tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9144193692025342115.post4158649444836496674..comments2023-09-13T04:18:34.137-05:00Comments on Freedom Writing: The ManDavid Goodloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01436578436386818281noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9144193692025342115.post-8077656322781120332009-01-21T21:29:00.000-06:002009-01-21T21:29:00.000-06:00I found this book quite interesting; it's easy rea...I found this book quite interesting; it's easy reading but not great literature. The book is saved by the large themes. I have read it a couple of times, and I guess that means I like it.<BR/><BR/>The politics of the book always set a jarring note for me. Political parties are not mentioned; but Wallace uses the book to advocate some of his own political views, and they come across to me as very odd. For example: Dilman (the black president) is shown as taking a principled stand against the advice of nearly everyone by making a strong military stand against the USSR for a small African state. It's a classic and simplistic account of the domino theory and the need for the USA to defend freedom abroad against USSR infiltration and manipulation of and undermining of weaker states. What's weird is how much Dilman's sabre rattling is portrayed as being a risky move politically because the nation and the political establishment would much rather not risk upsetting the Russians.<BR/><BR/>Similarly, Wallace is down on affirmative action and on the bad domestic afro-american terrorists. All the politics and social action in it come across as a right wing fantasy; repudiating crude racism and repression in the context of right wing political ideals.<BR/><BR/>Fun read. Obviously fiction.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com