Bill: Just put the damn stuff in a paperback book!!! I will buy multiple copies to distribute for educational purposes! Call it "A Collection of Common Sense from an Uncommon Man"! Those essay's are far to important to be erased from the dustbin of history!

Greg, you are very kind. But no one is going to miss those two. And I'll keep them online.

Bill, Greg isn't being kind - he's being "right," at least where he says to leave the essays. They may seem dated to you, but most conscientious writers are their own worst critics. If you think it's necessary, write a SHORT forward for each of them, describing the context behind them, but leave 'em!

Not having gone back and re-read them I'm gonna agree with Bill on this.
Being "dated" doesn't mean the essays weren't superb, of course. But if the timelessness of the work as a whole is to be compromised by the inclusion -- even with disclaimers -- of a couple of out-of-placers, then maybe it's best not to "contaminate" the timeless work with a couple of aberantly dated items.

Preee-cisely.

See, the spork is a razor-sharp cutting tool!

You're mean, Whitler. I'm delinking you as soon as I overcome my laziness to update my blogroll.

I love rereading my old material, BTW, because I'm a good writer. You should learn from me.

Tell me when you have your book out so I can denounce it.

Geez, Bill... I was having dinner with a friend last night, and mentioned to her your essays. She asked me to send her one to whet her appetite (after I mentioned the investment in time reading more than one requires... a worthwhile investment for sure, but still...), so I looked for the one I had copied to my own online journal; the first one I had ever read.

It was War, of course.

And I still think it's one of your best. I didn't re-read it just now, but looking at the beginning, I can tell you it *is* timeless...

The internet is also a horrible place, for there are dark rooms and hidden sewers where all of the festering evil we humans commit upon each other are exposed for those with the stomach to witness it.

Two words: Nick Berg.

For the generations it will take to eradicate these animals and their ilk from the face of the earth, this essay will stand.

All IMO, of course. Oh, and I'm taking the title of this post as a shout-out to my email, even if it wasn't. =D

Go with your feelings on this, Bill. I think that War and Celebrity are more in the lines of Variations on a Theme, but YOU are AFAIK writer AND editor (maybe there's a short one on editing video vs. written material...what you look for, what is striking, etc.).

In any event, it all comes down, as it does for all of us, to doing what you think is right. It is really the only valid yardstick.

Sapper Mike

Bill,

It's your book, do what you want. But I agree with Greg. I just re-read War and find it still very relevant. War refreshed my memory and added a little coal to the cooling embers of my anger of what occurred 9/11/01.

But all of what you write is notable. So can we have a book, soon? Please? (taps foot)

sam

Ummm... I don't see Celebrity on the right-hand side of the monitor.

A search of the site doesn't reveal its presence. In which month is it archived?

Hey Bill,
I'm almost done with my Instrument. I recommend the Dogan book to study with. And the Gliem book for the test.

Ben

I've never responded to any essay you've posted, but this has drawn me out of the woodwork.

Your essays are time capsule moments of history. War is an essay that is still quite viable. The reasons stated for going to war with Saddam Hussein are still being debated to this very day. Yes, some have been argueably disproven, but many remain the very reason we took upon this venture. Too many people have been saturated with events since 9/11 to remember why we're doing what we are. Prefaced correctly, this would a great reminder.

Now that that's out of the way, and again, since this is the first time I've ever responded on your site, I'd like to say this:

Thank you for a voice of Common Sense in a senseless world. Your essays have shown people there is still good in this country and we have merely to look around to find it.

When this book comes out, know that many copies will be purchased and given to many people who have lost the bravery to be Proud to be an American.

Slainte'

cb1100rider

Oh... and Frank J... weren't you busy working or something? Shouldn't you attempt to even keep up the scharade? :)

Now wait justadamminnit. You're cutting out "Celebrity"? Granted, the Hollyweird types (AKA "The Prattling Poltroons of Pacifism") have kicked it down a few notches since the end of "Major Combat Operations", but you can't let them off the hook that easily. At the very least, you should consider moving parts of that essay into "Magic"; their delusions of "No more war" would make a nice fit with your deconstruction of Chomskyism.

