Posted on 12/18/2008 6:37:56 AM PST by fortunate sun
After a review of the Free Home page, I noticed the various links to allied groups, media groups and other interests. Perhaps I didn't look as completely as I should have but conspicuous by it's absence was a Free Republic library or reading list. Long time Conservatives and libertarians may be familiar with the classic works of authors and film-makers but those newer to the movement, may not be. Even those died-in-the-wool may be looking for additional background or may be missing a volume or two from their own personal library.
But one that had the most profound effect on me in regards to conservatism/libertarianism....was Heinlein's Starship Troopers. I've read it 6 times and has been the only book I've read cover to cover in a 24hr period. Just me I guess.
That was my intention. Standing on the shoulders of giants is much easier when you know where to find those shoulders.
Nope, not just you. Starship Troopers taught me the value of serving one's country. (As you know) in the book only military veterans are granted "full citizenship" and allowed to vote, or run for office. Other people had full rights, but could not vote for their leaders.
Sounds like a great idea to me.
The US Constitution (I carry a Cato pocket-size)
1984
Brave New World
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Heinlein
Revile for Radicals Alinsky
Rules for Radicals Alinsky
The Port Huron Statement Tom Hayden
Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky
A Canticle for Liebowitz Walter Miller
Day of the Triffids Wyndham
Farenheit 451
Atlas Shrugged
Tom Swift
Gulliver’s Travels
LOTS of history books...
Bible - Luke 7:2-10, Find a better example of “Faith is Power”.
Slouching Towards Gomorrah - Robert H. Bork, it was my political Rorschach ink blot
Blade Runner - movie —
The Federalist Papers
Capitalism and Freedom-Milton Friedman
Any Thomas Sowell,and Walter Williams
The Road To Serfdom-F.A. Hayek (Reading it now.)
The Gulag Archipelago-Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsen
Atlas Shrugged-Ayn Rand
The Ominous Parallels-Leonard Peikoff (The Heir to Ayn Rand.
Dr.Peikoff was one of my teachers.)
The Government Against The Economy-George Reisman (another former teacher)(Recommended by F.A. Hayek,William E. Simon,and Henry Hazlitt.)
Oh,yeah,and Henry Hazlitt
Absolutely right. What is the difference between a citizen and a civilian? :)
And Ann Coulter for fun,and ammunition, when debating the Marxists.
Plus P.J. O’Rourke for more fun.
The Bible
1984
Atlas shrugged
The Conscience of a Conservative
Response to History
(grin!) I forgot one very important book:
“The Boy Scout Manual” — no good Conservative bookshelf is complete without it.
The US Constitution (I carry a copy in my pocket)
***Now THAT’s a constitutionalist.
Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky? You just trying to see if we’re paying attention?
If you want to defeat your enemy, you have to understand where they are coming from*. One way to do that is to read what they read.
Note I put Alinsky in there too, for the same reason.
If you’ve read Zinn’s people’s History, it helps when you are speaking to a teacher who uses the book, for instance.
*Defeat politically. In other battles, superior force and tactics rule and who cares what they read.
I agree. Ann Coulter says she reads the New York Times “like a wolf.”
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