Phillip J. Bryson’s book, Socialism, was named to the Grand Prize Short List for the Eric Hoffer Award in 2017. It was also designated a First Horizon Award Finalist
1. Kirkus Reviews
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/phillip-j-bryson/socialism/
“Bryson also examines the view of Adam Smith, and ably illuminates the moral core of it, a defense of human liberty.”
“The last section details the insinuation of socialist ideas into the U.S., a nation in many ways inoculated against an unabashed embrace of them. As in Western Europe, socialism in America doesn’t necessarily mean the end of free markets, but rather the establishment of a welfare state and aggressive redistribution of income and property.”
“The scope of Bryson’s treatment is dizzying, the erudition nearly unbelievable, and his scholarly rigor impressive.”
“A remarkably exhaustive account of one of the 20th century’s—and perhaps the 21st century’s as well—most impactful ideologies.”
“This is a magisterial work, encyclopedic and astute.”
2. The U.S. Review of Books:
http://www.theusreview.com/reviews/Socialism-by-Phillip-J-Bryson.html#.WJ30w_krI2w
“Bryson provides a comprehensive review of the impact of socialism in America”and includes his personal hope that changes set in place after 2008 by the Obama administration are reversible.
George Furukaw
3. Foreword Clarion Reviews:
https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/socialism/.
This is a “well-researched and highly detailed account of the politico-economic philosophy of socialism.”
Bryson “presents his material in bite-sized chunks that concern specific aspects of socialism’s relationship to U.S. and world history.”
“Socialism is a grand, sweeping narrative that is written in a clean, linear style. Bryson’s sentences rarely if ever descend to the level of overly technical jargon so favored by many academics.”
“Socialism offers not only a primer on one of the most controversial ideas still in the American public sphere, offers insight into how socialism, like its enemy, capitalism, has managed to shift and contort itself over the years in the form of technocratic governments and the various welfare states of the world.”
“As Bryson makes clear, although socialism may have a black eye, it’s not going anywhere soon. Therefore, Socialism will always be a timely read.”
Benjamin Welton
4. Pacific Book Review
http://www.pacificbookreview.com/socialism/
“This book is a good choice not only for those curious about socialism but for anyone who wants to learn more about general economics and market theory.”
“The central (i.e. Federal) government’s increasing power and its expansive bureaucracy is one of many reasons Bryson describes outgoing President Barack Obama as “an un-vetted ‘stealth’ socialist with a predilection for Marxism and its methods.”
“I recommend this book because it offers such valuable information in clear, easy to understand prose.”
J.W. Bankston
5. Palgrave Macmillan’s Anonymous Reviewers’ Pre-publication Comments:
“I have read through the proposal and basically the manuscript of this work. Bottom line – this book should be published. It is not the book I would have written, but that isn’t the criterion. It is well written, opinionated on a hot-button issue, but also ironically very timely given the public sentiments of our times.”
“So a very well written, entertaining and informative work, leaves this reader wanting more.”
“I think the author’s approach to dealing with the history of an idea makes for very readable work.”
“Very well written, it is very timely IF the author makes a conscious effort to link to the contemporary intellectual climate (e.g., Piketty [on income redistribution, etc.], or the debate over the econ curriculum, or the Occupy Movement, etc., etc.), and no substantial re-writing required.”
“Yes, this is a quality work.”
“By the nature of dealing with socialism, it is a controversial subject, but nothing in this work is unprofessional. It is biting at times about ideas which I agree are somewhat silly at times.”
“The book seems directed at a general reader who knows very little about Marxism or conventional views of the functioning of the market economy. It could be a useful introduction to these topics.”
“A good book could well be revealed. I’d say the author is fully capable of this task.”
6. Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics
“If one were to find a true expert for writing a comprehensive overview of the ideological backgrounds, the economics, and the history of socialism, then Bryson would be one of the first to come to mind. Indeed, that is what Bryson did. He wrote a compact but comprehensive work on virtually all ideological, theoretical and practical aspects of socialism.”
“He briefly reviews pre-Marxist approaches and then proceeds to Marxist economics in its original form as well as in the way it was perceived by Marx’ followers. This latter part is particularly informative and highly recommendable, especially to readers that are not yet familiar with Marxist economics.”
“Bryson proves his expertise as it results from decades of both research and local personal experience. He starts with the Soviet-type central planning system all the way to the Yugoslav and Hungarian versions that have in times – perhaps misleadingly – been referred to as market socialism.”
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