A "sense of humor," yes. And he does admit that Steyn is talking about a real problem. But it’s a shallow piece, barely a response to Steyn at all.

A terrific review--and especially on point toward the end.

I was disappointed in the review, because he seemed to dodge the grave observations that Steyn made. If, after reading Steyn’s book, the only observation you have is that it’s a very entertaining read, but that some of his points are a bit stretched, if that’s all you’re left with, then you missed the entire purpose of the book. For what Steyn is describing is an event without historic parallel in Europe. The birthplace of the West is about to be absorbed by the ultimate enemy of the West. And all the reviewer can offer is that Steyn’s book is highly "pleasurable." That review betrays precisely the lack of seriousness we’ve all come to know, expect, but not particularly enjoy about post-modern Europe.

But who really cares? Immigrants are interchangeable, and "the market" will settle all problems, whether cultural, political, or economic. Silly borders...why bother with them, or with reproduction? Only racists care about such stuff...right?

Dan, I don’t think your summary of Joffe’s view of the book is correct. I think you have missed his larger point which was that Steyn is worth taking very seriously EVEN IF you find some of his polemic a bit over the top. I think it is exactly the sort of review people who lack humor or disdain wit should read before they read Steyn’s book. Then we may hope they might take it more seriously.

Julie, as a means of introducing Steyn’s work to a wider audience, the review may or may not have merit. But I wasn’t addressing that particular issue. I was speaking to the substance of the review. I thought it was going excellently until the end, when he blithely dismissed Steyn’s concerns about Europe. Suggesting that such anxieties are groundless, because the problems wouldn’t ripen for another century or two, just about misses Steyn’s entire point. Steyn isn’t writing about a muslim Europe of the 22nd century, he’s writing about a Europe NOW, and a couple decades hence. Within twenty years, {from what I understand, may be wrong here...} the majority of children born in Europe will no longer be Christian, but will be muslim. Within 25 years a good number of cities will be majority muslim. THIS WILL ACCELERATE the demographic flight, not just from the cities, but from whole countries, as we’re already observing regarding Holland and Germany.

The clear sense that I got at the end of that review was one of flippancy and unseriousness.

Steyn’s book is scary, downright scary.

America Alone was a pleasurable book to read in the one sense and not at all pleasurable, but downright disturbing, in another sense. As Steyn explains it, Europe is ALL Berkeley, and no Boise at all, in terms of multiculturalist decline. America only has a chance to stand against the Muslim reproductive demographic because it has Boise and Peoria and Ashland, too. Mr. Joffe has been in California, and may not understand Boise or any of the interior of America at all, which I say if he thinks we have children because of some "warrior culture" ethos. Who has that, here?

Mr. Joffe dreams if he thinks there will be no political implications of 20 million Mulslims in democratic Europe. That growing number, concentrated in cities, will have an effect.