274: Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government by P. J. O'Rourke

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government

Humor is the sugar that helps the medicine go down. In this case the ailment is Big Government and the cure is less of it. Much less. P. J. O'Rourke may be the funniest conservative humorist since... Well, maybe ever. He's not to everyone's taste, especially those who do not share his conservative views, but to his credit most of what he mocks is truly mockable. There's no doubt there's a lot of foolishness in government programs and O'Rourkes quick wit manages to skewer all the fools, including the ones who vote the fools who vote the other fools into office.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: A left-leaning comic writer in his youth, P. J. O'Rourke honed his skills writing for National Lampoon. By the time he became a regular contributor to Rolling Stone in the 1980s he was moved to the libertarian right. He is currently the H. L. Mencken Research Fellow at the Cato Institute.

Buy the Kindle version: Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government (O'Rourke, P. J.)

275: The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945 by George H. Nash

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945

This history of contemporary conservative thought makes a terrific companion piece to yesterday's conservative reader. Nash traces the intellectual history of three important strands of modern conservatism; the libertarians, the anti-communists, and the traditionalists. Since it was published in the 1970s in the midst of the rise of the neo-conservatives, they are largely neglected.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Nash is a capable historian with conservative bona fides. He's written a 3-volume biography of Herbert Hoover and is a Senior Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal.

276: Conservatism in America since 1930: A Reader by Gregory Schneider

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Conservatism in America since 1930: A Reader

If I were teaching a seminar in conservative political philosophy in the United States this book would be required reading. Readers like this provide a wide range of essays and excerpts to introduce readers to the topic.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: This collection includes conservative thinkers from Russell Kirk to Milton Friedman, from Pat Buchanan to F. A. Hayek. A reader like this is exactly where you want to start if you want to learn about conservatism in America.

277: Conservatism in America by Clinton Rossiter

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Conservatism in America (Harvard Paperbacks)

You might have to find this in a library or a used book service. Rossiter was an eminent American historian, winner of the prestigious Bancroft prize, who died too young. Rossiter wrote this serious, scholarly history of conservatism in America during a period when conservatism was considered a thing of the past; a political philosophy that had seen its time come and go. Rossiter shows that conservatism has a long and important history in American politics and argues (correctly) that the eulogies were premature.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Rossiter's history is an important, scholarly work on conservatism in America. One of the best resources for substantial arguments about the role of conservatives in US history.

278: Unintended Consequences by John Ross

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Unintended Consequences

Gun culture. If you were raised in it, you understand it. If you weren't, it can seem weird and baffling. There's a difference between owning guns and participating in gun culture. This is a work of fiction, but helps introduce the novice to a largely white, rural, and conservative segment of the nation.

Guns play a very different role in urban areas and rural areas. Hence, ideas about the role and usefulness of guns is different. Rural areas also tend to vote conservative while urban areas tend to vote liberal. If you want to better understand conservative, rural gun culture pick up a book like Unintended Consequences.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: This is an introduction to the concerns of the "gun culture." And, it's written by a supporter, not a critic.

279: The Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Closing of the American Mind

No one expected this to be the phenomenal best-seller it turned out to be. Bloom explains the value of a classically liberal education (which he distinguishes from modern liberalism) and why it has vanished from the halls of academe. If you want to know the conservative argument for what's wrong with today's higher education, this is the book to start with.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: A student of Leo Strauss, Allan Bloom struck a chord with this 1987 publication. Students, Bloom argues, are too willing to accept that all values are equal. Bloom, like his mentor Strauss, vigorously argues that some values are better than others and it is the responsibility of the university to teach students how to distinguish the good from the bad.

Buy the Kindle version: Closing of the American Mind

280: Conscience of a Conservative by Barry Goldwater

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Conscience of a Conservative

From the publisher's description:

"The Conscience of a Conservative reignited the American conservative movement and made Barry Goldwater a political star. It influenced countless conservatives in the United States, and helped lay the foundation for the Reagan Revolution in 1980. It covers topics such as education, labor unions and policies, civil rights, agricultural policy and farm subsidies, social welfare programs, and income taxation. This significant book lays out the conservative position both politically and economically that would come to dominate the Conservative Movement in American."

