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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe very strange need of the political left to believe in right-wing conspiracies and secret cabals reached its absurd limits when they crowned Leo Strauss as the teacher of evil, par excellence. For anyone who cares about evidence and about the real Leo Strauss and his teachings, Professor Minowitz has utterly destroyed the credibility of those who choose to slander for political reasons rather than argue in search of the truth. -- Ted V. McAllister, Pepperdine University
Straussophobia is a brilliant counter-attack against Shadia Drury and those who share her phobias of Leo Strauss. Minowitz now occupies the commanding high ground in all directions. No longer will sloppy quotes, silly mistakes or sillier misinterpretations do. Those who might wish to challenge Minowitz will have to respond in kind to his provocative and comprehensive scholarship or leave the field in tatters. My guess is that the responses will either be pro forma or—more likely—simply silence. -- John Murley
There have been several recent attempts to explicate and defend the work of Leo Strauss. Peter Minowitz, however, is accurate in claiming that his effort represents the most systematic and comprehensive response to what he refers to as Shadia Drury's "inflammatory" statements and "diatribes," as well as the aspersions cast by Tim Robbins, Anne Norton, Nicholas Xenos, and a variety of others....fascinating. * Perspectives on Politics, September 2010 *
Minowitz's main but by no means sole target is the Canadian political scientist Shadia Drury….To his credit, Minowitz is more thorough than any of Strauss' previous defenders in exposing Drury's "exaggerations, misquotations, contradictions, factual errors, and defective documentation"….The books biggest revelation is Minowitz's contention that Straussians are treated in the Straussophobic literature in much the same way that other "out-groups" are treated by prejudiced majorities…..The author is quick to recognize the many important differences between Straussians and more recognized out-groups, but his observations about the similarly bigoted patterns of though directed against them are striking. * Claremont Review of Books, Summer 2010 *
With a truly unique approach, Minowitz ably refutes many of the wilder allegations about Strauss and some of his students that have recently found their way into American media. -- Thomas L. Pangle, University of Texas at Austin
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction: Persecution and the Art of Writhing Chapter 2 Chapter 1. All Hate Leo Strauss Chapter 3 Chapter 2. "Careless Scholarship and a Tendency to Quote out of Context": Early Drury on Strauss, Locke, and Xenophon Chapter 4 Chapter 3. The American Right, Pious Frauds, and Secret Kingship Chapter 5 Chapter 4. "A Great Enemy of Democracy"? Strauss on Plato's Republic, Germany, and Empire Chapter 6 Chapter 5. "Mired in Perpetual War": Confrontations with Cyber-Age Vilification Chapter 7 Chapter 6. "Untold Mischief" and "Enigmatic Works": Appreciating Strauss on Machiavelli and Modernity Chapter 8 Chapter 7. From the Peloponnesus to Iraq-and Michigan
