The essays in this collection, drawn from a special series of the same name in the conservative journal the New Criterion,
which Kramer and Kimball edit, are united by a common theme: the struggle to uphold traditional Western values—those embracing individualism and capitalist democracy—in the face of "the encroaching desert of mindless conformity and rancorous political correctness." These values, according to the authors, are under attack in the media, the political arena, universities and cultural institutions. The essays focus on a range of subjects, from Robert Bork's piece on the influence of politics on the judiciary and Mark Steyn's scathing indictment of the U.N. conference on racism in Durban to Martin Greenberg's look at the writings of political philosopher Edmund Burke. Though some contributions are tightly focused and provocative, like Keith Windschuttle's "The Culture War on Western Civilization," which argues against conventional wisdom about Europe's imperialism and aggression, other pieces are uneven. Intriguing arguments are sometimes obscured by hyperbole (one writer calls the European Union a totalitarian system) or get lost in overly broad laments about the decline of civilization, with blame placed at the feet of such familiar conservative target as the "Euro-left" and Jesse Jackson. Still, though the essays themselves are a mixed bag, the book should be applauded for its attempt to stimulate debate, which it surely will among those who read it. (Nov. 8)
