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Philosophy
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Civilization and Its Enemies, by Lee Harris. War with the ruthless gang known to us as Al-Qaeda is inevitable. Bin Laden and his ilk use our own tolerance and civilization as a weapon against us. Mr. Harris delves into the roots of human history and philosophy to help us understand why this is the case. His views are clear cogent and always backed up with a wealth of intelligence and logic. Perhaps the most striking feature of the book is that it soundly refutes the current faddish belief among some historians that we are approaching an end to armed struggles in history. (Fukuyama calls this the end of history itself.) A fascinating read. Highly recommended.
Read Our In-Depth Review in the Conservative Monitor!
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American Studies, by Louis Menand. When people think of philosophy, they usually think of dead guys from Europe. Little do they realize that American thought has its own rich tradition of dead guys and a few living ones too. Reading American Studies is like popping open a sampler box of fine chocolates. The book is filled with fine essays that are each fun, delectable, and satisfying in their own way. Menand, in his witty, insightful and energizing way picks out fascinating Americans and their ideas and reveals the impact their thought and work has had upon our modern culture.
Read Our In-Depth Review in the Conservative Monitor!
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Aliens in America: The Strange Truth About Our Souls, by Peter Augustine Lawler. America is not only a nation and a country it is a philosophic proposition. It is this notion that Professor Lawler explores in this overview of what it means to be human in America. In this far ranging work, we are treated to the deep thought of Socrates, Hagel, Rorty, Sagan, Fukuyama and more. The main thrust of the work coincides with Walker Percy's notions of humanity and how to live a meaningful life in the midst of democracy and freedom.
Read Our In-Depth Review in the Conservative Monitor!
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Up From Liberalism, by William F. Buckley is Number 10 on our list of all time great conservative works. This book, first published in 1959, is still fresh and useful. The predictions and observations of Buckley about liberalism are uncanny in their accuracy. Even in 1959 we see him railing at the biased media, left wing educators and the intollerance of the left (read as political correctness). This book is a must on the bookshelf of every conservative. For the liberal reader, Buckley holds up a mirror, that reveals the fact that liberalism is far from the "fairest" doctrine of them all.
Also available in Audio Cassette (unabridged).
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Two Treatises of Government, by John Locke. This classic work of political philosophy served as one of the underpinnings for the U.S. Constitution. The first treatise is a refutation of a now obscure work lauding absolute monarchy. The "Treatises" was first published in 1690 and had a tremendous influence upon the founding fathers. In it Locke clearly explains the need for limiting government. He also understands the need to protect property and the role property plays in liberty. Though some of the language is outdated, the modern student of political science will find Locke witty and readable.
Read our in-depth review of this book.
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The Prince (hb), by Nicholo Machiavelli is the classic handbook for political operators. Originally written as advice to the Borgias on how to take control of all Italy (and how to maintain that control). Its practical advice has made it the preferred starting point for any student of politics.
Reflections on the Revolution in France (pb), by Edmund Burke, is the great classic by one of the founders of conservatism. Edmund Burke believed that traditional institutions arose for a reason - they work. He also believed that they should only be changed in a very careful manner - he was thus opposed to the French Revolution - which raged during his life time. Many of his critics thought him hypocritical because he was a great supporter of the American Revolution while he sat in England's Parliament. He described the two revolutions as being wholey different in that the American Colonists fought to defend their traditional rights while the French Terror was designed to overthrow the traditional French constitution. This is a great book for any student of conservatism.
No writer more influenced the US Constitution than John Locke. In his classic An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (624pp,pb), he lays the important ground work for political science and government. The founding fathers were steeped in John Locke's work. To understand our government, its roots and where it is headed, you will want to study this book.
The Road to Serfdom (hb,pb,274pp), by Friedrich Von Heyek is the classic work that has influenced the worlds great leaders and thinkers. Von Heyek's work argues against all manifestations of totalitarianism, from communism to nazism. He shows how infringement on man's economic freedom also infringes on his social freedom. This is a classic that every good conservative should read.
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The Federalist Papers, by Hamilton, Madison and Jay is a classic of political philosophy that bears directly on the role of government in modern (even post-modern) society. This compilation of essays written by several of the most prominent founding fathers was written to persuade the people of America to accept a new constitution as their form of federal government. Inadvertently it became a distillation of the philosophy and intentions of the founding fathers in crafting and implementing the constitution. Among other issues, it addresses with magnificent clarity the reasons behind the separation of powers, why each Senator has a six year term, why specific, limited, and enumeration powers are granted to the Federal Government (the remainder reserved to the states and the people), etc... "This volume also contains a copy of the Constitution (with amendments), the Articles of Confederation and the Declaration of independence. Every student of American politics should have this inexpensive volume at his side for handy reference or at least to peruse on occasion.
Also on cassette.
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Ayn Rand has proved to be one of the most popular sections of the Conservative Bookstore. Her philosophy of Objectivism is a complete rejection of the collectivist drivel dolled out by the media elite every day. Her common sense and concise thinking makes clear the fact that individualism and capitalism are the road to a quality existence. We have all her works that are still in print. Click here.
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