And "War"?? You're cutting "War"? WAR fer chrissakes? Isn't that the main POINT of The Book?

It is possible I am mistaken on this issue...

Bill,

Please, Bill.

I know you will do what you think best - but "Essays from a Democracy at War" should include the essay on War, shouldn't it?

Besides, I am still mourning the fact that I missed much of the commentary on these essays because I found you just before you tucked all the essay comments in the attic somewhere.

And I was taking my time so I could savor them......

FWIW (not much)- I say leave them in, and put a short forward explaining context if you think they're a little dated. Hell, the wisdom and insight we gain from "dated" or context specific letters and essays written by great men throughout history is immeasurable. Give us credit for being able to extract the larger meaning from the context and see how it can apply today. We're purdy dang smart sometimes. 'Sides, if I'm gonna shell out cash for this book of yours, I want as much material as you can cram in there.

I'll trust your judgement. Include or exclude what you want. But for the love of God, just end the suspense and fill in the blanks for the following sentence:

"My book will be available for purchase on _______ at the low, low price of _______!"

Please hurry. I have family members that are still waiting for the rest of their Christmas gifts!

Bill,

I've been reading your essays since Rachel first spliced the first draft of "Freedom" together out of her comments section. ALL of your essays are timeless to me and worth inclusion. As someone else suggested, foreword them if you feel the need, but leave them in. "War" is still definitely relevant and I think "Celebrity" is too. Maybe we've just managed to tune them out a bit (the H'Weird Celebs, I mean) so that it seems less so but they are still an unhealthy influence out there and they need to be called on it.

Besides, I am anxious to give you money for the book. So get on with it!!!! ;-)

I have to agree with Greg, Bill.

You are a true artist with words, and you're succumbing to a malady that I have seen all too often in people who are as critical of their own work as they are excellent. Oddly enough, it seems that the amount of self-criticism among artists is inversely proportional to the need to exercise it :)

What you wrote then may seem dated to you, and of course you'll feel that things, you foremost among them, have changed since then. But that's the natural order of things and it is the very reason that every essay you write is better than the ones that went before.

Your essays is a snapshot of who you were and what the world was like when you wrote it, just like any other book ever published. It stands there forever, unchanged, and bears testimony to the time at which it was written, and that's the way it SHOULD BE.

If it wasn't for that, no history books would ever be published, for the contents of them had been passed by by events by the time they made it to the printers.

Don't throw away history just because the world changes.

Your writing is timeless because it provides us with a glimpse into a moment of time that has passed, a moment that would otherwise be lost to our imperfect memories. That is the whole purpose of writing. To maintain that snapshot, to keep it for posterity.

You don't throw away your family photo album because everybody in it has since grown older either, do you?

Preserve it. All of it. It's too good to lose :)

I had this great argument set up for why you should keep them in the book but then Misha went and wrote what I was going to say. Every last word in that precise order. Really.

I doth believe I have mentioned to you in the past about artists being their own worst critics. Granted, some of us who write really should cringe but as you know, there are many out there who write so eloquently, beautifully, masterfully that it's painful to hear them say they think any portion of their writing should cause them embarrassment.

So, you'll have to pardon me if I echo some of the sentiments here: Just put it in a damn paperback and please fill in the blanks to "the other dave's" sentence.

Anyway, look forward to a new essay because I'm boycotting Frank's site until he tells me what IMAO stands for. Well, at least until he posts again.

Reading through the archives, even the worst of your essays are good. However, I think the best ones are the oldest ones. The ones before you spent extensive time editing, rewriting, and obsessing over what your audience might think. The ones before you started censoring yourself.

You are trapped in a death spiral. There have been no new essays in the last six months, unless you count the aborted attempt at "Building the Ideal American." And now you are actually moving backwards, purging essays that belong in your book.

Please Bill, for love of all that's holy, hire an editor, coerce your neighbors, put a monkey on retainer, something, anything but edit those essays yourself.

