the Enemies Foreign and Domestic trilogy, Atlas Shrugged, Fountainhead nad Witness if you haven't already read any of them...
Posted on 07/17/2012 4:44:19 PM PDT by Freedom56v2
Interested in some ideas for a very basic basic primer to provide some foundation for a new college conservative going on a road trip...nothing too involved--just an easy-to-read basic first book that will provide basic information on politics, culture, economy from a conservative (or limited government libertarian) viewpoint.
Thomas Sowell, “Basic Economics” and “Applied Economics.”
Milton Friedman, “Capitalism and Freedom.”
Outside of the obvious answers I’m sure you’ll get, I would suggest some great Science Fiction that teaches much deeper social/political, right-leaning lessons. Grab some science-fiction novels by Orson Scott Card or Robert Heinlein for some of the most overt Conservative/(small l)libertarian lessons. Although he wasn’t a Conservative, the novels by Philip K Dick appeal to libertarian leaning right readers.
Thanks for the ideas! Had not thought of either. Is Sowell fairly basic — starting at ground zero ;)
PJ O’Rourke’s “Eat the Rich”.....like Friedman, only funnier.
“Gates of Fire” by Pressman
Anything on the life and times of George Washington
Thanks ~ great idea....yes anything that would be good reading for cross-country trip would be good. As most college kids have access to viewing movies, etc. maybe I should be looking at conservative/limited government Sci-Fi movies as well....
I have lots of books, but they all seem to assume some basic foundational base in conservative understanding.
Had not heard of that one. Thanks—may want to read it myself :)
I confess I have not read this (seems I know a lot about it from its being referenced so often on radio, etc.). Is this a fairly easy read for someone who is more or less illiterate regarding economics, civics, conservative/libertarian thot?
Oh I like O’rourke.... (see my tagline)
If it is funny, may be a great choice :)
Tax-chick is right about ‘BASIC ECONOMICS’ don’t read “Applied” until you’ve read ‘Basics’, though. Be willing to take your time through it....the book LOOKS intimidating because it is thick, but the man or woman who reads it carefully will be much smarter having worked through it.
The reading isn’t difficult, you just have to pay attention.
I also would recommend “The Conservative Mind” by Russell Kirk.
Finally, if you’re just traveling or sitting on the beach, consider a simple four or five dollar copy of the Constitution...and I’m not being sarcastic. So many people do not know what is in our founding document. If you really want to delve deeper, get the Heritage Guide to the Constitution...it goes through every clause of the document and explains them and their history in Supreme Court decisions.
Also, subscribe to a magazine like World, Human Events, National Review or The Weekly Standard. These not only take on current events, but they also provide an insight into popular books, film, etc. and give a conservative point of view on the culture.
“Basic Economics” is appropriate for early high school, with no previous economics instruction. This doesn’t mean it isn’t correct and comprehensive, but that Dr. Sowell worked very hard to make it understandable to anyone who could read basic text.
And as the dfwgator mentioned, anything by P.J. O’Rourke. “Holidays in Hell” is terrific, and “Give War a Chance.” Also “All the Trouble in the World.” My daughter has a “Give War a Chance” tattoo on her forearm - a “peace” symbol with a bomber in the center!
2. Anthem by Ayn Rand (far less Godless than Rand herself and a classic of intellectual liberty and individual freedom)
3. Suicide of the West by James Burnham
4. The Holy Bible
5. In Defense of Freedom by Frank Meyer
6. Modern Times by Paul Johnson
7. Stonewall Jackson by James I. Robertson
8. A Generation Awakes by Wayne Thorburn
9. The Anti-Capitalist Mentality by Ludwig von Mises
10. Protestant, Catholic and Jew by Will Herberg
I have a copy of “Stonewall Jackson” inscribed by the author to my son Thomas Jackson, for his first birthday.
Many books of general history would be useful: “John Adams,” of course, although I confess I haven’t made it through yet. (Time for the Book on CD approach.) “Paul Revere’s Ride,” by David Hackett Fischer, author of “Albion’s Seed.” Anything by G. K. Chesteron or nonfiction by C. S. Lewis.
the Enemies Foreign and Domestic trilogy, Atlas Shrugged, Fountainhead nad Witness if you haven't already read any of them...
Whatever Happened to Penny Candy, Richard Maybury
A Message to Garcia, Elbert Hubbard
The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer
As a Man Thinketh, James Allen
That should give you a days read in short form. It also encapsulates the outline of decent Western philosophy.
The Law, by Frederick Bastiat
Anti-Capitalist Mentality, by von Mises as Black Elk mentioned
How to Lie with Statistics, by Darrell Huff
Each of the above are thin little tomes that you can stick in your pocket at the beach. Actually, some of those are probably at archive.org or mises institute for free.
At some point (soon) as SoFloFreeper says, read A Conservative Mind by Kirk. Much much heavier, but it's like a fine porterhouse steak to the above M&M's.
And for sci-fi fun, read A Step Farther Out from Jerry Pournelle, and or Lucifer's Hammer. The former to see what optimism in science was once like, the latter to see how badly hollywierd gets their asteroid impact movies wrong in science and in sociology terms. Scary!
And for refresher, read Reagan's An American Life. You got nothin else to do! =)
Great recommendation on Lucifer’s Hammer. More of a TEOTWAWKI movel. I just read it earlier this year. Found it on a free online library and downloaded it. Read it in two nights.
Not sure about Conservative principles in that though, other than not depending on the government to save your a** when things get bad.
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