Book

Paxton, Robert O. The Anatomy of Fascism. Knopf, $26.

Publishers Weekly: “Paxton, the author of seminal works on Vichy france, now sums up a lifelong reflection on fascism’s myriad forms…This study has several virtues (and few defects): the writing is free of some of the theoretical jargon that threatens our understanding…This is sure to take its place among classics in the field by Stanley Payne and Roger Griffith.” Economist: “A deeply intelligent and very readable book. Paxton moves through the scholarly minefields with sharp eyes and historical good sense. He is alive to the complexities of politics without for once making them an excuse to avoid clear judgments. Not the least of his achievements is to make the over-written subject of fascism fresh. Historical analysis at its best.” Library Journal: “The culmination of a lifetime’s study, this work is based on a thorough analysis of just about every secondary work on fascism and includes a superb bibliographic essay that will guide students and historians for many years to come. While there are countless studies on fascism, readers will be hard pressed to find anything more in depth from a scholar with Paxton’s credentials. Recommended for all academic libraries and for public libraries with strong political science collections.” Foreign Affairs: “The book, based on decades of research and teaching, is likely to prove authoritative. The in-depth bibliographical essay alone will guide scholars and graduate students for years to come.” Kirkus: “Immensely learned. A solid contribution to political literature, and of much interest to students of 20th-century history.” Booklist: “Paxton wants his intricate but readable work to ‘rescue the concept for meaningful use,’ a laudable goal largely achieved.” New Statesman: “Lucid, engagingly readable. The book could have said more about the curious time-warping involved in fascism—-the way in which it is archaic and avant-garde, mythological and technological, at the same time.”