# Lifestyles & Discussion > Family, Parenting & Education > Books & Literature >  Recommended Reading - What are your favorite books?

## hard@work

I'm looking to digest new information. What would you suggest as a good book that would be relevant to our times? 


Also, throw in your favorite dessert. I like cookies.

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## ctb619

Banking on Baghdad by Edwin Black

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## yaz

* Paul, Ron (1981). Gold, Peace, and Prosperity: The Birth of a New Economy (PDF), Lake Jackson, TX: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education. Retrieved on 2007-07-30. 
    * Paul, Ron; Lehrman, Lewis (1982). The Case for Gold: a Minority Report of the U.S. Gold Commission (PDF), Lake Jackson, TX: Reprinted by Cato Institute, 1982; Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2007. ISBN 0932790313. Retrieved on 2007-07-30. 
    * Paul, Ron (1983). Abortion and Liberty. 
    * Paul, Ron (1983). Ten Myths About Paper Money. Lake Jackson, TX: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education. ISBN 11765863. 
    * Paul, Ron (1984). Mises and Austrian Economics: A Personal View (PDF), Auburn, AL: Ludwig von Mises Institute. Retrieved on 2007-07-30. 
    * Paul, Ron (1987, 2007). Freedom Under Siege: The U.S. Constitution After 200 Years (PDF), Lake Jackson, TX: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education. Retrieved on 2007-07-30.  (Book distributed with permission from Ron Paul)
    * Paul, Ron (1990). Challenge to Liberty: Coming to Grips with the Abortion Issue. Lake Jackson, TX: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education. 
    * Paul, Ron (1991). The Ron Paul Money Book. 
    * Paul, Ron (2000). A Republic, If You Can Keep It. House of Representatives Website. 
    * Paul, Ron (2007). A Foreign Policy of Freedom. Lake Jackson, TX: Foundation for Rational Economics and Education. ISBN 0912453001.

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## slantedview

Reading a cool book, "A Peace to End All Peace" by David Fromkin, which discusses how the modern middle east emerged from decisions made by the allies during and after WWI. Supposedly, it's the definitive book on the subject (or so I've been told).

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## Bean

I highly reccomend a book that I was turned on to by the man Ron Paul himself: Creature from Jekyll Island". It is a scathing look of the secret formation of the federal reserve and all of their blunders from then up to now.

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## slantedview

> I highly reccomend a book that I was turned on to by the man Ron Paul himself: Creature from Jekyll Island". It is a scathing look of the secret formation of the federal reserve and all of their blunders from then up to now.


This is next on my reading list

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## JosephTheLibertarian

I'm currently well into Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard lol

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## lucius

The Underground History of American Education by John Gatto
Whole book online here: http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/chapters/index.htm

From Major Jordan’s Diaries by George Jordan (buy first edition hard back only)

Treason: The New World Order by Gurudas (very difficult to find at an economical price)

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## JosephTheLibertarian

About the only useful things for this book so far.... look up words you come across that you don't know the meaning of. That's the best thing I've learned from Dianetics so far 

btw ..scientology = dianetics. it's like the bible of scientology

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## uncloned21

The Assault on Reason by Al Gore, minus chapters about global warming...

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## paulpwns

just finished


hubris, 
blowblack, 
imperial ambitions,
 seven sins of American foreign policy

reading the great war for civilization by peter frisk at the moment

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## SwanMaiden

If you like books that manage to be just as entertaining and "escapist" as they are intelligent and thought provoking, then I highly recommend the "Dune" series by Frank Herbert, especially the first three. Mr. Herbert was a brilliant man who tackled topics ranging from religion, to addiction, to economics, to war, to power, to sexual politics, to the environment, to the nature of peace and freedom and more in his sci fi epic. I have read it many times and it always makes me think.

On a side note, do not be fooled by the prequels and sequels penned by Frank Herbert's son, Brian Herbert. While they may be enjoyable enough as light reading for those who like the genre, they are like water for chocolate when compared to the originals.

I also just finished reading "How to Survive the IRS: My battles Against Goliath" by Michael Lois Minns. If you thought the IRS needed to be abolished before reading this book, just wait until after. The lies, abuse of power, and wanton ruining of innocent lives revealed in this book will astound you. The IRS is truly evil and draconian, and Mr. Minns is one of the only attorneys who has successfully fought back on behalf of his clients. His account is equal parts educating, fascinating, and enraging. 

I am currently reading Dr. Paul's book "A Foreign Policy of Freedom" and thoroughly enjoying it.

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## jpa

non politics but still good non fiction:
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by  Malcolm Gladwell

Its about how people make snap decisions, and why that is actually a good thing biologically.

Food for thought when thinking about how to win people over in a political campaign.