Why this is libertarian/conservative: One of the signature works of the late 20th century conservative movement. This slim volume inspired a generation with its depiction of conservative values. Liberals Paul Krugman and Paul Wellstone have both written books titled Conscience of a Liberal, alluding to the Goldwater book, and Zell Miller and David Brock have included variations of the title in the subtitles of their work; testimonials to its deep and widespread influence.

Buy the Kindle version: The Conscience of a Conservative

281: Witness by Whittaker Chambers

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Witness by Whittaker Chambers

A Soviet spy who renounced Communism and named names. Whittaker Chambers was an icon of the right throughout the mid-20th century. In Witness he writes his autobiography explaining how he became interested in Communism and why he gave it up. This book frequently lands near the top of lists about the most influential conservative books written in the US.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Ronald Reagan was such a huge fan of Chambers' that in 1984 he awarded Chambers a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom. Reagan said that reading Witness inspired him to give up being a New Deal Democrat to become a conservative Republican.

Buy the Kindle version: Witness by Whittaker Chambers

282: Natural Right and History by Leo Strauss

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Natural Right and History

In this series of lectures Strauss makes the case that there is a clearly definable right and wrong. Some cultures and societies are necessarily better than others because they are guided by demonstrably better ideas. Strauss can be a challenging read, but this collection, a series of lectures he gave when he joined the University of Chicago, remains his most popular work.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: If you want to know the underlying philosophy of neoconservatism you need to know Leo Strauss. Strauss. Allan Bloom and Paul Wolfowitz are notable students of Strauss. As Deputy Secretary of Defense, Wolfowitz was instrumental in convincing the Bush administration to invade Iraq after 9/11. To better understand Wolfowitz's view of right and wrong, start with this collection of lecture by Strauss.

283: Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis by Ludwig von Mises

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis

Liberals and conservatives often have profoundly different understandings of the same concepts. However, each seems oddly unaware of those differences. If you want to understand why conservatives and liberals are down on socialism, and why they invoke the concept so much, read this book.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Possibly the most influential economist and thinker for the free-market Libertarians. You can't really understand Libertarian economic arguments without understanding Mises.

Buy the Kindle version: Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis



You can find a free version here.

284: The Roads to Modernity: The British, French, and American Enlightenments by Gertrude Himmelfarb

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Roads to Modernity: The British, French, and American Enlightenments

A recent David Brooks column name checks Gertrude Himmelfarb, alluding to the argument she sets out in this book. Reading his column I wondered how many people recognized the name, or realized he was implicitly endorsing this neoconservative argument. In The Roads to Modernity Himmelfarb makes the argument that not all Enlightenment-era philosophy is the same and there are important differences between the liberalism spawned by the European Enlightenment and the liberalism rooted in the British and America enlightenment.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: I've mentioned before that when liberals think about the roots of liberalism they think about the American Revolution and the Enlightenment-era thinking that supported it, whereas when Conservatives invoke the roots of liberalism they're often referring to the French Revolution and the European Enlightenment. Gertrude Himmelfarb (well-known in neoconservative circles) explains that distinction in this book. Himmelfarb is a talented writer, historian, and thinker in her own right, but is also notable for being the mother of Bill Kristol and the wife of Irving Kristol. Perhaps no family has done more to shape neoconservatism than the Himmelfarb-Kristols.

Buy the Kindle version: The Roads to Modernity: The British, French, and American Enlightenments

285: A Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror by Larry Schweikart & Michael Allen

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

A Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror

This rah-rah history of the United States (and the pre-history of the US starting with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the western hemisphere) is filled with editorial commentary by the authors explaining why the liberal interpretation in wrong. For anyone familiar with US history this story is familiar, but the gleeful liberal-bashing makes this history what it is. That being said, the authors are not completely predictable, finding positive things to say about FDR and Kennedy (for example) and critiques of Eisenhower and Nixon.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Larry Schweikart has made a career from tweaking liberals. In addition to A Patriot's History he's authored 48 Liberal Lies About American History: (That You Probably Learned in School), Seven Events That Made America America: And Proved That the Founding Fathers Were Right All Along, and What Would the Founders Say?: A Patriot's Answers to America's Most Pressing Problems. He's also a regular on Fox's "Fox and Friends."

