Nonviolence: The History of a Dangerous Idea (Modern Library Chronicles) [Paperback]

Mark Kurlansky (Author), Dalai Lama (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In this timely, highly original, and controversial narrative, New York Times bestselling author Mark Kurlansky discusses nonviolence as a distinct entity, a course of action, rather than a mere state of mind. Nonviolence can and should be a technique for overcoming social injustice and ending wars, he asserts, which is why it is the preferred method of those who speak truth to power.

Nonviolence is a sweeping yet concise history that moves from ancient Hindu times to present-day conflicts raging in the Middle East and elsewhere. Kurlansky also brings into focus just why nonviolence is a “dangerous” idea, and asks such provocative questions as: Is there such a thing as a “just war”? Could nonviolence have worked against even the most evil regimes in history?

Kurlansky draws from history twenty-five provocative lessons on the subject that we can use to effect change today. He shows how, time and again, violence is used to suppress nonviolence and its practitioners–Gandhi and Martin Luther King, for example; that the stated deterrence value of standing national armies and huge weapons arsenals is, at best, negligible; and, encouragingly, that much of the hard work necessary to begin a movement to end war is already complete. It simply needs to be embraced and accelerated.

Engaging, scholarly, and brilliantly reasoned, Nonviolence is a work that compels readers to look at history in an entirely new way. This is not just a manifesto for our times but a trailblazing book whose time has come.


From the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Mark Kurlansky is the New York Times bestselling and James A. Beard Award—winning author of Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World; Salt: A World History; 1968: The Year That Rocked the World; The Basque History of the World; and The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell; as well as the novel Boogaloo on 2nd Avenue and several other books. He lives in New York City.


From the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Modern Library (April 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812974476
• ISBN-13: 978-0812974478
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #49,264 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

  #16 in	Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Political Science > Political Theory
  #10 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Authors, A-Z > ( D ) > Dalai, Lama
  #40 in	Books > Nonfiction > Politics > Human Rights

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provocative lesson, August 1, 2008

By	P. A. Thebert - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Nonviolence: The History of a Dangerous Idea (Modern Library Chronicles) (Paperback)

I picked up this book because I have always been uncomfortable with violence and war in general. I felt that WWII was a just war, for example, but current events less so.
Kurlansky does a great job of detailing the futile history of war, and the potent history of nonviolence. He provides persuasive arguments for how and why nonviolence works. This is much more than Gandhi and MLK fighting for independence or equal rights... nonviolence works in nearly every situation, and Kurlansky states that it is inevitable that we as humans realize someday how poorly violence has worked, and try other options.

One provocative notion in the book is that once a state officially supports a religion, that religion is corrupted. He cites Constantine's embrace of Christianity with making that formerly nonviolent faith into one that supports war to maintain peace. He also cites Islam as a faith that is about peace, but has been changed due to its status as the official state religion in some nations.

An excellent conversation starter!

EDIT: I met the author at a book signing on the National Mall. He said he was glad to hear I assigned this book to my students, "It's the book I would most like students to read."

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars accessible, compelling history of a revolutionary idea, October 17, 2009

By	Magic Man (Brigadoon) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)

This review is from: Nonviolence: The History of a Dangerous Idea (Modern Library Chronicles) (Paperback)

I learned an immense amount about non-violence from this book. Of course, we read about Ghandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. But the vast majority of the time is spent on less famed examples. We learn of non-violent resistance in Eastern Europe during the Cold War and under Nazi occupation during World War II. We learn of a non-violent army led by Abdul Ghaffar Khan in India that allowed themselves to be mowed down by the British with nary a violent move, leading to 80,000 more joining their number (149-150). Kurlansky explores the history of justification for war within the Christian church (and the strong-willed dissidents). He also examines non-violent alternatives to the actions chosen by wars that are often defended: World War II, the American Revolution, the American Civil War. I occasionally felt my interest flag, but only briefly. The book is accessible and generally well paced.

Two complaints:

1. It seems clear that Kurlansky is a fan of non-violence. That is not in and of itself problematic; in fact, I am quite sympathetic. However, occasionally it feels like he isn't exploring the full picture. For example, he cites a peaceful demonstration before the American Revolution, refusing to let judges chosen by the Crown to be seated in their courthouses, as an example of a non-violent victory: Yet he admits that the colonists had weapons, although they didn't use them. The threat of violence is not non-violence. I admit, though, that I am forgiving of his occasional inconsistency: This is a book demonstrating possibilities more than proving a point.

2. Euro centricity. There is time spent on Latin America and Asia (not much on Africa as I recall) but the lion's share is spent on North America and Europe, and the other areas are often touching those (i.e., India getting rid of the British). I would have enjoyed seeing more of non-violence in other parts of the world independent of European and American interactions. But you can't do it all in a short book.

And at the end, we get 25 lessons that sum it all up, such as:

1.There is no proactive word for nonviolence.

2.Nations that build military forces as deterrents will eventually use them.

3.Practitioners of non-violence

4.Once a state takes over a religion, the religion loses its nonviolent teachings.

And so on.

Richard Dreyfuss narrates the unabridged audiobook; he barks a bit, but this is definitely better than watching Mr Holland's Opus. I recommend it (the book, not the Opus). I learned a great deal and largely enjoyed it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A History of Opportunities Missed, July 18, 2010

By	Deborah E. Slagboom "uniform_hippie" (Fort Meade, Maryland) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Nonviolence: The History of a Dangerous Idea (Kindle Edition)

To those who have stumbled upon the "new" and "revolutionary" ideas of pacifism, this comprehensive history of nonviolence traces legacy as far back as Christ. Perhaps the poignancy of the read is in the thought that humanity has passed, time and again, the chance to extend compassion and good in the name of justice. Kurlansky notes how tragic and catastrophic events could have been averted or lessened had whole societies and nations actively taken a stance against evil. Even for those readers who believe in jus ad bellum, Kurlansky's delicate weaving of historical events and the hindsight that surrounds them makes a convincing argument- that one cannot bend to the pressures, the evil -no matter how seemingly insurmountable or seductive- and that simple acts of kindness, bravery and faith done by individuals can protect and defend innocence more than grand, scale battles and organized killing. This book makes a convincing argument for humanity as it reviews the senselessness of killing on a national and global level and even if one comes away unconvinced that war is wrong, one comes away convicted that to do nothing is worse.