After America

Get Ready for Armageddon

By: Mark Steyn

Narrated by: Mark Steyn

Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Optimistic about America’s future? Don’t be.

In his giant New York Times best seller, America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It, Mark Steyn predicted collapse for the rest of the Western World. Now, he adds, America has caught up with Europe on the great rush to self-destruction.

It’s not just our looming financial collapse; it’s not just a culture that seems on a fast track to perdition, full of hapless, indulgent, childish people who think government has the answer for every problem; it’s not just America’s potential eclipse as a world power because of the drunken sailor policymaking in Washington—no, it’s all this and more that spells one word for America: Armageddon.

What will a world without American leadership look like? It won’t be pretty—not for you and not for your children. America’s decline won’t be gradual, like an aging Europe sipping espresso at a café until extinction (and the odd Greek or Islamist riot). No, America’s decline will be a wrenching affair marked by violence and possibly secession.

With his trademark wit, Steyn delivers the depressing news with raw and unblinking honesty—but also with the touch of vaudeville stand-up and soft shoe that makes him the most entertaining, yet profound, columnist on the planet. And as an immigrant with nowhere else to go, he offers his own prescription for winning America back from the feckless and arrogant liberal establishment that has done its level best to suffocate the world’s last best hope in a miasma of debt, decay, and debility. You will not read a more important—or more alarming, or even funnier—book all year than After America.

©2011 Mark Steyn (P)2011 Phoenix Books, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Mark Steyn is a modern day Jeremiah with a quiverful of devastating one-liners, nailing what the liberals have done to our country. He presents an alarming—and frighteningly convincing—prophecy of where we’re headed. The choice is stark—we either listen to Steyn and act on his recommendations or face economic and cultural armageddon.” (Mark Levin)

“Mark Steyn has done it again. In his new book, After America, he clearly defines the dangerous signals which show America is embracing the same doomed path as the failed European economies, and how vital it is to implement and avoid policies right now to prevent us from the same fate.” (Sean Hannity)

“Only Mark Steyn can write about the decline of America and leave you laughing.” (Ann Coulter)

Excellent book, great narration

I've always enjoyed Steyn's wit and wisdom, but this is the first of his books I've read.
It did not disappoint.

It really gets you thinking.

I do love Mr. Steyn's dry wit. I listened to a few chapters a couple of times to take in all the information. He puts it down very strongly and doesn't mince his words. Kind of like a smack to the face that wakes you up. I will be purchasing another book from his line.

Outstanding

Insightful, entertaining, and timeless.Very few people have Mark Steyn’s grasp of the truth about the world we live in.

Prescient, Pithy and Fun

Wonderful, if scary, analysis of our current culture and times. Although written years before today, Mark accurately predicts the unraveling of our society and the forces driving the division. Prescient, pithy but witty and fun, Mark’s unique perspective and articulate read on the World makes him an excellent tour guide on the road to Armageddon.

It inspires a revolution of spirit

First and foremost, the narrator was excellent. As much as I love a baritone Englishman dictating a classic novel, I found Steyn's voice to be incredibly regular and common. This by no means of the imagination is an insult! Rather than feel like I was being lectured to in an Oxford hall, instead I felt like I was having a riveting discussion with my (incredibly well-read) neighbor, griping about our government. Such familiarity really helped hammer home the message and tone of the book.

The book itself is revelatory, and the final chapter was a godsend. I'm glad he ended on a positive note; otherwise I think I would be in an eternal funk!

The language was familiar, the tone was common, altogether it was a very easy to follow book, and I'm going to recommend it to many people. Thank you!

Steyn shows us where we are

This is a great book. It tells why we need to decentralize, deregulate and take control of our futures. Why isn't AMERICA the land of Liberty ? Because we have lost our vision and our conviction that we don't need a nanny state that tells us we can't do anything in our own. Why are public school teachers retiring at 50 and getting paid 70,000 $ a year for life? Because we are paying them. And studies show that are kids are getting dumber. Push the reset button ... Listen to Mr. Steyn.

Compelling yet somber

I am so glad that Mr. Steyn decided to narrate the book. He brought such an energy to the reading. Yet, his tone was moderate even though his words were radical. It was clear that he believes these words. This is one reason I found the book compelling.

The humor and phraseology of the book was wonderful. I don't know if he coined many of the terms he used, but it brought me many laughs. I will need to listen again just for humor.

The book reminded me what a dangerous place we are in regarding freedom of speech. We are on the cusp of progressive tyranny. Good luck if you want to use your our terms. Progressives will deem them out of bounds. And regulate and sue to keep opposing ideas and terms out of the public square.

The book focuses on several major problems facing us. The first is budgetary. The president commended himself on reducing the budget deficit in 2014. But the deficit was still $.5 trillion. In a year with the highest GDP growth since the housing collapse. If we can't eliminate the deficit in a robust year, what hope is there for when things aren't so rosey?

The second problem is our university system. There is no place in America where there is less freedom of speech than the typical college or university campus. Why do you think the president is proposing free community college? A full employment act for progressive "teachers" (indoctrinators) and more young heads to fill with progressive nonsense.

Keep writing, Mark, and I will keep listening.

excelente

un grande M.Steyn! ojalá existiera un equivalente en lengua española que conjugarse el análisis filoso, el humor ingenioso y el histrionismo de Mark.

Truly brilliant analysis

What did you love best about After America?

Steyn has uncovered what many already know but have either been too ineloquent or (sadly) too frightened to say for decades. This is a warning, the west either reclaims its heritage at the forefront of modern history, or we allow ourselves to be torn down into a morass powered by self loathing.

What was one of the most memorable moments of After America?

His comments on the war against manhood was extremely well researched.

What about Mark Steyn’s performance did you like?

Good, witty and well paced delivery.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Make the wrong people do the right thing

Excellent.

Steyn adds wit to what is typically an academic description of America's current situation. This book is a necessary motivator, once the basic economics and history that illustrate the need for a shift away from dependency on big government are understood.