"The battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Hitler knows that he must break us in this island or lose the war. Therefore brace yourselves to your duties, and so bear yourselves that, though Empire and Commonwealth should endure for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'"

Should we keep these words? Hitler has been dead for almost fifty years now. Most of the Empire is gone too. The piece is badly dated. Forget it.

(Yes, I know that I am holding you to a very high standard. You can hack it.)

Bill,

Not trying to be rude (really I'm not), but I just read "War" again. You'd be a FOOL to leave that out. That is a damn fine essay. Damn Fine!

It stands on it's own today as strongly as it did 15 months ago.

You are cheating the buyers of your book by leaving that out.

Besides, I want it in so my liberal mom has to read it when I buy the book for her.

Bill,

I commented about this on my blog: #110

My. BLOG. The one I started because there were No More Whittle Essays.

Note the number at the end of the link: 110. That's one hundred and ten posts (holy crap!) of mediocre garbage that I put out since you last put out a Major Essay.

I only posted because you had nothing for me to read, and the terrible consequences of my blog are entirely on your head. The FBI should be arriving any minute now, despite your pitiful attempts to fly out of the country. I even wrote a post as an attempt to imitate your style, not because it's *good* or anything, but because you seem to get the attention. It must be a pity thing.

And what do I get from you? Nothing! What about all the money that I paid for your writing...ummm...

Never mind.

Anyhow, about this book. If you don't get cracking and push the baby out, it'll get stuck there.

Not that I want to read it or anything. It will merely allow me to enjoy Frank's ritual denunciation of the book at it adds to the remainder pile.

I too vote for including ALL the original essays, including WAR and CELEBRITY. I just finished re-reading CELEBRITY (one of the bonuses of being the site bouncer, and having access to Bill's "Movable Type" account, where he's still hiding all the old comment streams as well), and I think it's GREAT! Still timely (ignoring the occasional phrase about "... we're going to war with Iraq..."), still dead on target, and not dated at all. Its points still apply to the conditions of the present.

So delete NOTHING! Tweak the grammar in a few places, cull for typos, maybe add a thought or two where you think it appropriate, but throw nothing out! And print that puppy up!

Print that puppy up! Print that puppy up! Print that puppy up!

GHS

ALL RIGHT! JESUS CHRIST! I'LL LEAVE IT ALL IN!! I'LL WRITE NEW ESSAYS!!

I'M A VICTIM! DON'T YOU SEE? A VICTIM!!

Bill, apologies for the apparent flogging of an apparently dead issue here, but in an attempt to smooth any ruffled feathers you may still have about your 180 on the decision to include EVERYTHING (victim or not) in your upcoming and galactically anticipated book, I submit the following link:
http://jim.com/bastiat.htm
Now, I will be the first to admit I am but a sophomore, a plebe in the land of intellectual giants here, so if, when some of you go to this site, you discover it is old, tired news, please let me know so I can commence with the self-flagellation. Otherwise, when I first read this at the behest of a friend, I was shocked, both because of it's timelessness, dated diction notwithstanding, but also because of the nationality of the author. Clear-headed, rational, unassailably logical thinking, of which you are eminently guilty, is the planet's MOST valuable resource.

Semper Fi,
Capt Smythe

WE WIN!

mu ha ha!

Prof. Willard...

" Hitler has been dead for almost fifty years now."

Umm... It's 2004, the war ended in '45. Either you mean 60 years, or you know something we don't ;)

Mr. Great Hairy Silverback, sir?

Could I peek at the comments?

Please?

Pretty please???

Steve, if you get a chance before I do, change CELEBRITY from DRAFT to PUBLISH.

I'll tell you, looking down into the village and seeing the Revolting Masses coming up the hill with torches and pitchforks...well, it does tend to focus the mind.

Monster? Tall fellow? Greenish? I know of no such-- ah, you must mean Artemis, my WARD. Yes, he's indisposed at the moment, sorry. Got his ears caught in a mechanical rice picker...

Hey Bill, I have a question regarding this site.
Why is it that so many of your articles have been deleted? There used to be many short articles, not essays or anything, but I did enjoy them, and, especially, the posts that came after them. The "France counterattacks" page, for instance, is how I discovered this site. That and countless others have vanished.

