Buy used
€13.83
€5.49 delivery 27 December - 3 January. Details
Used: Good | Details
Sold by bookbot
Condition: Used: Good
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Safety and product resources
Contacts

Safety and product resources

Images and contacts

Follow the author

Douglas Murray
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The War on the West: How to Prevail in the Age of Unreason Paperback – 28 April 2022

English edition by Douglas Murray (Autor)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 5,670 ratings
See all formats and editions

SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER

‘The most important book of the year’  Daily Mail

The brilliant and provocative new book from one of the world’s foremost political writers

‘The anti-Western revisionists have been out in force in recent years. It is high time that we revise them in turn…’

In The War on the West, international bestselling author Douglas Murray asks: if the history of humankind is one of slavery, conquest, prejudice, genocide and exploitation, why are only Western nations taking the blame for it?

It’s become perfectly acceptable to celebrate the contributions of non-Western cultures, but discussing their flaws and crimes is called hate speech. What’s more it has become acceptable to discuss the flaws and crimes of Western culture, but celebrating their contributions is also called hate speech. Some of this is a much-needed reckoning; however, some is part of a larger international attack on reason, democracy, science, progress and the citizens of the West by dishonest scholars, hatemongers, hostile nations and human-rights abusers hoping to distract from their ongoing villainy.

In The War on the West, Douglas Murray shows the ways in which many well-meaning people have been lured into polarisation by lies, and shows how far the world’s most crucial political debates have been hijacked across Europe and America. Propelled by an incisive deconstruction of inconsistent arguments and hypocritical activism, The War on the West is an essential and urgent polemic that cements Murray’s status as one of the world’s foremost political writers.

Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    HarperCollins
  4. Publication date
    28 April 2022
  5. Dimensions
    15.3 x 2.6 x 23.4 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    0008492794
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0008492793
  8. See all details
Next slide of product details
Popular paperback recommendations of the month
Browse through our selection of popular books from different genres, such as crime fiction, thrillers, historical novels or romance novels Browse here
Safety and product resources
Images and contacts

Safety and product resources

Images and contacts

Product description

Review

‘Murray shows not just how every aspect of western society has come under the iconoclasts’ gaze – from mathematics to music, Kew Gardens to Jane Austen – but how flimsy their case often is.’ – The Sunday Times

‘Murray writes with wonderful lucidity about the many fronts on which the West is waging war against itself. And he writes with a sense of urgency.’ – Real Clear Politics

‘Well executed… a spirited defence against the Left's assault on the Western tradition.’ – The Daily Telegraph

‘The War on the West is a monumental book leading to several pivotal realisations.’ – Lotus Eaters

‘Meticulous, measured… The War on the West is Douglas Murray’s latest blast against loony left wokery.’ – The Spectator

Praise for Douglas Murray and The Madness of Crowds

‘Whether one agrees with him or not, Douglas Murray is one of the most important public intellectuals today.’ – Bernard-Henry Levy

‘This is an author who specialises in expressing what everyone sort of knows already and is afraid to say…Well argued, well supported, and well observed.’ – Lionel Shriver

‘Simply brilliant. Reading it to the end, I felt as though I’d just drawn my first full breath in years. At a moment of collective madness, there is nothing more refreshing – or indeed, provocative – than sanity.’ – Sam Harris

‘His latest book is beyond brilliant and should be read, must be read, by everyone. He mercilessly exposes the hypocrisy and embarrassingly blatant contradictions that run rife through the current ‘woke’ vouge.’ – Richard Dawkins

‘Douglas Murray fights the good fight for freedom of speech… A truthful look at today’s most divisive issues.’ – Jordan B. Peterson

‘Extraordinary. Magnificent. Searing. Necessary. I salute il miglior fabbro. ‘And whether they listen or fail to listen… they will know that the prophet has been among them’ (Ezekiel 2:5)’ – Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

From the Back Cover

SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER'The most important book of the year' Daily MailThe brilliant and provocative new book from one of the world's foremost political writers

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; 1st edition (28 April 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0008492794
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008492793
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.3 x 2.6 x 23.4 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 5,670 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Douglas Murray

Douglas Murray

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
5,670 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review
Missing pages.
1 out of 5 stars
Missing pages.
I received the book with over 40 pages missing, simply ridiculous.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry, we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from Germany

Translate all reviews to English
  • CGF
    5.0 out of 5 stars An eye-opener …
    Reviewed in Germany on 9 January 2024
    Verified Purchase
    … if you struggle to make head or tail of what is happening in today‘s Western World this book puts it into perspective … essential reading for everyone that still has some hope left that the West can be saved from mediocracy, restrictive thinking and people of unreason so as to build a future on the achievements and strong legacy of its heritage …
    Helpful
     Report
  • Asif
    5.0 out of 5 stars Listen carefully
    Reviewed in Germany on 13 April 2024
    Verified Purchase
    One of the best book I read lately
    So realistic and well presented
    It reflects our current situation and what and can happens if we will not woke up
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Randy Martin
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!
    Reviewed in Germany on 26 January 2024
    Verified Purchase
    One of the best books and of most relevance for today.
    The author has a great writing style. Most importantly he has clearly defined the crisis we are in.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • christophKa
    5.0 out of 5 stars A wake up call
    Reviewed in Germany on 5 December 2023
    Verified Purchase
    A fascinating book and a wake up call for everyone who has still doubts why we should defend Western values. Douglas Murray is one of the most brilliant and honest intellectuals we have in Europe. Thank you from Austria.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • MG
    5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting point of view
    Reviewed in Germany on 30 April 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Douglas Murray, presents here an interesting discussion about and dissection of some of anti western thinking that has spilled out of academia into the real world. It is fine to criticize people of the past but it has to be fair and logical nor can people alive today be vested with the sins real or imagined of their ancestors. A lot of the good things we enjoy today are the result of hard work and sacrifice of those in the past. Douglas argues that Therefore a certain amount of gratitude is appropriate despite disagreeing with peoples world view in some cases.
    11 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • hblnk
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wise, timely but also very funny
    Reviewed in Germany on 1 August 2022
    Verified Purchase
    The subject would easily have lead to a sour study and harsh settling of accounts, but it does not. This book comes at the right time and might save us from peril. But it is not just wise, but also very funny.
    5 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Truckwu
    5.0 out of 5 stars Douglas Murray at his best
    Reviewed in Germany on 8 August 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Hier analysiert Murray den Krieg gegen den Westen.

