Anti-Americanism

By: Jean-Francois Revel

Narrated by: Christopher Lane

After the 9-11 attack on the United States, the brief moment of global sympathy for America soon began giving way to blame. In France and other quarters of Europe, and elsewhere in the world, it was said that the Americans had brought this violence upon themselves. The United States was a "cowboy" nation disinclined to abide by the will of the United Nations and other multilateral institutions and bent on pursuing its objectives at any cost. It was the "hyperpower" whose corporations manipulated world markets and whose riches were acquired at the price of Third World impoverishment. No wonder it had been attacked!

Angered by these assaults on a nation he knows and admires, the distinguished French intellectual Jean-Francois Revel has come to America's defense in Anti-Americanism, a biting and erudite book that, paradoxically, given his country's especially vehement attack on the U.S., spent several weeks last year at the top of France's best seller list.

©2002 Plon (P)2004 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Revel writes with a style at once informative and incisive." (Publishers Weekly)

Another Perspective

I really enjoy this work and found it works well in its audio format. It presents plausible arguments as to why America is such an easy target and so reviled.

It also presents internal social problems that French society faces that are not unlike the problems we face in America though we may have been led to romantize into thinking that it doesn't happen in Europe and is only due to the evils of American life. However, I do wonder if there is a bit of romantization of America by a Frenchman. After all, the grass is always greener on the other side.

Whatever the case may be, I did find the work very informative and its points well argued and supported. It really touches on the heart of the real battle which is socialism & communism versus capitalism & free market economics though there's also the issue of French arrogance which supercedes the conflicting ideologies.

This book also touches on very current issues that we are facing today including the issue of terrorism and has a lot of provocative statements without the blinders of political correctness. Whether you agree or disagree with the author's point of view, the book still presents a look into a part of French society and is worth a listen.

Powerful, Relentless

I'm an American who has lived in "Old Europe" for the past 7 years. Life has been good here, but since the Iraq War the constant complaining about the USA has become very annoying. I too have asked, what did we Americans do wrong to warrant this hatred? This book helped me see that this is not a new phenomenon, but one that goes back decades and was only 'unmasked' by the War. Opinions are not based on American actions, but rather on Amcerica's successes and Europes failures. Revel points out so clearly what is rarely discussed in the New Europe: the self-inflicted disasters of two world wars that destroyed European leadership and handed world leadership to the USA on a platter. The America they complain about was created in large part by Europe's failures. That is not to say that the USA is without some blame. But there is a tendency to blame the USA for everthing, and be silent about the true dangers in the world. This is symptomatic of a dysfunctional psychological process most associated with the weak and 'victims.' As Revel points out, this behavior, associated with the Euopean elite, only makes Europe weaker and the USA stronger. NOTE to Readers: Revel's use of the term 'liberal' is different than from the normal political (negative) meaning in US politics, instead suggesting free-enterprise and consensual governance.

A MUST read (or listen)

This book should be required reading for everyone in this country. Plain and simple, this is a great book and very informative, especially since we know very little of what goes on in France and other European countries. I truly enjoyed this book and will probably go out and buy the book to add to my personal library.

Why

Here, in a cool, reasoned missive to his fellow Europeans, is a French intellectual's thorough exposure, analysis, and debunking of the phenomenon of anti-Americanism. Here are a few myths that the author explodes:
1. MYTH: Americans are ignorant of the "rest of the world," and Europeans are well informed about goings on in America.
2. MYTH: Americans are crass and uncultured, they worship money above all else, and they are crime-ridden and violent.
3. MYTH: Americans are reflexively unilateral and ignore the reasoned pleas for cooperation from their European allies.
The root cause of all anti-Americanism, in the author's opinion? Nothing less than an ongoing war against free-market liberal democracy, one that has been waged by the far left and far right (which, combined, constitute more than a third of the electorate in France) since the early part of the 20th century. America draws the most heat not only because it represents the summit of achievement of free-market democracy, but because it is its most passionate advocate. Dispense with the notions that brash America is rubbing up against our more seasoned and even-tempered European cousins' sensibilities; the fact is that it is who we are and what we represent far more than what we do that galls the heart of the unrepentant socialist of both the National (right) and International (left) varieties.

Maybe There is Hope for the French

This is a very well argued book by a Frenchman ,written for a European Audience.It is quite supportive of America....and it's true.
It made #1 on the French Best Sellers list......maybe there is a glimmer of hope after all.It will hold your interest...stir some emotions.....Very Good Sound/Narration.

The hate America first crowd is exposed

It was enlightening to hear how a European looks at the United States of America. Jean's premise of why so many very vocal people through out the world (hate) America is very insightful. If you are interested in world affairs, debunking myth about America, this is a read for you.

The truth is sometimes hard to swallow!

This scathing exposure of the anti-globalists, anti-americanists, and liberal/socialist baseless stance is so overwellingly laid bare that I was stunned. The author did a superb job of showing how pointing the blame while ignoring your own role in the problem is the standard by which all anti-americanism is based. I highly recommend this book. The reader was decent but the points and dialogue given were more than adequate to compensate.

An Eye-Opener

A sobering portrait on the French and European view on a America. If you're an ex-pat or interested in learning more about the "international community" this book--written by a French intellectual-- is an excellent tool. Some culutural reference required, but the analysis is direct, eloquent, and with that-makes-sense logic mixed in to give a satisfying aha! at the end. Liberal or Conservative get ready to be bothered.

Common sense with facts!

The author did a great job in gathering data from newspapers and exposing the blatant bias that the media has towards the left and against the USA. The author also gives you a true International Relations view of terrorism and the balance of power. I truly recommend it.

An important part of the transatlantic debate

Revel is one of the relatively few pro-American European intellectuals and in this book he tells us 1) why European anti-Americans are not to be taken seriously (intellectually, if not politically), and 2) what it is about the US that so infuriates them.

Most European intellectuals, per Revel, are so immersed in their mid-20th-century marxist polemics that they will say nearly anything to keep their ideology alive. This leads to bizarre, self-contradictory anti-US diatribes that fail to survive any reasonable analysis. In the same line, the US's frequent social and political successes become living disproofs of their rigid ideological perspective and cannot be tolerated.

The book is occasionally over the top in its examples of European silliness, but for the most part it's an excellent antidote to prevailing "intellectual" trends. Ravel is careful to note, at least once or twice a chapter, that a critique of the anti-Americans does not imply that the US is even close to flawless, and in his conclusion he suggests that the uselessness of the European critique makes it possible for Americans to ignore them on those (few) occasions when they are on target.

A worthwhile 7 hours of listening