Waitasec. Did you say something about leaving it all in and writing a new essay?

Does that mean we have to wait for the book until after you've written a new essay? My hair's gonna turn as gray as GHS's if that's the case ;^)

Bill, better that you stop rewriting and submit the manuscript. Let the editor evaluate it and recommend changes--that's what editors are for. And after you've spent some time working with editors and agents, you'll have lots more stories to justify calling yourself a VICTIM! A VICTIM! At least that's what the writers I know say. The editors, of course, feel the same way about the writers and the agents have their own stories, while off in the corner the artists trade horror stories about publishers' art departments.

Okay, folks - It looks like we can douse the torches and put away the pitchforks...but don't forget where you put them, just in case.

Incidentally, I just finished rereading "WAR" - it is STILL some of the most powerful, timely, and IMPORTANT writing I've seen, ever, despite world events that have occured since it was written. Bill, I'm glad you've surrendered to the "mob" - that essay NEEDS to be in the book. While some of the details may be a little dated, the main gist of the essay is as timely today as it was when it was written, and maybe even more so today than it was then.

Bill -- how can you call an essay which deals with media censorship of images that might enflame American opinion "dated?" Especially during the week of Ni~ck Be~rg's murder?

As long as our press continues its double standard of "publish anything that makes Arabs hate Americans, never publish something that might make Americans hate Arabs", your essay "War" will remain relevant. And I expect that double standard to last until, well, the end of this conflict however long that takes -- because our press refuses even to admit that the obvious double standard exists.

Now, sure, the stuff about the justification for the Iraq **campaign** in the current war is a bit out of date. But it's IMPORTANT. Your essay is a distallation of informed thinking prior to the campaign, and it must stay as a bulwark against the revisionists who are even now trying to rewrite the lead up period -- "Bush Lied" "Only W thought Saddam had WMDs" etc.

About "Celebrity" -- can't find it, haven't read it, want to. But if its theme is what I suspect, given the comments in this thread of others who HAVE read it, then consider:

Gwenneth Paltrow just last week said she wants to raise her daughter overseas -- but still work (make million$) in Hollywood, CA, USA.

The Hollywood usual suspects haven't changed their spots or their hypocrisy, and have only marginally changed their tactics. They won't until we stop buying tickets (if then) -- and if "Celebrity" calls them on it, it will remain relevant as long as their mountaintop sign does.

Here I was, ready to sacrifice to buy a copy of your book last December. Imagine my consternation upon hearing, nearly half a year later, that you were even thinking about chopping out some of the best parts! In my Army days, one of my favorite sayings was, "If gentle persuasion fails, use brute force." Too bad we couldn't use Frank J. for that purpose when he got together with you, but just give me your address, and maybe we can make some other arrangement to satisfy what is obviously a strong demand for this collection of essays. This may seem paradoxical, but all too often perfectionism is the enemy of perfection.

Looking forward to the book. I hope something new shows up here soon.

I'm about maddened and saddened out. I need your rays of sunshine.

TAH-DAHHHH!

After a brief moment of panic (when nothing appeared on the screen), I have reloaded Ejectejecteject.com again, and VOILA!

CELEBRITY is back!

Check your local listings.

Okay Bill. I figured out THAT button. Now... how do I turn all the old comment streams back on again?

GHS

Bill -

What they said. I will also require quality reading material when I go to the desert, so you better get this book published ASAP! The clock is ticking.

P.S. Surprised we haven't heard an inkling over here on this site about what happened in the Mohave Desert this past week (well, I guess to be more accurate, that should be 'what happened ABOVE the Mohave Desert this week'). Pretty damn cool if you ask me. And when can I come meet these folks and take a ride?

Heh, I think its unanimous.

Well, almost unanimous. There might be a single vote against.

Hey, this looks like a middle eastern election!! ;)

Richard R:

Sorry about the math error. I wrote that comment in a hurry.

Darn! And here I was hoping the Prof would have a story that started "It was 1954, I was in a little cafe in Paraguay when a man with a small mustache walked up..."

