Not long ago a historian calculated that throughout human history there has been a total of fewer than 25 years of peace. There were wars somewhere on the planet the rest of the time. The clear meaning is that homo sapiens are a violent, bloodthirsty lot.
Each side claims God is on their side. The devil is on the other side. A tad confusing when priests support both.
Numerous religious conflicts have been fought over the issue of "my God is better than your God!" Wars of succession have been going on through the ages. Imperialist wars between the powers for land. Between the "natives" seeking freedom from the powers.
Class wars between the haves and have-nots look to be the bloodiest of them all. The most sensible solution would be a conference between opposites and working something out together. But, no. Too much mistrust.
Indian political analyst Pankaj Mishra details all this in Age Of Anger. In four-syllable words he demonstrates his erudition with quotes from famous and not so famous men over the centuries who had something to say about the causes of wars, not least in India.
He is particularly hard on Isis. He keep pointing put that their Holy Book is full of hate, not love. Nevertheless, it appeals to the disaffected at all levels of society. That nine-year-olds are regarded as women and able to marry doesn't bother converts.
Isis has taken advantage of the digital age by sending out their appeals on the internet and films. Recruits are joining from all backgrounds. And they are itching for a war with the democracies, which have failed to deliver on their expectations.
Age Of Anger is insightful, but this reviewer takes issue with his referring to Isis as suicidal terrorists. Unlike Al-Qaeda, being awarded 72 virgins is of no immediacy. Their format is to kill and run.
Unless you have more than a fair background in history and literature, quite a bit of it will go over your head. Mishra presents the problem as one that the modern world has dumped into our laps. It is for us and future generations to deal with it.
Cross The Line by James Patterson Arrow 373pp Available at Asia Books and leading bookshops 315 baht
John Brown's body
There's no two ways about it: James Patterson (and his team of co-authors) is one of the most prolific writers on the planet and one of the best. His new books are published at the rate of one every six to eight weeks. The Yank scrivener has introduced several literary creations.
Patterson's crime thrillers have both original plots and variations to often-employed ones. Frankly, this reviewer regards his output as awesome. The only axe he grinds is against his country's enemies. Granted some of his stories are far-fetched, but not implausible.
Of Patterson's protagonists, psychologist Alex Cross is perhaps the most popular. Living with his daughters and grandmother in Washington, D.C., he is consulted by the police and FBI as a profiler in murder cases. In fact, he brings more perpetrators to justice than they do.
In Cross The Line he takes on the regulators, vigilantes with a mission. They comprise men and women in high places, with mercenaries as foot soldiers. A number are ex-special forces. Snipers, they kill from a far. Kill who? Those who deserve to die, and those tracking them.
All are the brainstorm of decorated retired Marine Colonel Jeb Whitaker. His intended victims are lawbreakers, who got away with it. Like the drunk driver who killed his wife.
Success has fed his ambition. He fancies that he's another John Brown, who felt that the only way to free the slaves was to arm them to rise up and fight for their freedom. In the event he failed. Still, why not arm the country's slaves today for another civil war?
Patterson is vague who the slaves are today. The FBI are on the wrong side and the colonel ambushes a few. It remains for Cross to fight him in single combat. With one knife between them, they do a lot of stabbing in turn. It's a wonder one survives.
The author has introduced multi-chapters -- 105 here. Each ends with major and minor cliffhangers. This requires extraordinary skill. While another war between the states is all but impossible, foreign wars can't be ruled out. The 20th was the globe's bitterest century.
What the 21st century will be like remains to be seen.
