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In Praise of Nepotism: A Natural History (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Most Americans have seen Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather trilogy, a Hollywood epic that celebrates three generations of an American mafia dynasty..." (more)
Key Phrases: new nepotism, nepotistic bonds, tribal nepotism, New York, New England, John Quincy (more...)

3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

George Orwell once wrote, "To an ordinary human being, love means nothing if it does not mean loving some people more than others." This logic is at the heart of Bellow's conception of nepotism, which he means to rescue from the near-universal scorn it suffers today. Son of Nobel-winning novelist Saul, now an editor-at-large at Doubleday, Bellow seeks to redefine nepotism not as a "deplorable lack of public spirit" but as the very "bedrock of social existence"-a natural, healthy concern for family and, by extension, those ethnically or otherwise similar to ourselves. This is no brittle screed, as the title might imply, but rather a impressively full-blooded and wide-ranging work of scholarship, demonstrating that the individualistic U.S. is quite exceptional in its rejection of nepotism. Bellow assimilates biology, theology and gargantuan chunks of human history with brio, never losing the thread of his argument or the attention of his audience. Since nepotism is about power, the book has an unavoidable top-down orientation, as it is almost exclusively about the ruling class throughout history, from Borgia and Bonaparte to our own Adams, Roosevelt and Kennedy clans. Since nepotism is synonymous with familial interest, it is hardly surprising that Bellow is able to find ample evidence of its existence throughout history-even in "egalitarian" America. At times he casts such a wide net that he risks blurring nepotism with the entirety of human history. However, his analysis of the flexibility and complexity of nepotism's forms is utterly enthralling and stimulating.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

"It's not what you know, it's who you know." At one time your name alone could guarantee you admission to a prestigious university, a cushy job, and lifetime security. The practice of nepotism, universally abhorred but also universally practiced and accepted as "the way things are," has made a comeback. Today it is evident in politics, with the return of the political dynasty (obvious in the 2000 Bush-Gore election), and in Hollywood, where a new rash of thespian offspring are making inroads in the film industry. This in-depth look at nepotism and all its implications takes a very broad approach, arguing that nepotism is a basic instinct rooted in the social biology of animals and humans, and that it may be a necessary and even positive force in evolution. Bellow examines the phenomenon throughout history, from tribal societies through ancient Greece and Rome and early Christianity, to today's New Nepotism that pervades politics, business, the arts, and sports. Bellow himself is an example, being the son of novelist Saul Bellow. He unearths the rich history of the practice, which alone is worth the read. David Siegfried
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

Hardcover: 576 pages
Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (July 15, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385493886
ISBN-13: 978-0385493888
Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds

Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #549,924 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
Most Americans have seen Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather trilogy, a Hollywood epic that celebrates three generations of an American mafia dynasty. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
new nepotism, nepotistic bonds, tribal nepotism, biological nepotism, nepotistic solidarity, nepotistic preference, old nepotism, more nepotistic, nepotistic system, ethnic nepotism, antinepotism rules, academic couples, political dynasties, kin selection, dynastic families

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, New England, John Quincy, Joe Kennedy, John Adams, Andrew Jackson, Vito Corleone, Ancient Nepotism, New Deal, United States, White House, World War, Classical Nepotism, Mayer Amschel, New Jersey, George Washington, Old Testament, Thomas Jefferson, Scots Irish, Teddy Roosevelt, Van Buren, Henry Cabot Lodge, West Virginia, Carlo Buonaparte, Civil Rights Act

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 95 books:

America's Political Dynasties by Stephen Hess on 6 pages
Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America (America a Cultural History, Vol 1) by David Hackett Fischer on page 243, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
City of God (Concerning the City of God Against the Pagans) (Pelican Classics) by Augustine of Hippo on page 177, and Index
Fathers & Children the Subjugation of the American Indian by M Y ROGIN in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
Politics of Ethnic Nepotism: India As an Example by Tatu Vanhanen in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)

See all 95 books this book cites

5 books cite this book:

Sore Winners: (And the Rest of Us) in George Bush's America by John Powers on page 162, and Back Matter
A Better Organization: Facing Threats to Our Country by Lev Shakhmundes in Back Matter
The Rapture Of Maturity: A Legacy Of Lifelong Learning by Charles D. Hayes in Back Matter
Putting Liberalism in Its Place by Paul W. Kahn on page 201
Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know about the Emerging Science of Sex Differences by Leonard Sax in Back Matter

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

The Ironies of Affirmative Action by John David Skrentny

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Academic Couples by Marianne A Ferber

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

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3.3 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great read but the conclusion is not morally right, April 10, 2006

By	L. Sun (WA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: In Praise of Nepotism : A Natural History (Hardcover)

I enjoy reading the book. The author writes in an engaging way and has a good grasp of the biological foundation of nepotism. The definition of nepotism can be slightly confusing. Nepotism in a broad sense refers to favoritism for relatives (genetic AND marital) and can be narrowly defined as favoritism for genetic relatives. The author, however, expands nepotism to refer to favoritism for non-relative friends as well, which is normally used and interpreted under a very different scenario (reciprocal altruism). So, one has to pay attention to the author's broadened definition.

