Out of the Ashes

Rebuilding American Culture

By: Anthony Esolen

Narrated by: Adam Verner

It's not your imagination: civilized human society is collapsing. Communities no longer work toward a common good; children are no longer our first priority; businesses no longer value hard work; arts and skills have been lost; and gender is decided by the individual, not biology.

We cannot reverse national and global trends, says professor Anthony Esolen, but we can build communities that live up to humanity's promise and responsibility. In Out of the Ashes, Esolen identifies the gaping problems in our society and lays out a blueprint for reconstruction that puts our future in the hands of individuals focused on the good of the local community.

©2017 eChristian (P)2017 eChristian

Spot on

We can thoroughly relate as we have watched in likewise dismay the destruction and perversion of our culture. Thank you for your witness, your insights, and most of all the hope this book instills.

Intelligence, manly spirit, politically incorrect

This is a must read for anyone who likes to be challenged. Even if you disagree with much, which is likely, you will be challenged to say why. Is American democracy a barbarous tyranny? Whatever your political persuasion, he argues persuasively from the twin perspective of Catholicism and the Pagan Greeks that something has gone terribly wrong in America (and in Canada too). Whether or not you appreciate that he calls Hillary Clinton a whore, he explains why in such a way that elevates the conversation. His analysis of modern culture as either garish or drab is spot on, and his use of metaphor is memorable, for example: plywood.

Pronunciation, Please?

I was stunned to hear the (presumably professional) narrator mis-pronounce a number of basic words in this text. At first I thought it was simply my own ignorance of correct pronunciation of the words in question, but later I looked a couple up. Nope, the narrator is just plain wrong. He needs to go look up the proper pronunciation of “polyphony”, for example, and “Simone Weil,” as well as a number of others.

I wouldn’t normally complain, except that I paid money for this book (which in part argues for the need for a renewed sense of excellence in all things), but mainly because it distracted me from the otherwise excellent work of the author.

I wish I had purchased the print version.

dream

This book provides the opportunity to remember a time past, with the opinion that it can be revisited in time. Sure portions of the past could in fact return, my question is how can we fit in and prosper with the current and future times?

a great critique of our once great culture!

Very much loved this book! The author is great and I look forward to listening to more of his books

Esolen shows American Phoenix is possible

As is usually the case with Esolen, this book is well done overall. He does a great job putting flesh on the bare bones of a problem by providing many anecdotes and historical precedents. My only objection is his literary prowess can sometimes use things that perhaps are not as fitting for our Catholic faith as he presents them... for example, I would shy away from using Tolkien or any other myth based literature to buttress arguments. Contrary to modern thinking, myth has never been used well to support truth. One other objection is that sometimes he can be a little too immodest in explaining issues surrounding the lust-filled world we live in. That having been said, I and others with me have listened to a couple of his chapters in this book on manhood and womanhood several times without tiring. Esolen is truly an excellent author and I recommend ALL his books.
“Audible 20 Review Sweepstakes Entry”

Excellent! Anthony Esolen hits it out of the park!

Very quotable. That's the only downside of the audible version- no ability to underline the great parts!

A Book That Gives Hope

With our culture and authority, schools and government, parenting and parental authority going down the cesspool, this book reminds us of the old days and gives hope. That hope is in Christ as Christians are on a pilgrimage. If one is divorced from God, then life on the horizontal level is lost.
Esolen uses examples from the Renaissance, Dante, Michelangelo, and many of the lost beauties of humanity to encourage reclamation within the family unit and NOT to be ashamed of it. Darkness cannot overcome the Light.

Important book for our American culture

best book I've read on the subject. I'm going to have to buy hard copy for my library. gave me hope. re-energized me

Excellent diagnosis and prescription for America

Anthony Esolen has written another excellent book about contemporary America. He is a keen observer of our society. He has a wondrous ability to drill down into the culture and diagnose what is wrong and the he offers real actions we can take to change the direction of our country.

Dr. Esolen is very knowledgeable about both Western Civilization and the role Christianity played in building it. As an English professor he is also well versed in literature. With his broad base of knowledge he sees right through the lies of progressivism that are infecting our culture today. He easily shows how traditional Christian values are superior and more in conformity with human nature than modern progressivism. He points out how the leftist way of life has been a cancer that has spread misery and a loss of real freedom throughout our land under the guise of "liberty".

This is a sobering book, but also a hopeful book. Before we can rescue our nation we must look at the existing problems honestly, and Professor Esolen has done this well, abandoning the shackles of political correctness. Yet he has done this in a reasonable, scholarly manner, not in a scolding manner.

My heart burned while listening to this book. I am going to buy the print version as well so I can refer to the various chapters more easily in the future.

If you care about America and its Jude's-Christian foundations, you will read this book.