Francis Fukuyama's Book: The Arafat Shell-Game Continues

(By Ray D.)

SPIEGEL ONLINE isn't the only major publication playing disingenuous games with translations. Check out this article by Jorg of Atlantic Review on Francis Fukuyama's book-title duplicity. You might call it Arafatesque: Click here.

You also might say the German cover is better suited to populist anti-American tastes, note the illustration and the very different title:

Left: The English version / Right: The German version; Translated: "Is America Failing?: Superpower at the Crossroads"

With Fukuyama out pulling cheap stunts like this, maybe the neo-cons are better off without him. Again, be sure to check out Atlantic Review's extensive article on this.

(Hattip: Jorg)

Comments

[Pamela]

Deliberate self-delusion. I routinely read articles/books representing views I know I will probably disagree with. Today I began a book, WHY EUORPE WILL RUN THE 21ST CENTURY by Mark Leonard. On page xi of the preface in a section titled "Why Europe Matters" the nonsense begins.

-The EU is responsible for the success of the Orange Revolution

- The EU is responsible for the gov't of Turkey trying to ban the dealth penalty

- It is EU peacekeepers keeping the peace in Sarajevo

- It is the EU training and equipping the Palestinian Police forces (yeah, how's that going by the way?)

- The EU is the world's only hope for avoiding a nuclear crisis with Tehran

- And so many places are dependent on trade with the EU, like Sub-Sahara Africa.

Then he goes on to laud the fact that the EU was the driving force behind the WTO. No mention of the fact that sub-Sahara Africa would be a shit load better off if the EU would find the political will to do something about the CAP. But hey, that's only thru page xii.

Page xiii has my favorite howler so far, and I quote:

No sooner had President Bush expressed his support for the European Union's proposed consitution than the French public decided to reject it

I get it. It's Bush's fault!

This persistent self-delusion in Europe has reached critical mass. It's hard to rescue a drowning man when the fool keeps diving to the bottom.

[Cousin Dave]

Well, in regard to the book cover: To be fair, Fukuyama probably doesn't have anything to do with the covers or titles on foreign editions. Usually decisions like this get made by the publisher, and often the author isn't even aware of it. On the other hand, it does fit in nicely with Fukuyama's own "I was right even when I was wrong" self-serving spin.

[LouMinatti]

If I was a European, I think a better question to ask is "Is Europe Failing?" By every account it is. But hey, if Europeans want to pretend that Europe is sunshine and roses, be my guest.

[Germerican]

http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,,1755404,00.html