The Modest Republic: Just Published

A book I’ve co-edited with Michael Federici and Richard Gamble has just been published. It’s titled The Culture of Immodesty in American Life and Politics: The Modest Republic. Here’s the description at Amazon:

The Culture of Immodesty in American Life and Politics is a collection of thirteen essays from a broad range of scholars and independent authors, evaluating the prevalence of immodesty in various aspects of American life and culture. Contributors diagnose immodesty through the lens of corporations that are ‘too big to fail,’ consumption inspired by excessive greed, art and fashion that lack beauty and taste, government budgets resulting in perennial deficits, and foreign policy that meddle in the affairs of other nations. Going beyond mere diagnosis of societal ills, The Culture of Immodesty in American Life and Politics provides a prescription for cultural impropriety: promoting a framework for the rejection of immodesty and greed in contemporary life.

And here are blurbs from Walter A.McDougall and Andrew J. Bacevich:

“The theme of the United States as a Republic turned Empire is depressingly familiar these days, but those who cheer or damn the imperial turn focus almost exclusively on war and diplomacy. Largely missing from the debate has been analysis of how the needs of empire can corrupt domestic institutions and culture. The authors in this provocative anthology succeed in filling that gap by asking not only what the United States became, but what Americans lost when their Constitutional, federal, more or less pious, and modest republic ceased to exist.” – Walter A. McDougall, Professor of International Relations, University of Pennsylvania, USA

“Citing eminent authorities ranging from Russell Kirk to Bruce Springsteen, this cogent collection of essays offers a bracing rebuttal to the militarists and imperialists seemingly intent on driving America into the abyss.” – Andrew J. Bacevich, author of Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War

The book is not modestly priced, so unless you feel the burning need to divest yourself of $57.79, check it out from your library.