Book Review: Blood and Soil
Aug 21st, 2008 by jeremy
Book thirty-four in 52 books in 52 weeks.
Blood and Soil: A World History of Genocide and Extermination from Sparta to Darfur, the title says it all. Ben Kiernan’s book is a dense examination of the causes and outcomes of genocide throughout the world. It’s awfully depressing to read how some of these conflicts started so small, and grew to people trying to erase certain groups of people from existence.
Groups hating others because of what land they own, what god they worship and what political party they follow are all some of the reasons given. The results are pretty horrible. It talks about genocides we all know about like Nazi Germany and the deaths under Stalin, but goes back in time for other events, as well as the more recent conflicts in Darfur. The most surprising thing is how much genocide has increased after World War II. You’d think something as horrible as the Jewish people being slaughtered would make the people of the world decide something like that will never happen ever again, but we slip back into it so easily, where now it doesn’t seem to get much publicity unless someone makes a movie about it.
It’s a depressing book if you can’t tell. Something I think was good for me to read, but I’m going to stick with some lighter stuff for a few weeks. It should be required reading by leaders of countries all over the world. The book shows the unstable areas of the world are where genocides start to happen, and the world seems to be turning less stable all the time. It’s a good warning of what can continue to happen if we don’t find a way to prevent it.
B-
My other reviews in 52 weeks
Other people reading 52 books in 52 weeks
- Jaime reviewed The Ruins by Scott Smith
- Nick reviews The Emotion Machine by Marvin Minsky
Kiernan’s books on Cambodia are seen as seminal texts on the subject of the revolution and resulting genocide. Now he extends his writing to cover the history of genocide, and does so in an accessible and engaging way. The chapter on cambodia is particularly good but the entire book is valuable for both academics and secondaty teachers at senior levels seeking sources.
Wow, it sounds pretty intense. If I ever really feel the need to read something that will make me feel supremely grateful to live where I do, I will pick it up.