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The Devil's Pleasure Palace: The Cult of Critical Theory and the Subversion of the West Hardcover – August 11, 2015

by Michael Walsh (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 564 ratings
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In the aftermath of World War II, America stood alone as the world’s premier military power. Yet its martial confidence contrasted vividly with its sense of cultural inferiority. Still looking to a defeated and dispirited Europe for intellectual and artistic guidance, the burgeoning transnational elite in New York and Washington embraced not only the war’s refugees, but many of their ideas as well, and nothing has proven more pernicious than those of the Frankfurt School and its reactionary philosophy of “critical theory.”

In The Devil's Pleasure Palace, Michael Walsh describes how Critical Theory released a horde of demons into the American psyche. When everything could be questioned, nothing could be real, and the muscular, confident empiricism that had just won the war gave way, in less than a generation, to a central-European nihilism celebrated on college campuses across the United States. Seizing the high ground of academe and the arts, the New Nihilists set about dissolving the bedrock of the country, from patriotism to marriage to the family to military service. They have sown, as Cardinal Bergoglio—now Pope Francis—once wrote of the Devil, “destruction, division, hatred, and calumny,” and all disguised as the search for truth.

The Devil's Pleasure Palace exposes the overlooked movement that is Critical Theory and explains how it took root in America and, once established and gestated, how it has affected nearly every aspect of American life and society.
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  1. Print length
    280 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Encounter Books
  4. Publication date
    August 11, 2015
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    159403768X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1594037689
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Walsh is a journalist, author, and screenwriter, whose work includes six novels, seven works of nonfiction, and a hit Disney movie. The former classical music critic of Time magazine, he is now a regular contributor of political and cultural commentary to PJ Media and National Review, and an occasional op-ed columnist for the New York Post. Among his awards are the ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award for distinguished music criticism, in 1979, and the American Books Awards prize for fiction for his gangster novel, And All the Saints, in 2004.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Encounter Books
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 11, 2015
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 159403768X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594037689
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.09 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 564 ratings

About the author

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Michael Walsh

Michael Walsh

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With six critically acclaimed novels, as well as a hit TV movie, journalist, author and screenwriter Michael Walsh has achieved the writer's trifecta: two New York Times best-sellers, a major literary award and, as co-writer, the Disney Channel's then-highest-rated show.

The 1998 publication of As Time Goes By -- his long-awaited and controversial prequel/sequel to everybody's favorite movie, Casablanca -- created a literary sensation; translated into more than twenty languages, including Portuguese, Chinese and Hebrew, the story of Rick and Ilsa landed on best-seller lists around the world.

His first novel, the dark thriller Exchange Alley, was published by Warner Books in July 1997. Hailed by critics for its moody depiction of a crumbling Soviet Union - which Walsh covered first-hand as a correspondent for Time Magazine - and a violent, dangerous New York City during the darkest days of the early 1990s, the novel was picked by the Book-of-the-Month Club as an alternate selection.

Walsh's third novel, the gripping gangster saga, And All the Saints, was named a winner at the 2004 American Book Awards; even before publication, the movie rights to this fictionalized "autobiography" of the legendary Prohibition-era gangster Owney Madden was bought by MGM.

His 2009 novel, Hostile Intent, the first in a series of five thrillers about the National Security Agency to be published by Kensington Books, was an Amazon Kindle #1 bestseller, as well as a New York Times bestseller. The eagerly awaited sequel, Early Warning, will be published in Sept.

In the spring of 2002, the Disney Channel premiered Walsh's original movie (co-written with Gail Parent), Cadet Kelly, starring teen idol Hilary Duff of "Lizzie McGuire" fame. Until High School Music, the two-hour film reigned as the highest-rated original movie in Disney Channel history, as well as the Disney Channel's highest-rated single program ever.

