What went wrong in imperial Rome, and how we can avoid it: "If you
want to understand where America stands in the world today, read
this."--Thomas E. Ricks
The rise and fall of ancient Rome has been on American minds since the
beginning of our republic. Depending on who's doing the talking, the
history of Rome serves as either a triumphal call to action--or a dire
warning of imminent collapse.
In this "provocative and lively" book, Cullen Murphy points out that
today we focus less on the Roman Republic than on the empire that took
its place, and reveals a wide array of similarities between the two
societies (New York Times).
Looking at the blinkered, insular culture of our capitals; the
debilitating effect of bribery in public life; the paradoxical issue of
borders; and the weakening of the body politic through various forms of
privatization, Murphy persuasively argues that we most resemble Rome in
the burgeoning corruption of our government and in our arrogant
ignorance of the world outside--two things that must be changed if we
are to avoid Rome's fate.
"Are We Rome? is just about a perfect book. . . . I wish every
politician would spend an evening with this book."--James Fallows