    Durch Menschen, die im Wohlstand des Westens aufgewachsen sind und alle zivilisatorischen Eigenschaften des Westens selbst erlebt/genossen haben.

    Und er gibt gute Argumentationen , dieser selbst-/ zerstörerischen Attitüde zu begegnen.
    9 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Matias Berg
    3.0 out of 5 stars many, too many examples, but very few explanations
    Reviewed in Germany on 8 May 2022
    Verified Purchase
    The book was rather disappointing. We learn a lot of details from this "war", but little background and hardly any explanations. The author has collected hundreds of examples over the last years where the culture of the West was attacked, deprecated, made contemptible, accused of many crimes. But somehow we have read about these things too often for this to be really interesting anymore.

    I've always wondered: What are the motives for this "war"? And why is it directed only against the West, but never against the Arab world or against China? Unfortunately, the author cannot tell us. In the chapter "Gratitude," he gives resentment as the main explanation, in the tradition of Nietzsche: The disadvantaged of this world cannot bear the noble, the great and the magnificent, and must therefore fight it and make it contemptible, pull it down to their own level at the bottom. This 'war' is their revenge.

    But this explanation is a bit too simplistic for me. For it is not primarily the disadvantaged of this world who denigrate the West and blame it for all the evils of this world, it is parts of the Western elite itself, yes: it is a kind of self-hatred of the West.
    But where does this self-hatred come from? Unfortunately, the book does not provide an answer.
    Instead, examples, more examples....

    Unfortunately, the book is quite superficial. The 'big picture' of this war, of this movement that could be called "The West and its discontents", remain in the dark.
    In his conclusion, the author writes : "This [Western] culture that it is now so fashionable to deprecate, and which people across the West have been encouraged and incentivized to deprecate, remains the only culture in the world that not only tolerates but encourages such a dialogue against itself. It is the only culture that actually rewards its critics." - That is true, but why is this the case ? That remains a riddle the author does not solve. Actually, he does not even really try to solve it.

    Conclusion: If you are looking for many examples of hatred (and self-hatred) of the West and its culture, then this is a great book for you. If you are looking for explanations and background and some theory, then you will be disappointed.
    29 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Douglas Macdonald
    5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone should read and heed the lessons of this book.
    Reviewed in Canada on 24 August 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Douglas Murray is a wise, knowledgeable, thoughtful and extremely brave person. He is doing all societies a great service tackling these issues in such a careful and analytical manner. We, especially the West, ignore his observations and conclusions at our peril. I believe this book is the Must Read for our times.
    Thank you Douglas!
    Report
  • Gabriel Canfield
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book
    Reviewed in Brazil on 11 May 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A very important book to understand the modern times we live in. The anti-west mentality that is spread out in every part of our society.
    Report
  • Carlos
    5.0 out of 5 stars Libro de política
    Reviewed in Mexico on 17 January 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Douglas Murray es un excelente escritor, muy buen libro, lo disfruté mucho y aprendí mucho también !
    Excelente compra !
    Report
  • Dee Dee
    5.0 out of 5 stars De-programming
    Reviewed in the United States on 18 August 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Every time I read a book by Douglas Murray, this is my third, I feel like I have been bracingly slapped in the face. "Wake up" is the message. I appreciated the book's historical perspective. The passages on resentment and Nietsche were very powerful and I will be pondering those bits of wisdom for the duration. Just excellent insights. The book is important and the stakes are high and as a result, it is an emotional experience to read it, and take in all of its implications. At least for me. For many years I accepted anti-racist, anti-colonialist critiques of Western society without question, and most of my friends still do. In fact, it is almost impossible to talk to any of them about even a slightly modified point of view. So I am isolated these days. A lifelong Democrat, I find myself (silently) feeling grateful to Republicans for pushing back on CRT in the schools and for questioning inappropriate books in school libraries. At the same time, I am as appalled by the excesses of the right as I am by the extremism of the left. Does no one have common sense any more? The fact that it is almost impossible to even discuss most issues with either side tells me there is something deeply wrong with our discourse.The evolution of my thought has been long process, but at its base, was my willingness to notice when ideology collided with what I had experienced in a lifetime of thinking about racial divides and engaging people who were not like me. These discordant moments caused me to try and dig deeper into what was going on. Sometimes I found that I was not thinking deeply enough. But more often I did understand exactly what was going on. Much of what I was hearing and reading was exaggerated or downright lies or distortions. Murray's framing of recent events as a moral panic is apt. I can't find anything in the book to take issue with really. I don't think, though, that the people who might benefit most from this book will read it. One barrier, not the only one, is that the alarm over the Jan. 6 violence will cause people on the left to dig in even deeper, as the other side seems to be doing. This is very much too bad. Praying that our country will get through these dangerous times and that we may regain our belief in ourselves and our tradition and our future.
    Report
  • Cardona
    5.0 out of 5 stars Necesaria,
    Reviewed in Spain on 5 November 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Un punto catastrofista
    Report