The Dust of Death: The Sixties Counterculture and How It Changed America Forever [Paperback]

Os Guinness (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1994

Guinness charts the journey of a generation, from the erosion of Christianity to the failure of the counterculture to provide an effective alternative to faith. The author calls for a new direction for the Western world, one which combines conviction with compassion and deep spirituality.

Product Details

• Paperback: 409 pages
• Publisher: Crossway Books; 1st Crossway Books ed edition (July 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089107788X
• ISBN-13: 978-0891077886
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #898,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

OS GUINNESS (DPhil, Oxford University) was born in China, raised and educated in England, and moved to the United States in 1984. He directs the Trinity Forum and is a former fellow at the East-West Institute in New York. His books include The American Hour, No God But God, and The Dust of Death.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pivital and profound analysis of the counterculture, July 24, 2000

By 

Douglas Groothuis "Douglas Groothuis" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Dust of Death: The Sixties Counterculture and How It Changed America Forever (Paperback)

Os Guinness is one of the most brilliant contemporary Christian social critics in the evangelical camp. This was his first book, originally published in 1973 by InterVarsity Press. Guinness got his intellectual start with the late Francis Schaeffer (apologist, theologian, and social critic, who died in 1984), working for several years in Switzerland at the Schaeffer community called L'Abri (shelter). He has since written many books, such as "The Grave Digger File," "The American Hour," "Fit Bodies, Fat Minds," "Dining With the Devil," "God in the Dark," and "A Time for Truth"--all of which I recommend highly.

This book marked a turning point in my intellectual life when I read it in 1977. Along with "The God Who is There" by Francis Schaeffer, it gave me the intellectual confidence to engage the world of ideas with passion and precision, for the glory of God. It is an exceptional piece of Christian social criticism, well thought-out and keenly written. Guinness thoroughly analyzes the historical and philosophical roots of the countercultural in a scholarly, but engaging manner. He meticulously documents his sources and is never condescending or unfair concerning views he opposes. Guinness philosophically analyzes the roots and fruits of the counterculture and finds them wanting logically and ethically. However, he does not endorse the American status quo. Instead, he calls us to follow "the third way" of Jesus Christ, in a radical community of love and truth.

The edition of the book contains some new material taken from Guinness later magisterial work, "The American Hour" (a book that never received the recognition it deserved). I recommend "The Dust of Death" for anyone desiring to understand the effect of the counterculture on American life. It is a model of how a Christian mind should engage contemporary culture.

Douglas Groothuis, Professor of Philosophy, Denver Seminary

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding in Every Way, October 6, 2005

By 

Michael Walters (Chattanooga, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dust of Death: The Sixties Counterculture and How It Changed America Forever (Paperback)

So as not to be redundant, I will 'second' the prior reviews, all of which are entirely accurate. Furthermore, Os Guinness is an exceptional writer and thinker. "The Dust of Death" is cogent, clear and well written. I have shared copies with people who have a G.E.D. to Ph.D's, and all have remarked of how clearly Guinness expresses his thoughts, and how easy it is to follow his analysis. His insights were valid and accurate when first written and continue to be relevant.

Like Dr. Groothuis, when I first read this book in 1994, I was encouraged to begin developing disciplined habits of mind, eventually going on to graduate school. Typically, I read this text at least once a year.

In summary, this book is an engaging and stimulating read.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, December 2, 2005

By 

Mark Nenadov "arm-chair reader" (Essex, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dust of Death: The Sixties Counterculture and How It Changed America Forever (Paperback)

This books provides piercing and engaging analysis. It shows a supurb care to represent the issues/persons/movements it speaks of accurately.

As one who has a fascination with the 60's counterculture, but also sees many of its flaws, this book provides a wonderful basis for dialog and a balanced approach which is ready to stand up against error whether it is in establishment or counterculture garb.

You should see the citations for this book, very in-depth! The wide variety of subjects and concepts that Guinness covers really makes this an interesting read.

Guinness consistently produces great works that are academic but also highly practical. This is not an exception. I highly recommend The Dust of Death.