Buy the Kindle version: A Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus's Great Discovery to the War on Terror

286: America: The Last Best Hope Volumes I & II by William J. Bennett Box Set

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

America: The Last Best Hope Volumes I & II Box Set

This two volume history of the United States starts with the arrival of Columbus in North America and ends with the Reagan Revolution. Not surprisingly this is a traditional history that promotes the best of US ideas and actions.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Bill Bennett served as Secretary of Education under Reagan and has helmed a conservative talk radio show since 2004. He is a prolific author, frequently writing about conservative social and political issues.

Buy the Kindle version: America: The Last Best Hope: Volume I and Volume II

287: Slouching Towards Gomorrah: Modern Liberalism and American Decline by Robert Bork

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Slouching Towards Gomorrah: Modern Liberalism and American Decline

In this book Justice Robert Bork pinpoints the beginning of the American decline. It started in the 1960s with the rise of the New Left, the radical anti-war faction that was roughly to the liberals in the 1960s what the Tea Party is to the conservatives today. (Interestingly, the New Left of the '60s and the Tea Party of the 2010s is approximately the same demographic.) The New Left brought with it the legalization of abortion, Affirmative Action, first amendment defense of pornography, and feminism. Things just haven't been the same since

What this is libertarian/conservative: Want to know what's wrong with liberalism? Robert Bork knows and he doesn't hold back in explaining how it's screwing up the country. Bork was the justice nominated by Ronald Reagan for the Supreme Court, but after a bitter confirmation battle, his nomination was rejected by the Senate. The less conservative Scalia was nominated in his stead. It's hard to get more conservative than Bork.

Buy the Kindle version: Slouching Towards Gomorrah: Modern Liberalism and American Decline

288: The Revolution: A Manifesto by Ron Paul

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Revolution: A Manifesto

You hear about him, and it seems like everyone has an opinion, but how many have actually read his work? This book by Congressman Ron Paul lays out his libertarian vision for governance. While you may not agree with every point Paul makes, at least he's laying out an argument he'll stand by. No politician is perfectly principled, but Paul seems to stick by his principles more than most. Want to know what those principles are? Read The Revolution: A Manifesto.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Paul consistently ranks high in Republican straw polls, and has a cadre of dedicated followers. He is probably the highest profile Libertarian in the US.

Buy the Kindle version: The Revolution: A Manifesto

289: The Deniers, Fully Revised: The World-Renowned Scientists Who Stood Up Against Global Warming Hysteria, Political Persecution and Fraud by Lawrence Solomon

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Deniers, Fully Revised: The World-Renowned Scientists Who Stood Up Against Global Warming Hysteria, Political Persecution and Fraud

Solomon claims that when he began his research for this book he presumed there was a scientific consensus that humans were the cause of global warming. He wanted to better understand why some scientists might dissent from the prevailing view. After multiple interviews with scientists who disagreed with the standard story about anthropogenic climate change he began to change his mind. This book is a collection of interviews with scientists who think the common wisdom on global warming in wrong.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Since Al Gore made global warming his signature issue after his 2000 candidacy for the presidency the idea that human behavior is changing the climate has polarized the political landscape. The good thing about science is that it's not supposed to have an ideological bias. Scientists are always trying to prove each other wrong (presumably). Check out this book and see if you think the dissenters might be on to something.

290: God and Man at Yale: The Superstitions of 'Academic Freedom' by William F. Buckley, Jr.

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

God and Man at Yale: The Superstitions of 'Academic Freedom'

At the tender young age of 25 William Buckley, Jr. wrote a critique of his alma mater. In God and Man at Yale Buckley paints a picture of an overwhelmingly liberal institution and the assumptions that guide it. Most importantly, the role of religion as a beneficial influence on society is almost completely absent from this prestigious university (according to Buckley).

Why this is libertarian/conservative: For decades William Buckley was an iconic figure among US conservatives. His elite pedigree allowed him to go toe to toe with Ivy League liberals, and his editorship of National Review shepherded American conservatism through the turbulent 60s and the Reagan revolution. Much of what Buckley wrote about in this book continues to resonate with conservatives today.

