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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not Thomas Paine...Glenn Beck's Common Sense, October 22, 2009
For those reading this book expecting Thomas Paine... You will be disappointed. This is 100% Glenn Beck. It is however, for fan's of Glenn's no holds barred approach to conservative politics, an entertaining book and a fast read. Just enough Glenn Beck to get your blood pressure up and motivated to tell all your liberal friends they are in fact "WRONG." Glenn's purpose is to upset you and motivate you to do something. Apathy is worthless.
Take it all in, run it through your own filter; you will still find a lot of Common Sense in this book.
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202 of 298 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Beck makes his point, but misses Paine's Reasoning., August 31, 2009
As a fan on Thomas Paine (especially Common Sense and Age of Reason), I was very much excited to read Beck's book. After the first few chapters, I realized there is almost NO connection at all to Paine's work. It seems that it is more of marketing ploy to attach one's name to Paine and use a famous title of Paine's work that inspired a nation, to generate book sales. That initial frustration got me off to a bad start. That is of course in no way reflects Beck's view or his writing. However, I was "fooled" thinking this was a revisit of that classic work "Common Sense" to modern times. Unfortunately the book, other than title, has little if any connection to Paine's work.
Ironically - for those unfamiliar to Paine's work, but a fan of Becks - I wonder how they would find Paine's "Age of Reason" - it would almost stand to reason that he would lose half (if not more) of his supporters if he visited "Age of Reason" - he might even lose his show on Fox. Note any reference to that work is completely devoid in this book (which is a shame - if it where REALLY a tribute or inspiration of Paine - which I begin to wonder.)
However, are we to judge or compare Paine to Beck? Of course not and this certainly is NOT even close to measuring up to any of Paine's works. But the question is it worth the read?
Beck's writing is very weak and many cases repetitive. Not able to grasp tangible arguments he sometimes ventures down ad hominem methods - which lower the value of his arguments. It is important to note that regardless if I agree or disagree with some of this points, his methods and suspicions are conjecture and rudimentary. The connections to past affiliations can lead to suspicion, but certainly does not make the case. It's is logical in approach, but fails in Reason - and that is probably the greatest flaw in Beck's work (as compared to Paine).
Paine used "reason", not just logic to forward his view and arguments, Beck falls flat in this regard. Beck's approach is simple (and I hate to say, but kindergarten) logic. If X is Y, and Y is Z, then Z must be X. On the surface you can make some very stunning conclusions, but the logic is flawed by reason - (unfortunately).
I say unfortunately because Beck has some important points to make and does bring dialogue to the table as per the state of our federal government. This is an important debate as to where we are going, what our future holds, what is the role of the government. However, his ability to string a fluid thought process together with not just logic, but also reason, in order to give weight to his message fails. It is geared way below the bar and is so embarrassingly written for such an important topic that he does his view a disservice.
Beck's problem is not his message, it's his delivery. It reads poorly and a ranting narrative trying to connect minutia based on logic. It most certainly will charge both the left and right (just like his show), but don't expect intelligent debate.
5 stars for a rehash of Beck's message, introducing people to a great and important work (Common Sense). If you love his delivery and his message - then by all means - purchase this book.
1 star for offering any intelligent debate that goes beyond a basic dot-to-dot connection on some frivolous examples. I really wanted this to be an inspirational book, but it significantly falls flat. Unfortunatly it reads as if the town jester is giving an inspiring message.
-5 (that's negative) stars - for making any connection to one of the most important works in U.S. political history, "Common Sense". I would suggest reading "Common Sense", "Age of Reason", "Federalist Papers", and "Anti-Federalist Papers" - to see not only how logic and reason collectively work together, but to gain insight as to what Beck is TRYING to accomplish in this very rudimentary work. At the very least he brings awarness.
The book should be called "Beck's Sense" (logic without reason)
This great quote by Paine explains why the book fails to deliver its important message:
"The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is Reason. I have never used any other, and I trust I never shall."
Reviewers Politics: Libertarian/ Laissez Faire
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT READ - GREAT VALUE, November 5, 2009
The first half of the book is Beck's case, the second is re-printing of Thomas Paine's Common Sense (1776). Beck brings Paine's words alive and into the 21st century. The book was deliberately written to be an easy, quick read. In plain language, he presents facts of how America has drifted from the principles of our Founding Fathers. He also offers solutions to apply Paine's values again to keep America free of cumbersome governmental control over individual's lives. Well done.
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