War Talk

Arundhati Roy's "War Talk" is written with an unique blend of passion and moral clarity. By sympathizing with the struggles of the lower and middle classes against their increasing exploitation by the powerful, the book serves as a bottom-up indictment of violent global capitalism. Ms. Roy suggests that war is merely the most extreme manifestation of an elitist capitalist system that is sustained by subsuming all available land, labor and resources to its own ends. The result is a scathing and compelling critique of capitalism and politics as practiced in both the U.S. and her native India.Ms. Roy initially made her mark as a novelist, and her gift for prose is turned to very good use here. In an era when the corporate media routinely treats moral issues in an ambiguous manner, the author's convictions seem to be almost revelatory. For example, when discussing the standoff between India and Pakistan over the contentious issue of Kashmir, she writes, "Why do we tolerate the men who use nuclear weapons to blackmail the entire human race?" Why, indeed?While Ms. Roy minces no words about the growth of fascism in India, she credits President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair with creating "a congenial international atmosphere" for fascism to take root. This is a world where the U.S. uses its military might to support its multinational corporate empire. Destroying countries that harbor terrorists is only its most obvious and visible form. Ms. Roy believes that it is the mistreatment of the poor by the powerful -- e.g., the lack of respect for human rights; the privatization of public resources; the monopolization of "free" speech by media corporations; and so on -- that ultimately defines the empire and, conversely, the struggle that must ensue to confront and supplant it.I give this book the highest possible rating and highly recommend it to anyone who might be struggling to understand the increasingly violent world we are inhabiting.

This is a wonderful book.The essays cover an enormous range of subjects, from politics in India to the rapid rise of the US to Empireship.Two things are most refreshing: First, Roy's clear-eyed ridicule of US self-importance and self-mythologizing. Second, her unwavering contention that all war is essentially a war of the rich against the poor.She is biting and humorous and absolutely indignant at the misinformation and disinformation people in the US are fed to justify the US corporate takeover of the world--with the aid and support of almost every government, bought and bribed and stolen.

First, my petty quibbles. The pages of the book are of a modest size, covering 5 essays in double spaced text. Out of 142 pages, 30 are devoted to bibliography, notes and a slim glossary. Then, about 10 pages are consumed by verbatim quotations from Chomsky. Out of the remaining 100 or so pages, some passages (such as Gujarat massacres) are reproduced across 2 or 3 essays in their entirety. If you finally take into account a bit of superfluous linguistic liberty that Ms. Roy frequently allows herself (for e.g., a healthy dollop of questions posed in an attempt to make the text evocative) this really could have been ONE longish essay instead of a book.Ok. That said, assuming the size and the price are irrelevant to you, there is no doubt you'll find Roy in absolutely top form -- very eloquent and a vitriolic but well supported take on ethnic-oriented acts of violence in our world, regardless of whatever facile labels are put on it ("terrorism" or its risible counterpart "war on terrorism").The first two essays address a lot of what is wrong with "modern" communally sensitive India. This includes a graphic exploration of the recent Gujarat violence and how religious fascists are ruining the secular fabric of the country. It is very useful for someone not in India to get this shameful chronology of events as they happened and how politicians like Modi and Bal Thackerey still wallow in pride over their self-indulgent shenanigans.Gradually, her cannon points to a bigger adversary -- the US. We are taken around Vietnam, Guatemala, Coasta Rica, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Colombia. Clearly, Chomsky has been a big inspiration for the author and we are subjected to frequent Chomsky moments. But apart from the quirks of America's conflicting presidential regimes + CIA, discussions about corporate globalizations are also thrown in for good measure.All in all, it is a fast-paced, provocative, summary read about many issues facing our world, particularly involving two of the countries that Ms. Roy seems to have attachments to -- India and US. But for someone who reads Chomsky himself, and follows Indian events through TOI or HT, this may not necessarily be required reading -- unless you relish Roy's literary acumen (as I do).Hope this helps you decide whether this book needs be bought and owned. As for reading it, I would HIGHLY recommend it in a blink.

Whether or not you agree with Ms. Roy, reading her book will provoke you, and thus, to me, it is worth-while. It is particularly incendiary if you a regular American living a regular life. Ms. Roy spares few in allotting responsibility for the troubles of the world's poor and war-stricken. I did find her somewhat anti-American, but then, I'm biased.Definitely take a look. Ms. Roy is extremely readable. I loved God of Small Things, and though I normally don't read political non-fiction, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Interesting read. Arundhati Roy is vivid in her descriptions and brings home reality.

good book and good author, worth reading if you havent already, just short but human sensitive and very well written