291: Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey by David Horowitz

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey

David Horowitz was a red diaper baby that grew up to be an important voice in the New Left of the 1960s. He edited the well-regarded leftist magazine Ramparts and worked closely with Huey Newton and the Black Panthers in San Francisco. In the 1980s Horowitz announced to the world that he had rejected the radical liberalism of his youth and embraced the Reagan revolution. Radical Son is Horowitz's autobiography of his journey from left to right.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Horowitz is a prolific author and speaker. He is most notable for his criticisms of academia which he characterizes as a breeding ground for leftist indoctrination. He also often speaks and writes about the perceived dangers of Islam and radical Muslims.

292: Scalia Dissents: Writings of the Supreme Court's Wittiest, Most Outspoken Justice

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Scalia Dissents: Writings of the Supreme Court's Wittiest, Most Outspoken Justice

Face it, you don't get through law school, become a law professor, serve as Assistant Attorney General, and serve as a Justice on America's top court by being an idiot. Since critics of Scalia pick and choose which comments to criticize, liberals probably don't know if Scalia is principled or an opportunist. The best way to find out is to read some of his writing and decide for yourself. This book collects some of Justice Scalia's opinions on hot-button topics like the death penalty, abortion, gender equality, free speech, and homosexuality.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: In addition to his conservative judicial decisions Scalia was instrumental in establishing the Federalist Society and has been associated for decades with the American Enterprise Institute. One of the architects of modern conservative judicial philosophy and one of the most influential living jurists.

293: Neo-conservatism: The Autobiography of an Idea by Irving Kristol

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Neo-conservatism: The Autobiography of an Idea

Like any political philosophy neo-conservatism is difficult to define. This is partially because the category shifts over time, and partially because neo-conservatives differ on the central meanings and on whether such a concept even exists. These days it's mostly associated with a willingness to use the US military to install liberal democracies in the Middle East. But, as you'll see when you read Kristol's collection of essays, it has strong cultural components as well. This collection draws on Kristol's prodigious output through the latter half of the 20th century.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Neo-conservatism has become an important contributor to modern conservative thought. What better place to learn about it than in this wide-ranging selection of Kristol's work?

294: War Stories and Poems by Rudyard Kipling

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

War Stories and Poems

It is the white man's burden, according to Kipling, to shepherd less developed races and nations to the cultural heights achieved by the British empire. In this collection of poems and stories Kipling celebrates the romantic nature of war. Kipling is a talented poet and story-teller. It's hard to read this work and not be moved.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: The conservative response to the French Revolution was to embrace Romanticism. Approaching politics "scientifically" was a miserable failure, according to 19th-century conservatives. While rationality and logic might work for science, it could not work for politics or culture. How could science ever understand courage under fire or the heartbreak of unrequited love? Kipling takes this romanticism and blends it with a stout belief in cultural superiority. Wildly out of sync to today's liberals, Kipling is still a literary force to be reckoned with.

Buy the Kindle version: War Stories and Poems

295: Union And Liberty: The Political Philosphy of John C. Calhoun

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Union And Liberty: The Political Philosphy of John C. Calhoun

If you recognize the name John C. Calhoun at all it's probably because you remember him from history class as supporting slavery and promoting secession. Or, you might remember him for his awesome hair.

Before coming down on the wrong side of history, Calhoun was a highly respected Senator. Both John Quincy Adams and John Monroe thought highly of him. He was a candidate for president and served as Vice President to J. Q. Adams and Andrew Jackson (akin to serving as VP to Bush AND Obama). This collection of his key writings and speeches is an important addition to the history of US political philosophy.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: It's easy to understand why Calhoun isn't much discussed these days. He lost. Legal slavery ended, nullification is today considered a fringe idea, and the secessionist rebellion failed. So why, you might ask, should we give him a second thought?

While Calhoun isn't a household name, he made arguments that still resonate today. States Rights and nullification theory (the belief that states should be able to nullify federal laws with which they disagree) are still brought up occasionally. Especially in the South, and especially among conservatives. If you want to know more about these ideas (and why wouldn't you?) you can do worse than reading Calhoun's original arguments. Calhoun was a smart and devoted public servant. Reading his works doesn't mean you have to agree with him. However, you should probably understand the argument he's making before countering it.

296: The Turner Diaries by William Pierce (writing as Andrew Macdonald)

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Turner Diaries: A Novel

Good-hearted conservatives might might be unhappy with the inclusion of a book like The Turner Diaries in this list. This is a profoundly racist book and doesn't reflect the beliefs and values of many (a majority? a non-trivial minority?) conservatives. However, in the list of progressive books I'm also including extremists that are often lumped in with the mainstream left, so it seemed only fair to recommend some of the more extremist literature of the right.

