Edmund Burke

The First Conservative

De: Jesse Norman

Narrado por: Antony Ferguson

Edmund Burke is both the greatest and the most underrated political thinker of the past three hundred years. A brilliant 18th-century Irish philosopher and statesman, Burke was a fierce champion of human rights and the Anglo-American constitutional tradition, and a lifelong campaigner against arbitrary power. Revered by great Americans including Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, Burke has been almost forgotten in recent years. But as politician and political philosopher Jesse Norman argues in this penetrating biography, we cannot understand modern politics without him.

Burke was often ahead of his time, anticipating the abolition of slavery and arguing for free markets, equality for Catholics in Ireland, and responsible government in India. He was not always popular in his own lifetime, but his ideas about power, community, and civic virtue have endured long past his death. Indeed, Burke engaged with many of the same issues politicians face today, including the rise of ideological extremism, the loss of social cohesion, the dangers of the corporate state, and the effects of revolution on societies.

Burke won admirers in the American colonies for recognizing their fierce spirit of liberty and for speaking out against British oppression, but his greatest triumph was seeing through the utopian aura of the French Revolution. In repudiating that revolution, Burke laid the basis for much of the robust conservative ideology that remains with us to this day: One that is adaptable and forward-thinking, but also mindful of the debt we owe to past generations and our duty to preserve and uphold the institutions we have inherited. He is the first conservative.

A rich, accessible, and provocative biography, Edmund Burke describes Burke's life and achievements alongside his momentous legacy, showing how Burke's analytical mind and deep capacity for empathy made him such a vital thinker-both for his own age, and for ours.

©2013 Jesse Norman (P)2013 Tantor

Reseñas de la Crítica

"A top-notch introduction to Burke and his paternity of political systems throughout the Western Hemisphere. Even better, the author points out where ignoring Burke's thoughts have caused unnecessary difficulties." ( Kirkus Starred Review)

More about what Burke thought than about his life

If you could sum up Edmund Burke in three words, what would they be?

Smart, detailed, relevant

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Perhaps more about Burke's personal life, about his wife, etc. We get little in this regard in exchange for a detailed look at his career.

What does Antony Ferguson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The British accent helps, since Burke was British. His reading is done well and is enthusiastic.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

His prediction about how the French Revolution would turn out, which was almost exactly correct except for a couple of small details.

Any additional comments?

If you want to understand Burke's positions on government, revolution and the civil society, this will satisfy you. If you're looking for a life story about Burke where you get to know the man personally, this is not to be expected. It is a good book and I have no regrets.

Very educational

Edmund Burke: The First Conservative

By Jesse Norman

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

This quote by Edmund Burke has made me a fan for many years. So I was thrilled when I came across this book.

I won’t say it was riveting, but I learned much more about Burke, who was an English politician who was a fervent proponent of America and her fight for freedom. Mr. Norman did a good job tying 18th century Burke into modern American politics. We could learn a lot from Burke.

I enjoyed the book and will be looking for others about Edmund Burke and his times.

very relevant today.

Liberal politicians are inclined to think that their ideas are self evidently right and that logic should make this clear to all people who want to see fairness. But Burke and Trump both understood that good people's emotions play a huge roll in what feels fair.

a great overview of Edmund Burke and his thought

a great entry into Burke's life and thought. much wisdom can be learned from this great man.

Interesting

This book is easy to read and is interesting, but I cannot help feel there is something wrong. The first part of the book is an average biography of Edmund Burke (1729-1797). But, the last half of the book appears to me to be Jesse Norman’s opinions and viewpoints not that of Burke. I maybe wrong, but that is the impression I came away with.

Burke was born in Dublin, Ireland, and graduated from Trinity College, Dublin. He became a member of the British Parliament from 1765 to 1794 and was known for standing up for America during the Revolution.

The book is nine hours and forty-seven minutes. Anthony Ferguson does a good job narrating the book. Ferguson is a classically trained British actor. He has narrated many audiobooks and has won an Audiofile Magazine Earphone Award for his narration.