Two Steps Ahead of the Thought Police [Hardcover]

John Leo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1994

For years, the columns of John Leo have delighted, provoked, amused, outraged, educated, and entertained readers across the country. Now, collected for the first time, are dozens of vintage Leo observations on education, popular culture, women and men, politics, race and racism, and more.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Political correctness is the principal target of this collection of columns reprinted from U.S. News & World Report . Leo contends with our nation's more prickly social issues: censorship, racism (and reverse racism), sex education. He is most convincing in examining the politics of language, including the "three languages of addiction, victimology, and political evasion," as well as what he calls "journalese," "feminese" and even "Bushspeak." Adding up the various victimized groups in the U.S., Leo notes wryly that "America's victims exceed 1.2 billion, not bad for a population of only 251 million." His columns offer an odd sort of moderatism, with a number of essays deserving consideration, if not agreement. However, his disregard for society's margins seems particularly unenlightened.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

If satire and sarcasm could achieve victory against political correctness as easily as trumpets did against the walls of Jericho, Leo would be a modern Joshua. Those who have followed his column in U.S. News & World Report know that the annihilation of what he sees to be pomposities, fakes, frauds, and fatuities is his stock in trade. Leo goes in deep like a sharp, polished knife. The general drift of his arguments are politically and socially conservative; but even liberals should take time out to read him, if only just to discover how formidably armed the opposition is. Leo tells the truth as he sees it. It may not be everybody's truth, but no one who reads the book will fail to be provoked and/or stimulated. Strongly recommended.
A.J. Anderson, GSLIS, Simmons Coll., Boston
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1St Edition edition (July 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671886983
• ISBN-13: 978-0671886981
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,436,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A breath of fresh air!!, October 6, 1999

By 

Kevin L. Humphreys (Madison, MS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Two Steps ahead of the Thought Police (Paperback)

I had enjoyed Mr. Leo's remarkably clear-eyed, rational, and "enough already" columns in U.S. News for years when I ran across this gem that collected several years worth of his sterling efforts.

Yes, Leo does skewer some people but I found that he was always right on the mark when he did so. Basically, John Leo puts almost any other columnist to shame. What I really want to know is this: Mr. Leo, where, oh where is Volume II?

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific!!!, October 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Two Steps ahead of the Thought Police (Paperback)

This rates as one of the best books I've read all year! John Leo looks at subjects and takes them apart in an intelligent (yet humorous) way. I've recommended this book to all my friends who are even slightly interested in politics or contemporary culture

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A funny, insightful collection of neo-conservative essays, August 23, 1998

By 

Zachary Shrier ([e-mail]) (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Two Steps ahead of the Thought Police (Paperback)

Every social commentator has their opinion on the justice system, welfare, gender feminism, affirmative action, etc. However, John Leo truly towers over most of his competitors (& dwarfs his opposition) with his humor, sense of balance, and simple common sense. The book still holds up in '98, though many of the essays deal with the events of 1991-1994. A wonderful read, and a compass for searching minds.