The Unbroken Thread

Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in an Age of Chaos

By: Sohrab Ahmari

Narrated by: Sohrab Ahmari

We’ve pursued and achieved the modern dream of defining ourselves - but at what cost? An influential columnist and editor makes a compelling case for seeking the inherited traditions and ideals that give our lives meaning.

“Ahmari’s tour de force makes tradition astonishingly vivid and relevant for the here and now.” (Rod Dreher, best-selling author of Live Not by Lies and The Benedict Option)

As a young father and a self-proclaimed “radically assimilated immigrant,” opinion editor Sohrab Ahmari realized that when it comes to shaping his young son’s moral fiber, today’s America is woefully lacking. For millennia, the world’s great ethical and religious traditions have taught that true happiness lies in pursuing virtue and accepting limits. But now, unbound from these stubborn traditions, we are free to choose whichever way of life we think is most optimal - or, more often than not, merely the easiest. All that remains are the fickle desires that a wealthy, technologically advanced society is equipped to fulfill.

The result is a society riven by deep conflict and individual lives that, for all their apparent freedom, are marked by alienation and stark unhappiness.

In response to this crisis, Ahmari offers twelve questions for us to grapple with - 12 timeless, fundamental queries that challenge our modern certainties. Among them: Is God reasonable? What is freedom for? What do we owe our parents, our bodies, one another? Exploring each question through the lives and ideas of great thinkers, from Saint Augustine to Howard Thurman and from Abraham Joshua Heschel to Andrea Dworkin, Ahmari invites us to examine the hidden assumptions that drive our behavior and, in doing so, to live more humanely in a world that has lost its way.

©2021 Sohrab Ahmari (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A formidable combination of storytelling and philosophy that might change your life.” (The Times)

“[Ahmari] is a master storyteller.... Readers of Sohrab Ahmari’s new book will be grateful to him for reminding us of how serious the loss [of our traditions] could turn out to be.” (First Things)

“Ahmari’s elegantly written book matters because it seeks to give moral voice to what so far has mainly been a populist scream against the values of elite liberalism.” (Bret Stephens, The New York Times)

Must read.

Beautifully written and packed with age-old wisdom. From Confucius to Seneca, the author points out that there's nothing new under the sun.

Valuable critique, but poorly argued proposals

I found Sohrab's criticism of western culture valuable and insightful. I appreciated his walk through what seems like a personal journey.

However, I found the solutions insufficiently supported, and without the weight of the criticism. I read this to challenging myself, and it was challenging; to the point where I felt a visceral disgust at some of the jumps in logic he made when proscribing solutions.

reread again and again

I am buying a hard copy of this one. I rarely do that anymore. There's very little available space there. I need to be moved to spend the money.

Spectacular

What a truly great book. I will reread it in the future, as there is no way I fully grasped the wisdom of the ages in one pass through.

A Tour de force

I wish everyone would read this book, because i believe my life has been enhanced by the novel perspectives it imparts from ancient civilizations & various religious & philosophical traditions. And I learned about fascinating historical figures that I never knew. But the book is, honestly, not accessible to everyone. It required the full attention of all my brain cells. Ahmari is a dazzling intellect who has to work hard to keep his discourse on the level of average humans. Howver he is also an engaging story teller & that's what makes this brainy book such a delight. Loved this Audible presentation which features the author, himself, reading.

This book is an absolute must read.

Finished this in a single sitting. Absolute must read for people in the West. Added bonus that the author did the audio. I can't recommend enough.

Outstanding

A must read for dads and anyone concerned to live rightly and happily with family, friends and so on.

l learned a lot

The author adeptly wove history into the narrative which brought the thesis to life. I plan to listen to it again soon.

Brilliant

I purchased 2 hardback copies of this book, one for my son-in-love and one for myself. Being the full time caretaker of my new granddaughter I didn’t have time to sit and read. I’m so grateful it was read by the author. He is the one that had the passion to share what he thought was necessary for Max to know. I’m grateful that my precious g’daughter will have the same wisdom to read.

quite a bit of wisdom here

Mr. Amari's voice and some pronunciations were surprising. ie. "longing" "Augustine".

more importantly, I was hoping for a more assertive takedown of contemporary culture, particularly regarding compulsory speech and association