The Race to Save Our Century: Five Core Principles to Promote Peace, Freedom, and a Culture Of Life

John Zmirak, again, does not disappoint. His collaboration with Jason Jones is marvelously written -- both the prose and structure -- and extremely well researched. Almost any reader will find great quotations and sources hitherto unknown. For example, I'd read a good bit of Bastiat's writing, but the authors uncover this gem:(p. 165 hardcover) "Present-day writers -- especially those of the socialist school of thought -- base their various theories upon one common hypothesis: They divide mankind into two parts. People in general -- with the exception of the writer himself -- form the first group. The writer, all alone, forms the second and most important group. Surely this is the weirdest and most conceited notion that ever entered a human brain!"The book is full of such gems, woven together by the authors' core ideas. I'll not rehash the many excellent points in other reviews here on Amazon.com. Two other thoughts:1) The book gives a reason to hope, and a rough model to hope for in it's 5 Whole-Life Principles. It does not, however, give a plan. The authors avoid the Distributists' gauzy utopian dreams, which is good. They define criteria to judge a society, and some concrete elements of their "desired" society. We, the readers, need to find ways to move things in the "right" direction.2) For the reader intrigued by Chapter 11: A Humane Economy, I strongly recommend Fr. Maciej Zieba's 'Papal Economics.' It broadens and deepens Zmirak's and Jones's ideas in very consistent ways.

Maybe the reason I liked it so much is because of the writer's skill, or because of the continually interesting historical perspectives he brings, or because he's preaching to the choir (me), and gives foundation for things I've come to believe.If I can fault it, the title is overly dramatic, and because my own knowledge of history is not that great, he might be focusing narrowly on the perspectives that support his conclusions.Nobody gets off, neither liberal nor conservative. If I had to state a single thrust thrust of the book, it would be that we rationalize what makes us (as people and as nations) comfortable at the time, and in doing so dehumanize our view of our brothers and sisters. The fun reading that keeps you going is the phenomenally wide survey of authors, philosophers, historians and events he pulls together to illustrate his points. Just using this book as a reference to other works would itself be worth many times its cost if that helps you.Though the author does not make a point of his religious association, it would be Roman Catholic. Thus it is no surprise that both war and the welfare state (The Great Society) are bad, as are the theft of earnings that support these. But don't read it because you want him to agree with you; read it because in some cases he'll show you why you are in the right, and other cases where you best re-evaluate your own position.

Engaging from page one, this book provides meticulous dissections and diagnoses of a slew of ancient and modern "isms" that have infected our world with a plague of "subhumanism." Seneca once wrote that while physical ailments often make themselves known to us with symptoms of unmistakable force and gusto, when it comes to ills of the soul, the worse shape one's soul is in, the less one is aware of it, as if one is deep asleep. Millions of innocent lives on both sides of the womb have been murdered by proponents of the various 'isms" that have infected cultures around the world, while billions of people's consciences have been lulled to sleep by the modern purveyors of these "isms," from communism, to fascism, to nationalism, to racism, to hedonism, to radical feminism, to excessive, unbridled individualism. The "personalism" espoused in this book can wake us up to them, and inspire us to do something about it, as we race to save this century we live in. Read Jason Jones and John Zmirak's The Race to Save Our Century and then pass it on.

Good book

This is a great work of and for the modern era! Thoughtful and prophetic, it is a must read for those who seek to define and understand how one should live a moral life in our declining culture.

Thought provoking yet hopeful. Must-read for anyone seeking meaningful conversation about the state of the world, regardless of where you are on the political spectrum.

Powerful book. Clearheaded and full of additional reading suggestions! Five stars! Can't wait for the next effort from these two!

Jason has a passion and commitment to life. It inspires and challenges. God bless him.