Walsh is also the author of Who's Afraid of Classical Music (1989) and Who's Afraid of Opera (1994) for Fireside Books, and Andrew Lloyd Webber: His Life and Works, a critical biography of the composer for Harry M. Abrams (U.S.) and Viking Penguin (U.K.), published in the fall of 1989; an updated and expanded edition appeared in 1997. With fellow TIME Contributor Richard Schickel, he is the co-author of Carnegie Hall: The First One Hundred Years, a cultural history of the great American concert hall published by Abrams in November 1987. His most recent book about music is So When Does the Fat Lady Sing?, published by Amadeus Press.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
564 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book insightful, with one noting it's a critical read for understanding our modern era, and they appreciate its well-written, engaging style that's easy to read. The book receives positive feedback for its clarity and thought-provoking content, with one customer describing it as a great look at pleasure. While some find it entertaining, others describe it as impossibly boring. The pacing is well-received, with customers noting how it brings the basic battle of good vs evil to life.

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InsightWriting qualityThought provokingPacingClarityEntertainment value
100 customers mention "Insight"91 positive9 negative

Customers find the book insightful and educational, praising its astonishing knowledge of history and erudition, with one customer noting it's a critical read for understanding our modern era.

"...trove of original analysis and insight; not only for its richness of content, but in the manner of presentation as well: It is positively brilliant,..." Read more

"...This is an account of a culture war that is timeless and, ultimately, cosmic. It is a war between good and evil, light and darkness...." Read more

"...34;The Devil’s Pleasure Palace" offers a riveting, authoritative answer to the question...." Read more

"...True learning and a real recognition of the stakes involved--good and evil--is the only antidote to the satanic embrace of the abyss these latter..." Read more

48 customers mention "Writing quality"35 positive13 negative

Customers find the book well written and easy to read, with one customer noting the author's precise language.

"...(both music and literature), is an accomplished musician, fluent in several languages, along with being an award-winning Time Magazine classical..." Read more

"...Walsh is a wordsmith. His prose is crisp, clear and engaging. He can be profound and elegant in one paragraph and playful and witty in the next...." Read more

"...The writing is clear enough to follow, but even if you share the author's politics (and much of this book reads like a sermon to the converted) the..." Read more

"...Important topic, tiresome writer. But the man's insight is monumental and the subject is of vital importance...." Read more

15 customers mention "Thought provoking"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, describing it as elegant and insightful, with one customer noting how Walsh skillfully weaves art into the narrative.

"...Walsh is brilliant, but so esoteric as to be unpersuasive to all but the already persuaded." Read more

"...So I believe Walsh has real talent, that he could have written a powerful and persuasive book, and I wish he had done so. But he didn't...." Read more

"...Thanks to the author for accomplishing a task with great flair. Good vs. evil really is the full story of all humans...." Read more

"...It is all done with verve and panache, by a writer who appreciates great literature...." Read more

8 customers mention "Pacing"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with one noting how it brings the basic battle of good vs evil to life, while another describes it as riveting.

"...And yet it is done seamlessly and with great passion. It is a quintessentially honest book. There are no hesitations, no pulled punches...." Read more

"...He believed he had a unique love for humanity and had been endowed with unprecedented gifts and insights to increase its felicity...." Read more

"...His prose is crisp, clear and engaging. He can be profound and elegant in one paragraph and playful and witty in the next...." Read more

"...these German intellectual refugees using the classic tales of good and evil as background...." Read more

26 customers mention "Clarity"14 positive12 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the clarity of the book, with some appreciating its detailed insights, while others find it confusing and bogged down by excessive analysis of classical music.

"...schooled in the classics (both music and literature), is an accomplished musician, fluent in several languages, along with being an award-winning..." Read more

"...This book is subjective, poorly structured, and ultimately disappointing...." Read more

"...He is also a distinguished music critic and we get extended discussions of the politicized music theory of the Frankfurters (as he terms them) and..." Read more

"...In a way, that's because this book is really just a collection of brief essays (ranging from 5-20 pages in length) with each one designated as a..." Read more

16 customers mention "Entertainment value"8 positive8 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's entertainment value, with some finding it engaging and entertaining, while others describe it as impossibly boring.

