Blood, Class, and Nostalgia: Anglo-American Ironies
Author and journalist Hitchens, Washington editor for Harper's and a columnist for The Nation, sees empire as a binding theme of the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States, and Britain's canny attempt to "play Greece to America's Rome" as a controlling factor in the relationship. Hitchens examines critical points in American history and politics since 1898 to demonstrate his points. America's love of royalty and long love affair with Churchillian rhetoric have created popular support of what Hitchens sees as very much an alliance of aristocracies, with class a key element. The book is somewhat disorganized and often pointlessly sarcastic, but on balance it is a thought-provoking overview of an interesting and significant topic. For consideration by medium-sized and large libraries.- Nancy C. Cridland, Indiana Univ. Libs., BloomingtonCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.