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## purplechoe

My favorite book is "Don Quijote".

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## jpa

Also,
*People's History of the United States: 1492 to Present (P.S.)* by Howad Zinn.  A real eye opener for those of us who learned history through the state controlled public education system.

I haven't read his other Zinn's other book, but I want to
*The Twentieth Century: A People's History* 

*warning*  Zinn has a socialist slant, so keep that in mind while reading this book.  It's still a much more truthful look at our history than the official bland version.

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## G-khan

Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin

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## dmitchell

_A Republic, Not an Empire_, by Pat Buchanan

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## derdy

Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins
Lost History: Contras, Cocaine, the Press & 'Project Truth' by Robert Parry
The Federalist Papers and Anti-Federalist Papers

I have a lot more but that a good start.

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## libertarianguy

test

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## they walked in line

Neo-CONNED!

Neo-CONNED! Again

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## Slugg

*An Introduction to Economic Reasoning:* This is a textbook for introduction Austrian economics.  It spends a great deal of time teaching basic logic also.  The book covers pricing, currency, logic, and labor.  It's excellent. It's made for 6th grade up to adults.  It was intended for the Home Schooling family who wants to teach real free market economics.  I thought it was dry at parts, but it's a textbook.  It's full of great information!

Free EBook from Mises.org (I love those guys!)
http://www.mises.org/studyguide.aspx...subject&Id=117

*Freakonomics:* Great read.  If you've ever watched the show numbers, it's kinda like that. But for real.  They (two economists) analyze many aspects of conventional wisdom and apply economic thinking/math to determine it's validity.  It sounds boring, but really its funny, educational, and entertaining.  I couldn't put it down. 

*Politically Incorrect Guide to American History:*  My wife teaches History for the University of Maryland.  This book rawks!  It's accurate (has references for the doubtful) and it's light.  It's not intended to be a complete and perfect history.  But it covers the major shifts in our history from an Austrian standpoint.  You can learn about the Civil War, Industrializaiton, and the Great Depression from a free market perspective.  It's really eye opening.  No conspiracy theory here, just cold hard facts.  Sometimes they're uplifting, sometimes they suck.  Great book.  Moreover, you can listen to lectures from author at www.mises.org.  Go to media and American History.  There is a 9 part series where he covers most of the book in lecture.

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## they walked in line

> An Introduction to Economic Reasoning: This is a textbook for introduction Austrian economics. It spends a great deal of time teaching basic logic also. The book covers pricing, currency, logic, and labor. It's excellent. It's made for 6th grade up to adults. It was intended for the Home Schooling family who wants to teach real free market economics. I thought it was dry at parts, but it's a textbook. It's full of great information!


Excellent choice.
I would also recommend Gene Callahan's _Economics for Real People_ and Henry Hazlitt's classic _Economics in One Lesson_.




> Politically Incorrect Guide to American History: My wife teaches History for the University of Maryland. This book rawks! It's accurate (has references for the doubtful) and it's light. It's not intended to be a complete and perfect history. But it covers the major shifts in our history from an Austrian standpoint. You can learn about the Civil War, Industrializaiton, and the Great Depression from a free market perspective. It's really eye opening. No conspiracy theory here, just cold hard facts. Sometimes they're uplifting, sometimes they suck. Great book. Moreover, you can listen to lectures from author at www.mises.org. Go to media and American History. There is a 9 part series where he covers most of the book in lecture.


Another excellent choice.
_The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism_ and _The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution_ are also very well-done.

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## Slugg

> Excellent choice.
> I would also recommend Gene Callahan's _Economics for Real People_ and Henry Hazlitt's classic _Economics in One Lesson_.


Actually, while finding the link to the Ebook I posted, I discovered this book.  I will probably read it next.




> Another excellent choice.
> _The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism_ and _The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution_ are also very well-done.


I saw those at Amazon, I'm sure I'll get to those also!

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## they walked in line

> Actually, while finding the link to the Ebook I posted, I discovered this book.  I will probably read it next.
> 
> 
> 
> I saw those at Amazon, I'm sure I'll get to those also!


Sometimes it seems like there are too many things to read and not enough time to do it, you know?  My list is always getting longer, heh.

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## quickmike

My favorite is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Prepare for a long read though since its about 1,100 pages long.

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## Slugg

> Sometimes it seems like there are too many things to read and not enough time to do it, you know?  My list is always getting longer, heh.


Absolutely!  Especially since I found the mises institute.  Plus, all the books are free there.  I'm trying to save to get an EBook reader so I don't have to sit infront of my computer 24/7.  But those readers can be 400 bucks, and I'm also wanting to max out our primary donations before the end of the month.  Then I gotta max out our General Election Donations........so I doubt I'll be getting a reader this year....sad.    (Not really, I'm happy to do it!!    )

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## Razmear

Snow Crash by Neil Stephanson 
A sci-fi written in the early 90's set in the 'near future'. Great quick read and has a lot of stuff that is already becoming reality. 

The Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson (RIP) and Robert Shea
A classic from the 70's that should be required reading for any anarchist. 

eb

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## thuja

The Passport Book  by Bauman, and Island by Huxley

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## Corydoras

Everyone is talking about their favorite books.
So here's my favorite dessert:
Amaretto cheesecake from New Skete Kitchens:
http://newskete.com/shopping/shopdis...at=Cheesecakes

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## Cunningham

> If you like books that manage to be just as entertaining and "escapist" as they are intelligent and thought provoking, then I highly recommend the "Dune" series by Frank Herbert, especially the first three. Mr. Herbert was a brilliant man who tackled topics ranging from religion, to addiction, to economics, to war, to power, to sexual politics, to the environment, to the nature of peace and freedom and more in his sci fi epic. I have read it many times and it always makes me think.
> 
> On a side note, do not be fooled by the prequels and sequels penned by Frank Herbert's son, Brian Herbert. While they may be enjoyable enough as light reading for those who like the genre, they are like water for chocolate when compared to the originals.
> 
> I also just finished reading "How to Survive the IRS: My battles Against Goliath" by Michael Lois Minns. If you thought the IRS needed to be abolished before reading this book, just wait until after. The lies, abuse of power, and wanton ruining of innocent  
> lives revealed in this book will astound you. The IRS is truly evil and draconian, and Mr. Minns is one of the only attorneys who has successfully fought back on behalf of his clients. His account is equal parts educating, fascinating, and enraging. 
> 
> I am currently reading Dr. Paul's book "A Foreign Policy of Freedom" and thoroughly enjoying it.


Funny you mentioned the Dune series. As soon as I saw this thread I thought of those books. I really can't recommend them highly enough.
I'm currently making my second attempt at reading "Human Action" by Ludwig Von Mises. It's an incredible book, it's "the" book on Austrian economics.

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## winston84

I just started reading "The Creature from Jekyll Island"  I picked it up at the USC rally where the author, G. Edward Griffin gave a speech before RP came out!  So far its got me interested, looks like it will be a good explanation into the core financial mechanism behind globalist events.  

I'm also a big Dune fan!  Nothing beats the original Dune by written by Frank Herbert.

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## Locke_rpr

If you are looking for currently relevant then "The Sorrows of Empire: Militarism, Secrecy, and the End of the Republic" by Chalmers Johnson is a good one that hasn't been mentioned yet.  Also, "Empire" by Orson Scott Card is a good fiction one that is all too realistic and current.... well minus a few high-tech weapons.  If you just want something fun to take your mind off things, then anything by Terry Pratchett is great for that.

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## BarryDonegan

thanks for the john gatto stuff man, this stuff is brilliant, and FREE!

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## constituent

> My favorite book is "Don Quijote".


i'll second that for the honor and glory of all knights-errant
in the field of battle, service to their noble ladies, or otherwise.

also,

books about america (fiction)

You Can't Go Home Again (important if you want to understand the world) - Thomas (not tom) Wolfe
Underworld (absolutely vital to understanding the last half century) - Don Delillio
Libra (b/c i love conspiracies, and this books tells the story of O.H. Lee) - Don Delillo

book you have to read before it happens here:

That Hideous Strength - C.S. Lewis


Non-Fiction

No Treason - Lysander Spooner
Permanent Revolution - Trotsky

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## pyrazole2

For entertainment:
"Earth Abides" by George R. Stewart. - it's a fictional survivalist analysis of Libertarianism.

"One Perfect Day" by Ira Levin.  A dystopian novel.  From Amazon review:  "It is the tale of a lad named Chip, in a future world in which the great socialist dream has finally been realized. Preferring one person to another is a sign of social maladjustment. "Fight" is a dirty word; "f**k" is just the usual term for an activity no more important than sleeping or urination. Everyone is told what to do by "Uni," the great computer that organizes society and keeps track of everyone's location via electronic bracelet."

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## Ridiculous

Not my favorite book because it disgusts me, but a great insight to the kind of stuff that the Pentagon is thinking about

The author was a professor at the Naval War College and is a senior adviser to the Secretary of Defense. If you want to know why our foreign policy is so screwed up, read this book. 

Buy it used if you get it so you are not supporting the Author....