"...Walsh is a wordsmith. His prose is crisp, clear and engaging. He can be profound and elegant in one paragraph and playful and witty in the next...." Read more

"...This book is subjective, poorly structured, and ultimately disappointing...." Read more

"...tedious in its constant reference to classical works, is nonetheless engaging and thought provoking...." Read more

"...I was not impressed with the book." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Sandman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading for Inquiring Minds
    Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2015
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Required Reading for Inquiring Minds
    By Sandy Stringfellow

    What in the world has been happening to our America; how – and why – did we become a crippled republic? As usual, the answers may be found in verifiable history. Surprisingly, the most important slice of history necessary to grasp America's state of diminished affairs has been largely unreported.

    Until now. The Devil's Pleasure Palace fills the aforementioned historical void. For those of us whom study history with passion, it is a treasure trove of original analysis and insight; not only for its richness of content, but in the manner of presentation as well: It is positively brilliant, and a compelling read.

    Michael Walsh is – perhaps, quite uniquely – qualified to explore the origins of a “culture war” being waged against America; a pernicious, insidious, even childish attempt to overthrow our existing civil society from within by assailing the institutions providing our traditional cultural fabric necessary for the continuance of a Constitutional Republic as set forth by the Founders and Framers.

    The digital age is a communications boon, but not without drawbacks; even the intellectually flaccid have often become “legends in their own mind,” as publishing platforms grew to pervasiveness.

    By contrast, Michael Walsh has lived his life in a scholarly fashion. He was schooled in the classics (both music and literature), is an accomplished musician, fluent in several languages, along with being an award-winning Time Magazine classical music critic and award-winning author. Walsh immersed himself in the creative disciplines from an early age; he is – thankfully – not just a johnny-come-lately writer on the instrumentally important topics of culture, religion, politics, art, and history: precisely why the Devil's Pleasure Palace is not mundane. It is, rather, exceptional in every imaginable respect.

    It's sad to find such a seminal work as The Devil's Pleasure Place disparaged by even a single one-star Amazon review, or misrepresented by those without the patience or persistence to contemplate what it has to offer; just as it is sad to see any work of art defiled by those with blinders firmly attached.

    Walsh frequently offers more cogent analysis in a single paragraph than other writers of the cultural genre muster in an entire chapter: at times, one must pause from reading and ponder the implications and revelations of Walsh's erudite perceptions. As with most things in life, what we truly find worth having is what we also consider worth working and waiting for: So it is with honest knowledge.

    Rather than being a pro-Christian screed, Walsh leaves open theological doors by establishing early on that most religions have plenty in common with the Western ur-Narrative reflected in art and culture. As America is – and always was, from its founding – a Judeo-Christian nation, naturally Walsh would explore that theological aspect in considerable depth. His focus, however, is on ethereal possibilities.

    To correct the mistakes of history, we must understand them. That Walsh has tackled a formidable yet critically important task of explaining not only how and why America arrived at our tenuous station upon the post-modern cultural cliff (and how to handle it) with succinctness and an uncanny wit is a testimony to the depth of his scholarly capabilities. It also signals respect for reader's time and effort. The Devil's Pleasure Palace is one of the most important books you'll read. It is, no doubt, a classic.

    © Sandy Stringfellow/2015. Used with permission.
    15 people found this helpful
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  • Richard B. Schwartz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Delicious and Riveting
    Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2015
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    This is a fascinating book, not just for its substance but also for its mode of reasoning. The basic subject is the manner in which the Frankfurt School and its so-called ‘critical theory’ has attempted to destroy American culture by undercutting its prized institutions (the family, religious faith, education, empirical reasoning, et al.) by subjecting everything, no matter how estimable and no matter how settled, to critical analysis that is largely subversive. This is an account of the ideology of the ‘unholy Left’ and its etiology in German, communist thought.

