Customer Reviews

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

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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

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.

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.

This book had a profound influence on my faith, and the way I went about doing theology. I am delighted to see that other reviewers have said the same thing. Quite simply, I could not say enough good about the book, and the fact it has been abridged recently is a sweet bonus. Oz is a formidable force, and I have yet to see anyone fault his analysis of the 1960's. "People are starving on the streets of Berkeley...".

Indeed.

Buy this book!