Spectrum

What are the meanings, boundaries and relevance of the categories Right, Center, and Left in our world's current political climate? In this book, Anderson-the eminent historian and former editor of New Left Review-takes a "panning shot" across the modern intellectual landscape, critically examining these issues in 15 essays, 14 of which were previously published in The London Review of Books or New Left Review. Anderson possesses both a magisterial intelligence and an abstruse vocabulary, which can make his work appear unapproachable to even the most erudite readers. However, one of Anderson's central themes is refreshingly simple: he continually echoes Carl Schmitt's claim that "dividing friend from foe...is the opposition that defines the nature of the political as such." This concept is illustrated most clearly in essays on "the Center," such as when Anderson demarcates Timothy Garton Ash's allegiances to Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia as compared to the rest of "Eastern Europe." In effect, everyone has to come down on one side of the political fence at some point. Through the lens of this binary opposition, Anderson appraises a gamut of philosophers, political theorists and writers of various subgenres, wielding both his sharp intellect and pen to elucidate-and rebuke-their ideas. Although Anderson's own far-left political views are occasionally visible, he creates a successful overview of contemporary intellectual thought, reinforcing the idea that all life inevitably revolves around politics.