The Turner Diaries came to national attention when it was found among the belongings of Timothy McVeigh after the bombing of the Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City. The Diaries is an action novel that describes a near-future scenario where a full-blown race war has erupted in the United States. The author was once the head of the white nationalist organization National Alliance, and this book is clearly the fantasy future he hoped to achieve through his organization. Removing the racial elements of the book you are left with a fantasy of a well-armed militia overthrowing a corrupt and increasingly totalitarian government.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Just as black bloc anarchists are associated with the left, the US militia movement is closely associated with the right. There is a substantial underground literature supporting, advocating, and arguing about the role, tactics, and purpose of a right-wing take-over of the US. While many of these fantasies describe themselves as a desire to return to the imagined freedoms of the past, they often include radical Christian or conspiratorial ideas that preclude living in harmony with people of different ethnic backgrounds or belief systems. Familiarity with this literature will help you understand organizations like the Hutaree or the Minuteman Project.

Buy the Kindle version: The Turner Diaries: A Novel

297: The Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Road to Serfdom: Text and Documents--The Definitive Edition (The Collected Works of F. A. Hayek, Volume 2)

The Road to Serfdom attempts to explain the rise of totalitarianism in European countries prior to WWII. For Hayek the answer could be found in the increasingly large role government played in the economy. The sort of centralized planning popular in Socialism and Communism would inevitably lead to totalitarianism, Hayek warned.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: This is one of the canonical texts shaping modern Libertarianism. Hayek makes the case for free markets and against central planning, and Socialism. Many contemporary Libertarian arguments are rooted in Hayek's argument, though often distorted. Hayek is a lot smarter than many of his followers, and, whether you agree with Hayek or not, you should make yourself familiar with the arguments set out in this book.

Buy the Kindle version: The Road to Serfdom

298: Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Capitalism and Freedom

Thank PBS for Milton Friedman's outsized influence in modern politics. Friedman was a Nobel-prize winning economist notable for his advocacy of free markets and limited government interference. After winning the Nobel in 1976 Friedman co-created a 10-part series titled Free to Choose. He also served as an unofficial adviser to candidate Ronald Reagan and then served on Ronald Reagan's President's Economic Policy Advisory Board throughout the Reagan administration. Free to Choose aired repeatedly on PBS channels through the 1980s, creating a whole generation of fans.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Friedman's work is one of the fundamental pillars of modern Libertarian economic thought. The idea that regulations are hurting businesses, that a free market can handle most economic problems, that the Federal Reserve hurts our economic interests, and that school vouchers are a panacea for our public education system can all be traced back to Friedman. If you're not familiar with Friedman, then you're not familiar with the arguments being echoed by today's Libertarian-influenced Republicans.



You can find the Free to Choose series in multiple places online. Here, for example.

299: Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke

(During the month of September I'll be recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Reflections on the Revolution in France

To understand the distinctions between modern liberalism and modern conservatism start with the debate between Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke. Paine was a revolutionary leader in both the US and in France. From his revolutionary pamphlet Common Sense, to his more substantial works The Rights of Man and The Age of Reason, Paine lays out the framework for modern liberalism. Paine's later works were in direct conversation with Edmund Burke. Burke, a member of the British House of Commons, supported the American Revolution, but opposed the French Revolution. Burke argued that change must be rooted in tradition, and that politics must take into account human nature, which is often irrational. For Burke, scientific government was impossible. He also saw liberal icons like Rousseau as ultimately corrosive to the cause of liberty and representative government.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: When liberals and progressives talk about the Enlightenment and the origins of liberalism they refer to the American Revolution. When conservatives talk about the Enlightenment and the origins of liberalism they refer to the French Revolution. Ostensibly built on the same principles the American and French revolutions had diametrically opposite results. In the US a long-lasting democratic republic was established. In France the revolution led first to the Terror and then to the rise of the dictator Napoleon Bonaparte. If you're looking for a critique of liberalism you probably want to learn more about the French Revolution.

