The question at the heart of The Cousins' Wars is this: How did Anglo-America evolve over a mere three hundred years from a small Tudor kingdom into a global community with such a hegemonic grip on the world today; while no other European power—Spain; France; Germany; or Russia—did? The answer to this; according to Phillips; lies in a close examination of three internecine English-speaking civil wars—the English Civil War; the American Revolution; and the American Civil War. These wars between cousins functioned as crucial anvils on which various religious; ethnic; and political alliances were hammered out between the English-speaking cousin-nations; setting them on a unique two-track path toward world leadership—one aristocratic and aloof to dominate the imperial nineteenth century and the other more egalitarian and democratic to take over in the twentieth century. They also functioned as unfortunate and deadly cultural crucibles for African Americans; Native Americans; and the Irish.Phillips's analysis shows exactly how these conflicts are inextricably linked and how they seeded each other. He offers often surprising interpretations that cut across the political spectrum—for instance; that the Constitution of the United States; while brilliant in many respects; was also a fatally flawed political compromise that contributed mightily in setting the stage for the final—and the bloodiest—cousins' war: the American Civil War.With the new millennium upon us and triggering widespread assessment of our nation's place in world history; The Cousins' Wars provides just the kind of magisterial sweep and revisionist spark to ignite widespread interest and debate. This grand religious; military; and political epic is the multi-dimensional story of the triumph of Anglo-America.
#898871 in Books 1995-09-01 1995-09-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x .60 x 5.30l; .45 #File Name: 0452011604198 pages
Review
71 of 77 people found the following review helpful. An Excellent Introduction To IslamBy Brian Pacific"A MUSLIM is one who believes that `there is no god but God; and Muhammad is the messenger of God.' A Muslim worships one all-powerful and eternal deity; called Allah in Arabic; who revealed His will and His commandments to the prophet Muhammad of Mecca in the seventh century A.D. Those revelations are recorded in the Koran; the Holy Book of Islam."Thomas Lippman provides an excellent introduction into the Islamic world. Lippman is neither a historian nor a religious expert; but a journalist. As a journalist; he is able to easily explain Islamic Culture; practices; and history to an audience completely unfamiliar to this subject. Lippman spent a great deal of time in various Islamic countries as a journalist; and gives an easy to understand introduction into various aspects of Islam: (1) Basic Beliefs and Practices; (2) The Prophet Muhammad (3) The Koran; (4) Law and Government in Islamic Countries; (5) The Advance of Islam; (6) Schism and Mysticism; and (7) The Islamic Community Today. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in knowing more about Islamic beliefs and or history.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Three StarsBy John PowrieRather dry reading.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy J. BrownOne of the best overviews of Islam that I've read.
