July/August 2005 Issue

The Subtitle That Saved Civilization

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Books may not be more interesting these days (or even better written), but a quick spin through their dust jackets makes one thing clear: Their subjects are crucial—crucial—to the very bedrock upon which our civilization rests. Some recent titles:

Oak: The Frame of Civilization by William Bryant Logan

Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky

How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization by Thomas E. Woods Jr.

How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe’s Poorest Nation Created Our World and Everything in It by Arthur Herman

How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill

How the Hungarians Saved Western Civilization by Zoltán Deák

How the Homosexuals Saved Civilization: The True and Heroic
Story of How Gay Men Shaped the Modern World by Cathy Crimmins

The Battle of Salamis: The Naval Encounter That Saved Greece–and Western Civilization by Barry Strauss

PugSpotting: A True History of How Pugs Saved Civilization by Susanne McCaffery-Saville

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DECEMBER IS MAKE OR BREAK

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With only days left until December 31, we've raised about half of our $400,000 goal—but we need a huge surge in reader support to close the remaining gap. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

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