I understand that it's part of human nature that most of us would do favors to our relatives. So, as the author cogently argues, the complete elimination of nepotism would result in a world without humanness. The author tries to find a fine line between "good" nepotism and "bad" nepotism, but readers are left wondering where the demarcation is. In fact, this is not a solution at all because, as long as nepotism is allowed, it will be abused, as history has shown repeatedly. Nepotism in the government is particularly damaging to a democratic society, because, practically, it diverges taxpayers' money to serving the relatives and cronies of people in power, and, morally, it sustains the injustice that people are born unequal. Hence, nepotism is exactly the evil we want to fight against in the government. Some would argue that nepotism, if used appropriately, would promote loyalty, trust, and thus working efficiency. This is a wrong argument. A democratic government is built for fairness; it is not meant for efficiency. Military systems are built for efficiency, but never has there any that is democratic. Even if there are "successful" cases of governmental nepotism in the US history, as the author highlights in the book, one may wonder whether there were nobody else in the nation who could have done an equally good or even better job when given the opportunties to serve.

Although nepotism may be allowable or even desirable in other situations for weaving together a harmonious family or society, it should nevertheless be absolutely avoided in the government. To do so, there are two solutions I can think of. One is to introduce an explicit policy for government officials to avoid nepotism as the US government has been doing, and the other is to establish a punitive system that can hold those who egregiously promote their own relatives or friends accountable for any bad consequence of their nepotism. The removal of nepotism will make our government one step closer toward the ideal of a government of, for, and by the people. The removal of nepotism in the government will also promote justice to advance our society to be truly meritocratic.

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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars America's love/hate relationship with nepotism, August 22, 2003

By	Mark Howells (Puyallup, Washington State, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The historical sections which make up the bulk of the book are very good. The author does a fine job of describing the biological imperatives of nepotism, classical nepotism, colonial nepotism, etc. Those chapters detailing the successes and failures of different practitioners of nepotism through the ages are fascinating to read.

The specifically American version of modern nepotism is described by Bellow as being forgiving toward nepotism for providing entr�e into social, employment and power positions so long as the beneficiary subsequently proves themselves by merit. Family fumblers are appropriately punished in the author's view and family dynasties which fail the individual/generational meritocracy test do indeed go "from shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations".

The conclusion seemed like a cheap eraser jammed onto the end of an expensive mechanical pencil. It appears to have been cobbled together in a hurry and does not read like carefully reasoned inferences drawn from the historical sections of the book. The conclusion provides prescriptive attitudes regarding nepotism in modern society and this is by far the weakest part of the book.

The irony of writing about nepotism as the son of a famous author is not lost on Bellow. This book will be a boon to nephew-hiring dynasts everywhere.

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8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A different point of view..., September 23, 2003

By	Addison Phillips (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book on the strength of the Booknotes interview of author Bellow. I mean: how can you possibly end up praising nepotism? What's he got to say about it? The historical material is fascinating in the way that Bellow can show a different side or point-of-view for some famous (and some less famous) historical figures and how nepotism played into their successes (or failures). Less convincing is the set of conclusions he makes from his research. But I still enjoyed the book pretty well. It'll make a good paperback someday.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Silver spoon
Nepotism is an undue preference for a relative where fair and open competition should prevail. Kinship, per se, is not illegitimate. Read more

Published on August 28, 2006 by Mary E. Sibley

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting take on a little-examined subject
It has been said that some things are so common that no one ever bothers to notice it. One of these things is probably nepotism; the topic of this book. Read more

Published on April 18, 2006 by Newton Ooi

1.0 out of 5 stars The B.S. of Silver Spoonery
Bellow's book is a fascinating read; partially because the subject is infuriatingly destructive to any business and partially because Bellow managed to trade on his father's name... Read more

Published on December 15, 2005 by Mark F. Braun

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding study
This is an outstanding study of a highly interesting subject. Before reading this I had a sense of nepotism playing a part in the world, but now I have a far stronger sense of how... Read more

Published on April 7, 2005 by Shalom Freedman

4.0 out of 5 stars Provocative
This is an interesting and persuasive book that challenges preconceived notions. A good read.

Published on September 19, 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Praise for `Nepotism'
This is a highly original and interesting book that captured
my attention from beginning to end. Bellow's points are well
made and caused me to rethink my standard... Read more

Published on September 18, 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars in praise
This consistently interesting book encourages the reader to look at history in a new context and the result is an extremely enjoyable read.

Published on September 17, 2003

1.0 out of 5 stars Scholarship?
Adam Bellow can't be denied the right to take his own stance on social and historical matters. Certainly not when he is so well placed in the publishing industry. Read more

Published on September 11, 2003 by Horace Nellums

1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible Horrible and Horrible!
I found this book in the bargain bin for $1.00. Think the little rich kid will give me my dollar back? I sure want it. To bad "Daddy" can't buy him talent!

Published on September 5, 2003

1.0 out of 5 stars This Book Stinks
Adam Bellow is a perfect example of everything that is wrong with nepotism. His writing is terrible, yet he got a book deal over hundreds of stuggling authors out there. Go Figure.

Published on August 28, 2003

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