300: The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand

(During the month of September I'll be recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Virtue of Selfishness

In this slim volume Ayn Rand lays out her philosophy in a nutshell. Altruism weakens society, and society is strengthened by rational self-interest. This collection of essays originally appeared The Objectivist Newsletter. In addition to influencing our political landscape, Rand has had an out-sized influence on the modern entrepreneur. Mark Cuban, Jimmy Wales, and John Mackey have all cited Rand as having a positive influence.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: Libertarianism has gone from the fringes to the mainstream in the last 50 years. We have a Senator named Rand and nobody flinches. Imagine the hoopla that would surround a candidate with the first name Marx, named out of respect to Karl Marx. These days people associate Ayn Rand with a select set of ideas that support the conservative/libertarian marriage. Few remember her as the radical atheist, pro-abortion, and Reagan-hating woman she was. Although there are a die-hard few that recognize all of those positions as consistent with her philosophy.

Buy the Kindle version: The Virtue of Selfishness



I chose this collection of essays because I think it serves as a good introductory text. If you're interested something more substantial check out Rand's Atlas Shrugged, thought by many to be one of the most important works of the 20th century.

Buy the Kindle version: Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Edition)

or the book:

301: The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis

(During the month of September I'll be recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis

In these 31 letters the senior demon Screwtape guides the rookie devil Wormwood in his efforts to corrupt a Christian man during the second world war. Using this conceit C. S. Lewis meditates on sin, faith, and other theological challenges. One of Lewis's most popular books.

Why this is conservative/libertarian: This is a classic Christian work. You don't have to be Christian or conservative to enjoy Lewis's witty style. Despite the humor, Lewis takes seriously the moral questions he addresses. Lewis has given a lot of thought to his faith, and it shows through in this book.

302: Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton

(During the month of September I'll be recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton

Chesterton is an engaging writer and this is a thoughtful, well-written, witty, and often insightful work. In Orthodoxy Chesterton explains why he is a Christian. As he explains how he came to this 'orthodoxy' he also lays the argument for why Christian orthodoxy is a positive influence on British life and politics.

Why this is conservative/libertarian: One of the key concerns of conservative philosophy is the role faith should play in public life. While progressives argue for a clear separation between church and state, conservatives see religion playing a positive and important role in governance. Orthodoxy helps explain why some Christians see the role of Christianity as essential to the civilized society.



You can find free versions here.

303: The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk

(During the month of September I'll be recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)


The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot by Russell Kirk

American conservatism hit its nadir in the 1950s. The liberal presidency of FDR was widely credited with defeating the Great Depression and the Axis powers. The Republican party had split in the 1910s, with Republican progressives like Teddy Roosevelt fighting against pro-business leaders. The pro-business faction won and bore the brunt of the blame for the stock market crash and the following economic devastation.

In 1953 Russell Kirk released this argument for conservatism. Widely ignored at first, it eventually became a canonical text for the modern conservative movement.

Why this is conservative/libertarian: There are a handful of must-reads in order to understand the modern conservative movement. This is one of them.

Get the Kindle version: The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot



The Portable Conservative Reader makes an excellent companion volume to The Conservative Mind.

It's Conservative Month at A Progressive's Library

Welcome to Conservative Month at A Progressive's Library! The well-read progressive knows what she is arguing against. Your argument will be more persuasive if you can fairly state your opponent's position and then explain (using facts, evidence, and logic) why that position contradicts itself or strays from the known evidence. To do this you need to be familiar with conservative literature.

I think there are two things you'll learn from reading the works recommended this month. The first is that you are sometimes going to have to change your mind. The progressives of the early 20th century, the libertarians of the mid-20th century, and liberals and progressives of the early 21st century have more in common than you might imagine. In fact, one of the great 20th century progressives, Louis Brandeis, identified as a conservative and would have been comfortable with big chunks of modern libertarianism.

The other thing you'll learn is how far today's conservative rhetoric is from traditional conservative arguments. There's a lot more radicalism in today's Republican party than conservatism.

Since I only have a month I've tried to cast as wide a net as possible. This month I'll write about A-list thinkers and Z-list rabble rousers. I'll cover classic literature and contemporary humor.

Just as I'm blending liberal and progressive works during the rest of the year, I'm blending libertarian and conservative texts this month.

If you have any recommendations let me know in the comments.