Holiday Reading List

I’ve been trying to relax a little the past week or so by reading (or re-reading) some great books:

F. A. Hayek’s “The Road to Serfdom”
I try to read this book every couple of years. It’s a great reminder of why their can be no liberty without a free economy. Professor Hayek wrote the book in England during World War II and couldn’t use the Soviet Union as the most glaring example of totalitarianism for obvious reasons. But you can’t miss how the Nazi’s, the Fascists and the Communists are all examples of how a lack of economic freedom leads a lack of personal freedom.

Michael Oakeshott’s “Rationalism in Politics”
I’ve always wanted to read this book and have never taken the time. Michael Oakeshott was probably the greatest influence in the development of Margaret Thatcher’s ideology. That should be endorsement enough.

Paul Johnson’s “Modern Times”
This is another classic that I have never taken the time to read. This is probably the definitive history of the 20th century (from the 1920’s thru 1980). It’s accessible without being simplistic. Most important, it’s not some revisionist tome.

If I can get all of these knocked out before New Year’s, I’m going to tackle Leo Strauss’ “What Is Political Philosophy”.

You might ask why? Well if you can’t keep in touch with the ideas that you truly believe in, you start acting like most of the Republican members of the U. S. House. Worse yet, you can become apathetic.