Many of us have books on aspects of ending war, of stating the problem of war, of suggesting partial or systemic solutions. Swanson presents no startling new blindingly brilliant plans. What he does instead is jump right into a basic reframing of just how unacceptable all war is, period, and gives us multiple simple ways to reframe all the basic challenges to the desire to end all war. He removes all justifications for all wars, not using religion but unafraid to state and defend some basic human moral stances.

Swanson embodies what Grace Paley fittingly self-described as the “combative pacifist.” He parses and dismantles the exceptions that so many make–but what about this sort of war, how about this circumstance or exceptional condition? He asks us to think about just how many other “natural” human activities (e.g. slavery, torture, dueling to the death) we now view as utterly immoral and uncivilized–and how we can make war into that sort of past bad behavior.

Learn more about this book and how to order it on Tom Hasting’s blog: Hastings on Nonviolence.