Rating: 9 · 208 pages

As bad as this may sound, I've wondered from time to time if I might just be a misanthrope (defined: misanthropy is a hatred or distrust of the human race, or a disposition to dislike and mistrust other people). I have always tended to be a bit antisocial, and I admittedly hold disdain for certain kinds of people (mainly those who are willfully stupid, troublemakers, or backstabbers). So when I read about Florence King, who is herself a misanthrope (and also a conservative, like me), I added With Charity Toward None to my wish list at PBS. As soon as my wish was granted and I received the book in the mail, I put aside my other books-in-progress, and read it. I wanted to know for sure whether or not I am a misanthrope.

I am not. But I'm close. I'd say I'm about 80% misanthropic, if that is possible. Completely full-blown misanthropes truly hate 100% of all people. I'm not that far gone, and don't really want to be. In my opinion, if everyone were honest, we'd all admit to having some misanthropic beliefs. I mean, come on - people are annoying.

I found myself nodding a lot while reading parts of this book. Misanthropes are frequently mistakenly categorized as "shy" when the truth is, if you were to ask a young misanthrope why they won't talk to you, they might blatantly reply "I doan yike you," as the author herself once told someone.

King wrote this book by using examples of famous misanthropes. Ty Cobb sported a fiery temper, Irving Berlin was "emotionally incapable of entrusting his work to others," and Ayn Rand frequently used the word "contempt" to describe her feelings for the majority of the human race (this became apparent in her work Atlas Shrugged, in which she made the mediocre people the villains).

Overall, to me it was most interesting to read how misanthropes personally dealt with their negative feelings toward others. It is not easy to be a misanthrope in this very social world in which we live. Another misanthrope, author James Gould Cozzens, made the observation that "You must be careful how you treat people as your equals. The average person has much more respect for you if, even though he resents it, you make it plain to him that you consider him of no great importance." That's difficult to do, in most situations, but many misanthropes probably feel this technique is necessary in order to tolerate most of the people they have to be around on a regular basis.

Labels: Biography, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Politics, Reviews

Rating: 10 · 351 pages

My first 10 of the year, The Quotable Ronald Reagan is a fantastic compilation of some of the famous words of America's 40th President. Personally and politically, President Reagan is one of my heroes. So it's no surprise that I thoroughly adored this quotation collection. I marked 55 of my favorite pages, and it's going on my keeper shelf.

I could go on and on about why I love President Ronald Reagan, but I think I'll let his timeless, funny, poignant, and true words show you why I hold him and his ideas in such high esteem:

We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we may always be free.
--Remarks commemorating the 40th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1984

Government is the people's business, and every man, woman and child becomes a shareholder with the first penny of tax paid.

A truly successful army is one that, because of its strength and ability and dedication, will not be called upon to fight, for no one will dare to provoke it.

The best view of big government is in the rear view mirror as you're driving away from it.

I told Nancy, "This is the other woman in my life."
--to Mrs. Reagan as their helicopter circled the Statue of Liberty

Labels: America, History, Nonfiction, Politics, Presidents, Quotations, Reviews