic. Still full of insight, and packed with jabs ---too many jabs---at the hypocrites that who supported American foreign policy. But Chomsky's weakest suit has always been his inability to see the world from a perspective different than his own. Still, this book was, and is, very moving, and will have the power to touch people for a long time.

This is the first book by Noam Chomsky that I ever read; this was way back in 1982. And I fell in love with the mind behind the book - Chomsky's moral strength, his compassion, and an intellect whose considerable power is devoted to exposing injustice.

To quote Amazon.com:
"American Power and the New Mandarins is Noam Chomsky's first political book, widely considered to be among the most cogent and powerful statements against the American war in Vietnam. Long out of print, this collection of early, seminal essays helped to establish Chomsky as a leading critic of United States foreign policy. These pages mount a scathing critique of the contradictions of the war, and an indictment of the mainstream, liberal intellectuals - the 'new show more mandarins' - who furnished what Chomsky argued was the necessary ideological cover for the horrors visited on the Vietnamese people."

Sadly, the lessons of this book are all too applicable today. It's good, at least, to see a new edition. show less