At a time when the West seems ever more eager to call on military aggression as a means of securing international peace, Nicholson Baker's provocative narrative exploring the political misjudgements and personal biases that gave birth to the terrifying consequences of the Second World War could not be more pertinent. With original and controversial insights brought about by meticulous research, Human Smoke re-evaluates the political turning points that led up to war and in so doing challenges some of the treasured myths we ...
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At a time when the West seems ever more eager to call on military aggression as a means of securing international peace, Nicholson Baker's provocative narrative exploring the political misjudgements and personal biases that gave birth to the terrifying consequences of the Second World War could not be more pertinent. With original and controversial insights brought about by meticulous research, Human Smoke re-evaluates the political turning points that led up to war and in so doing challenges some of the treasured myths we hold about how war came about and how atrocities like the Holocaust were able to happen. Baker reminds us, for instance, not to forget that it was thanks in great part to Churchill and England that Mussolini ascended to power so quickly, and that, before leading the United States against Nazi Germany, a young FDR spent much of his time lobbying for a restriction in the number of Jews admitted to Harvard.Conversely, Human Smoke also reminds us of those who had the foresight to anticipate the coming bloodshed and the courage to oppose the tide of history, as Gandhi demonstrated when he made his symbolic walk to the ocean -- for which he was immediately imprisoned by the British. Praised by critics and readers alike for his gifted writing and exquisitely observant eye, Baker offers a combination of sweeping narrative history and a series of finely delineated vignettes of the individuals and moments that shaped history that is guaranteed to spark new dialogue on the subject.
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Seller's Description:
Fine in Fine jacket. Fine condition. Simon & Schuster, 2008. First UK edition-2nd printing(3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2). Grey hardback(silver lettering to the spine) with Dj(two small creases and nicks on the edges of the Dj cover), both in fine condition. The book is new with a small tear and a couple of small creases and nicks on the edges of the pages.566pp including Afterword, notes, index. Price un-clipped. Heavy book.
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Seller's Description:
First Edition. Hardback. Dust Jacket. 8vo. Original publisher's grey cloth, lettered gilt at the spine. Signed presentation from the author on the title page, "To Louise, thoughtful questions, Nicholson Baker." ISBN: 1847372740 Pages: 566 Fine in fine dust jacket.