UPDATE:

THREE sessions to finish STRENGTH, at least. A new record. I have never wanted to get one right more than I do on this one.

Deep into it now, perhaps 2/3 of the way. Perhaps tomorrow night, by Friday certainly.

I spoke to my graphic designer and photographer friends today as well. Those format and cover wheels are rolling.

Can't talk -- writing essay.

I hope to God I can get this right.

You had me at "...the cause of human decency cannot be advanced if all the decent humans lie dead..."

Did you come up with that yourself or was that a divine revelation?

Press on, regardless.

Doug

Not book material Bill.

OK blog stuff though.

No insult intended. Don't shoot the messenger......

Bill:

You'll get it right. Just get it done.

Chap.

Was Up,

what keeps it from being book material? Constructive criticism, por favor.

OK, WHO LEFT THE SCREEN DOOR OPEN!?! All sorts of insects fly in......

"Pull!" BLAM!

Sorry for the hole in the comment stream, folks. Apparently a ten-year-old cyber-graffiti-ist got past his parent's safeguards and firewalls today, and decided to express his "infantility" on this blog.

Trust me -- you didn't miss a thing. And you won't miss him.

GHS

GHS, Nice shootin' Tex....

One more thought..... Book publication=revenue=cash flow=finished airplane......

Are we a little more motivated now???? ;-)

Jonathan, you have no idea how many times I've mentioned that to Bill (c:

Please, Bill, don't delink Celebrity and War: Celebrity was the very first essay of yours that I read, and since I gave up reading the papers and watching the imbeciles on TV telling me what didn't happen, you, Charles and Allahpundit are really all I have! If you do anything, update them a little. Thanks.

Leave them in, please, Bill. If you think they're dated, write a short foreword. Please don't leave them out.

Re Abu Ghraib: There is an article that throws a lot of light on this here.

You must include all of those essays in the book. History deserves that much at least.

When I buy your book to send to my friends, I would like it to contain as much truth as possible. The power of an idea is unlimited, but it must be disseminated in order to change the world. Put everything into the book that you can.

Great job on Strength Part One and Part Two.

Love your site--thanks to Glenn Reynolds for pointing to you.

For links to news, views, politics, and government, bookmark All Things Political. For my comments and rants on the days events, check out myBlog.

Sorry--the link was broken--here it is again:
For links to news, views, politics, and government, bookmark All Things Political. For my comments and rants on the days events, check out my Blog.

RE: STRENGTH (part 2) | Main
May 22, 2004
STRENGTH (part 1)

THANK YOU FOR THE ABOVE.

RETIRED FIRE FIGHTER NORMAN HAUPTMAN REPLIES TO IT.
The simple truth is that every nation, every individual is imperfect. Even when we vanquish the extreme Moslems, America has lots of work to do on Herself. Two glaring examples are to treat the masses honestly with their money, not to allow corrupt corporations to steal it (ENRON ETC ETC ETC), & to use honest money, not printing of useless paper with no backing,(see U.S. Rep Ron Paul & Commandmandt against having false weights & measures) which defLATES the earnings and savings of Americans. Secondly the monopolistic disease care system.. Fourteen hundred Ameericans die every DAY from cancer. Thomas Jefferson wanted to include an amendment in the U.S. Constitution providing for protection of medical diversity. It did not pass. Fourteen hundred Americans die every day from cancer. Twelve States license Naturopathic Doctors, which is progress. If we could save 10% of the 1400, that is 140 Americans daily, 51,100 annually, equal to 17 World Trade Center victims each year. . The problem is not essentially the Extreme Moslems; who we will adress suitably.. The problems is that the Moral Code is not followed. And I am not excluded from the requirement to do right. I struggle with this every day. Let us not puff ourselve with pride. Look at the back of the U.S. one dollar bill. The Presidential Seal depicts the Star of David, Inside the Star are thirteen other Stars representing the 13 Colonies. We are a nation founded on ethical principles (Declaration of Independence/Constitution), which is founded on Judeo/Christian or Christian or Jewish values,, whichever way you choose to see it. This Star in the Presidential Seal is the symbol of our requirement to honor the Book in many important waya; or more simply honor the 10 Commandmants. The progress of Humanity will improve, but will take many years. While we swat the flies of Islam, we must clean up our own swamp, and the flies will have less to be attractred to.

