Corruptions of Empire (Haymarket) [Paperback]

Alexander Cockburn (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"His work is pungent, witty and without pretense to that 'objectivity' he so rightly sees as the bane of much written and all televised journalism," wrote PW , calling this collection of Cockburn's columns from the Nation , the Wall Street Journal et al., "ferociously entertaining."
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The first 40 pages of this hefty selection of published political journalism and cultural observations focus on Cockburn's English roots. What follows is a barrage of criticism directed at the American Establishmentpress, television, government, and literaturefrom a perspective that mixes New Left pieties and platitudes with righteous indignation and tasteless sarcasm. Cockburn attacks Gay Talese, the Wheel of Fortune TV show, Baden-Powell (founder of the Boy Scouts), and the MacNeil-Lehrer Report. His sharp stings and mordant wit will convince few beyond the already converted, but most readers will find something entertaining in this potpourri. Jack Forman, Mesa Coll. Lib., San Diego
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 554 pages
• Publisher: Verso; 2 Rep Sub edition (October 17, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0860919404
• ISBN-13: 978-0860919407
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,437,355 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No other book so devastatingly captures the 80s, May 25, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Corruptions of Empire (Haymarket) (Paperback)

I read this wonderful collection of super sharp essays by the 'last marxist' himself back in the late 80s. Still have the Verso paperback edition on my book shelf and have given it as gifts for one occasion or another over the years.

Whether he is writing on Reagan, Thatcher or James Bond and travel his essays can not be beat for totally and unapologetically taking class analysis in a wildly creative and laugh out loud direction. Unpedictable, untrivial and totally original.

Get it and remember why Reagan and his machine were so dispicable.

6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff, August 9, 1999

By 

LochNess2 (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Corruptions of Empire (Haymarket) (Paperback)

Cockburn is the master of the polemic. His words about Reagan, food, travel, *anything*, are worth reading.

6 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Reckless Disregard, September 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Corruptions of Empire (Haymarket) (Paperback)

If ever there were a journalist who cannot be trusted (Matt Drudge aside perhaps), it is Cockburn.

Cockburn's criticism of Reagan are by and large on the mark. But Reagan has been analyzed and critiqued by far more able critics with far greater credibility. Cockburn, a supposed "radical" and a former paid shill for the PLO (who never bothered to disclose this relationship while he was supposedly an objective reporter), was a long time contributor to the Village Voice. His pieces in The Village Voice over the years were, as often as not, a vile stew composed of ersatz radical politics, bitchy attacks on fellow journalists, and the occasional actual story accompanied by relentless self-promotion. He was also not above character assassination and very selective reading of facts in order to further his agenda du jour. Although he goes after Reagan here, liberals are often Cockburn targets -- he delights in attacking them for not being pure enough for him, even as he often gives right wingers and reactionaries a free pass. (If his recent article taken from his forthcoming book about Al Gore is any example of the book, Cockburn's newest offering is another example of this.

Simply put, there are better Marxists, better writers, better cultural critics and far more able journalists. Take a pass on this book.