The Way of the Wasp: How It Made America, and How It Can Save It, So to Speak

by Richard Brookhiser and Brookhiser

Book Overview

Richard Brookhiser examines one of the most talked-about and most misunderstood groups in American life. Not long before his election, candidate George Bush was surprised to discover that much of the electorate's interest in him was due to a national inclination to rediscover traditional WASP values and styles such as personal modesty, public service and quiet steadfastness. In the 20th century, it was WASP adherence to tradition, restrained emotions,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0029047218
• ISBN13: 9780029047217
• Release Date: December 1990
• Publisher: Free Press
• Length: 171 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

The great white way

A quite readable inquiry into a fascinating aspect of American culture. A little too breezy in spots (example: "The Irish are even more puritanical than the Puritans." p. 45, 1991 hardcover edition. My response: Are they really?!) but, on balance, well argued and well documented. The author serves up varied and sturdy original and non-original examinations. Among the best spleen-touchers are his takes on Boston's Yankee-Irish feud (p. 44) and Israeli society (p.144). National Review magazine senior editor Richard Brookhiser wrote "The Way of The WASP" during the presidency of George H.W. (Poppy) Bush, for whom Brookhiser wrote speeches. The book can be viewed as a long and useful memo to his former boss. The high points of the work are Chapter 3, in which Brookhiser clearly identifies the sociological phenomenon, and the final chapter, where he relates strategies for rebuilding common culture. The author wisely hits at the fact that such a rebuilding will not succeed if done under an explicit WASP Revival banner. It can only be effective in a roundabout way (what Soren Kierkegaard called "thoughts that wound from behind") with pragmatic appeals to justice, history, and all-important tests of what works (what David Hume boiled down to common sense). Jews are called to be a light unto the nations. WASPs and holders of WASP values need to be a light unto America through exemplary conduct that prizes practice over theory and is correctly seasoned with humility and prudence (cue Dana Carvey doing Poppy..."Not going to do it. Wouldn't be prudent."). The author insulates his work from racialism by delving into the six character traits and those that replaced them. Brookhiser's call for mainline Protestant churches to get back to truth is welcome. Although he doesn't say so this would involve Calvinist churches revisiting the teachings of Jean Calvin and the concept of predestination. If there's an antidote for corrosive egalitarianism and a recipe for self-correcting social glue it's to be found in predestination, properly viewed. As for proper reckoning, Max Weber provides it in "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism." Predestination creates "the motive to constant self-control and thus a deliberate regulation of one's life" (p.126, 1958 Scribner paperback edition). It has "a unique consistency" and "an extraordinarily powerful psychological effect."(p.128). By the way, there's no reason this blessed doctrine can't be fitted into Judaism and Islam (it's latent in both) as well as other religions. Brookhiser is a refreshing Catholic writer in that he doesn't recommend WASPs just flip the Romans the ball and let them and their church quarterback American culture. Although Catholics have integrated themselves well into American ways and continue to make an extraordinarily valuable contribution to civil society through the pro-life movement, the Roman paradigm is a promoter of bigness in all forms. Although it may pain Brookhiser and other Ca

Not So WASPy

Reply to previous review. William F. Buckley, Pat Buchanan, Bill O'Reilly, and Jeb Bush are all Catholics, several of them of Celtic, not Anglo-Saxon, descent. They are, however, white.