Gerald J. Russello

As one of the most important and engaging political thinkers of the last century, Russell Kirk is deserving of much greater and sustained scholarly attention than he has received. Russello's (affiliated scholar, Seton Hall) work is part of a recent trend to correct this longstanding deficiency. The book attempts to critique Kirk's life and writings by examining five aspects of his thought: overall mission; interpretation of history; political life; jurisprudence; and his criticism of modern life (Kirk's "counternarrative"). In terms of mission, Kirk's active engagement with society and politics is detailed; in other words, those who have neglected his work, viewing Kirk as either an advocate of "nostalgia" or a "static version of some ideal past" are introduced to the more engaging potentialities of his achievement. The vital role of tradition and history for Kirk are explored with great clarity and sensitivity, along with Kirk's views of politics and statesmanship, properly understood. The treatment of the interconnection between natural law and American constitutionalism in Kirk's writings also deserves commendation. In this important book, Russello provides a sagacious refutation of the often unreflective criticisms of Kirk, while affirming the vitality of Kirk's thought for contemporary politics.… (mais)