I'm fascinated by politics. One thing I've noticed in the years I've spent talking to people about politics and reading about politics is how few people know why they are conservative or liberal. For the most part people tend to think one tribe is right and then support that tribe regardless.
I've met a lot of liberals who can't define the scientific method, and I've met a lot of conservatives who have never heard the name Russell Kirk or Milton Friedman. Even more telling, most don't have a clue what the other side believes, and yet they remain confident the other side is wrong.
I started this blog to direct both conservatives and progressives to works I think help define liberalism and explain progressive values.
The terms progressive/liberal/moderate/conservative are slippery at best. We all know that being liberal in one domain (say economics) does not always translate into other domains (like human rights, for example). We also know that even in groups that self-identify as conservative, libertarian, liberal, or progressive the meaning of the term is often contested. And, we know that the terms change over time. Stalwart Republican Teddy Roosevelt launched the Progressive Party in 1912, and would have felt right at home hanging out with Rachel Maddow and Bill Maher. Andrew Jackson has been an icon of the Democratic party for over a century, but would probably find himself siding with Rand Paul more often than Barney Frank.
The books I've chosen for this blog are a reflection of what I think defines progressivism. Your choices would probably differ. I hope that anyone who wants to learn more, regardless of their political or ideological affiliation, will read some of these books and reflect on what it means to be conservative, liberal, libertarian, moderate, or progressive in the 21st century. And, while I started this blog as a commercial effort to support my blogging at Re/Creating Tampa, I'd be perfectly happy if interested readers found these books at their local library instead of buying them from Amazon.
As far as the order... they're pretty much random. There are some themed months (conservative month, movie month) and a recommended magazine week, but the list itself is not grouped by any method.
I hope you enjoy this list, and if you have any recommendations, please leave a suggestion in the comments!