    It is much more than that, however, and the actual thought of the members of the Frankfurt School is given comparatively little attention. This is an account of a culture war that is timeless and, ultimately, cosmic. It is a war between good and evil, light and darkness. Walsh has no hesitation in discussing the Satanic nature of unholy leftist thought and his two major reference points for the stakes we confront are Milton’s Paradise Lost and Goethe’s Faust.

    He is also a distinguished music critic and we get extended discussions of the politicized music theory of the Frankfurters (as he terms them) and specific criticism of the pretenses of Adorno in his ruminations on music. In ranging across high culture he stops from time to time to reflect on popular culture, using trenchant examples whenever necessary. I have never before seen a book which will discuss the thought of Herbert Marcuse, the cultural importance of the Tristan chord, the nuances of part II of Faust and the Gerald Petievich novel/William Friedkin film, To Live and Die in L.A.

    And yet it is done seamlessly and with great passion. It is a quintessentially honest book. There are no hesitations, no pulled punches. He knows that we are at war and he speaks as a warrior, but these are not the screeds of talk radio, they are the arguments of a learned individual who speaks from a wide range of reference. In the process he gives hope to the silent and steels them for the war itself.

    The book is delicious and riveting. If Georgie Patton had survived and become a student of intellectual history this is the book he would have written.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • T. S.
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read
    Reviewed in Canada on December 29, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Brilliant. Timely. Necessary. The problem the West faces has now been fully exposed/identified. This is the first step in solving it. A deep analysis that smartly brings spiritualism into full play here too. Each chapter is a jewel. Amazing.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Ricky
    5.0 out of 5 stars Germany's revenge
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2019
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    America used its military might to help the allies defeat Germany in WW2. However, whilst militarily strong, the USA felt culturally inferior, and ended up giving refuge to a group of Marxist Jews from the Frankfurt school in Germany. Instead of being grateful to their host, this group set about undermining and then destroying American culture. They propagated Critical Theory, infecting American culture like a virus, spreading amongst its universities, Hollywood, sports and politics. It led to the PC movement which attacks American pride and confidence by promoting a belief that America was racist in its inception and bad and corrupt, especially the ‘white’ majority.
    Michael Walsh uses his considerable intellect and depth of understanding to tell the story of how the socialist wars in Europe transferred over to America. As a journalist in the old cold war, Walsh visited East Berlin and saw the communist regime at work, prior to the falling of the wall in 1989. He shows just how insidious and devastating the old failed socialist philosophies were and how they found fertile ground in the states. They have led to the new cold war between individualism and collectivism, capitalism and socialism…good and evil.
    Using his finely tuned literary skills, his background as a music critic and his expertise in East German and Soviet culture, he delivers a powerful, allegorical analysis of the battle between good and evil. In the end, will Germany finally prevail and get its revenge on the USA…or will the new world rediscover its confidence in 'freedom', and banish the German foe once and for all?
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  • book worm
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very recommended.
    Reviewed in Australia on July 30, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    A challenging read but persevere it is very enlightening. Very recommended.
    Report
  • Amazon Kunde
    5.0 out of 5 stars "Konservatisvismus" gegen "Frankfurter Schule" und "political correctness"
    Reviewed in Germany on August 7, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Das Buch über Konservativismus und seine Feinde alias Frankfurter Schule läßt ahnen, warum Trump gewählt wurde und greift die grassierende "Political Correctness" an. Für "Rechte" und "Linke" in den USA und Europa gleichermaßen äußerst lesenswert.
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  • Jobie
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Devil's Pleasure Palace book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 8, 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    The Devil's Pleasure Palace book. Arrived quickly in good condition. Book is well manufactured on good quality paper. Not going to do a book review - you'll have to read it yourself!
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