I want to buy your book. I don't care if I have read it all already. Please let us know when it is available. Can I send you money? Have you ever considered writing an essay on what to do if Mr. Kerry wins? The War on Terror is too important to abandon, even if we stupidly toss W overboard. Maybe we should have pro-War demonstrations and anti-terrorist street theater and big benefit concerts for The Marines and an unrelenting, massive email and mail campaign to elected officials at all levels explaining that unless we see on a regular basis effective non-hand-it-off-to-the-fricking-UN roll-up-and-kill-the-murdering-scum action that no matter who they are or what they have done, they will be out of office on the next go round. While we are at it, locate the intelligent and accomplished academics who are not pampered, elitist, Marxist trash and found new alternative universities. Render the co-opted institutions as irrelevant as possible. Totally ignore Michael Moore, as, frankly, I think he loves receiving vituperation from vast numbers of people, it being better than no one paying attention, and helps to keep the blood money flowing. What would it be like, I wonder, to have a disciplined, activist, non-self destructive, patriotic counter-counterculture that was really focussed on the task and did everything moral and legal in its power to make it as difficult as possible for our political jackals to evade their reponsiblities? It might be a challenge to create that, I suppose, since normal people quite rightly prefer not to focus on politics that much. If Mr. Kerry, who appears to me utterly unworthy for the position, were to get in, then I don't think I could live with myself if, as has often been my wont, I were simply to say "Oh, well". I do not think we can afford sighs of resignation now. I am no longer able to be comfortable sitting on fences. Kids have volunteered to sit in foxholes and tiptoe through killing fields for me. I have seen the enemy, and he will not be wished away, nor bribed, nor reasoned with. I am too old and fat to carry a field pack any great distance now, but I must do what I can, and I need to do it smart. I am a secular humanist agnostic, but,screw it, I will say it anyway. God bless you and your essays. They help to give me heart.

Bill,

A friend of mine emailed me a link to STRENGTH today, so I thought I'd oblige and take a few (and by few I mean 'many') minutes to read it.

It was a fantastic piece of work. Absolutely fantastic.

It made my morning, and I look forward to reading more of your pieces.

Please keep up the great work.

I still find the essays of our founding fathers illustrative and enlightening. I just found your website today and I have never been so struck by a modern thinking man's writing.

You and Wretchard are superb!

Print now! Print all! Stop your Whittleing and get those compiled essays out while there's still time to save the Good Earth!

Pretty please? (I need about twenty paperbacks by mid-December for stocking-stuffers.)

Marketing/Retail Suggestion: A full-scale model F-18 Hornet at every bookstore. Feed a 10-Spot into an air intake and it ejects!ejects!ejects! the tome with attached drogue chute.

You are trapped in a death spiral. There have been no new essays in the last six months, unless you count the aborted attempt at "Building the Ideal American." And now you are actually moving backwards, purging essays that belong in your book.

Now, sure, the stuff about the justification for the Iraq **campaign** in the current war is a bit out of date. But it's IMPORTANT. Your essay is a distallation of informed thinking prior to the campaign, and it must stay as a bulwark against the revisionists who are even now trying to rewrite the lead up period -- "Bush Lied" "Only W thought Saddam had WMDs" etc.
yes!

For the generations it will take to eradicate these animals and their ilk from the face of the earth, this essay will stand.

Bill, I have just loved your work for so long, I am anxious to buy it in book form!

I don't know what the status is of your efforts to find a publisher, but may I suggest Encounter Books, the publisher of the new and awesome Anti Chomsky Reader?

I mentioned you to no less than two of their staff as I was arranging my evaluation copy of the above mentioned book for review purposes and they said it sounded like the kind of material they favor, but that the procedure would understandably involve YOU contecting THEM.

Go figure, eh?

Well there it is for what it's worth.

Roller Dave