The Pentagon's New Map
http://www.amazon.com/Pentagons-New-...9688420&sr=8-1

This bold and important book strives to be a practical "strategy for a Second American Century." In this brilliantly argued work, Thomas Barnett calls globalization "this country’s gift to history" and explains why its wide dissemination is critical to the security of not only America but the entire world. As *a senior military analyst for the U.S. Naval War College*, Barnett is intimately familiar with the culture of the Pentagon and the State Department (both of which he believes are due for significant overhauls). He explains how the Pentagon, still in shock at the rapid dissolution of the once evil empire, spent the 1990s grasping for a long-term strategy to replace containment. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Barnett argues, revealed the gap between an outdated Cold War-era military and a radically different one needed to deal with emerging threats. He believes that America is the prime mover in developing a "future worth creating" not because of its unrivaled capacity to wage war, but due to its ability to ensure security around the world. Further, he believes that the U.S. has a moral responsibility to create a better world and the way he proposes to do that is by bringing all nations into the fold of globalization, or what he calls connectedness. Eradicating disconnectedness, therefore, is "the defining security task of our age." His stunning predictions of a U.S. *annexation of much of Latin America and Canada within 50 years* as well as an end to war in the foreseeable future guarantee that the book will be controversial. And that's good. The Pentagon's New Map deserves to be widely discussed. Ultimately, however, the most impressive aspects of the book is not its revolutionary ideas but its overwhelming optimism. Barnett wants the U.S. to pursue the dream of global peace with the same zeal that was applied to preventing global nuclear war with the former Soviet Union. High-level civilian policy makers and top military leaders are already familiar with his vision of the future—this book is a briefing for the rest of us and it cannot be ignored.

And it's sequel, A Blueprint for Action
http://www.amazon.com/Blueprint-Acti...9688420&sr=8-1

The world is a mess. Iraq is becoming another Vietnam. Iran and North Korea are trying to get nukes or may already have them. Al Qaeda is still on the loose. In the middle of this turmoil, Tom Barnett believes America stands at a threshold. It can withdraw into itself. Or it can seize an opportunity to forge the most peaceful period in human history, where war becomes unknown. Barnett is a former professor at the U.S. Naval War College and *senior advisor to the Office of the Secretary of Defense*. He has been called "one of the most important strategic thinkers of our time."

Barnett maps out a sweeping new vision for the U.S. military in Blueprint for Action, the sequel to his influential previous book The Pentagon's New Map. He says the U.S. military has a massive doctrinal flaw. It has an unrivalled power to win wars. But it has little ability to win the peace. Witness Iraq, where virtually no thought was given to postwar stabilization and reconstruction. *He advocates creating a new Department of Global Security in the U.S. government, tasked with putting countries back on their feet after an armed intervention by U.S. forces*. He says the new department would also work to reduce economic and social instability in "disconnected" regions of the developing world. "It all starts with America and yes, it all starts with security," he writes. Barnett's vision is highly U.S.-centric and recalls the "white man's burden" philosophy of British colonial authorities. *He advocates "regime change" in North Korea and Venezuela*. And his solutions for the problems of the Third World are straight out of a banker's mouth: privatization, deregulation, globalization. But Blueprint for Action is an important account of the current thinking and debates at the highest levels of the Pentagon.
------------------------
Emphasis mine. He wants more regime change?!!? It is like he just doesn't learn....

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## Ridiculous

As far as recommended reading. 

I would recommend just about anything from the Cato institute library. They are very serious libertarians with a great think tank in DC. They are actually very respected in the mainstream media fox and cnn consult them regularly. 

Some of the best books:
Cowboy Capitalism 
http://www.catostore.org/index.asp?f...d=&pid=1441268


Or David Boaz's Book's on Libertarianim
http://www.catostore.org/index.asp?f...14&pid=1441021

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## nexalacer

Lots of great suggestions that I also love!

Some others:

Anthem by Ayn Rand... real short, but a great story

I'm also a big fan of fantasy:

Anything by Robin Hobb is excellent.  The last thing I read of hers was the Liveship Traders trilogy, and honestly, I got a lot out of it as far as enhancing my libertarian/economic thinking.  Really interesting book about independence.

I am currently reading *Fragile Things* by Neil Gaiman.  Dude is kind of insane, but really interesting short stories.

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## nullvalu

"1984" by George Orwell
"Creature from Jekyll Island" by G. Edward Griffin

Nobody's including their desert?  mine would have to be French Silk Pie.. mmm

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## nexalacer

Oh yeah, for dessert... damn that's a tough one... Key Lime Pie or Marble Chocolate Cheesecake.

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## constituent

desert:

Invisible Monsters 

and 


Survivor


by chuck palaniuk

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## Green Mountain Boy

Henry David Thoreau is good reading for any and every day of the week.

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## BuddyRey

I recommended "1984" by George Orwell in another thread, but I just now remembered another absolute must-read that will change most peoples' lives.  "Self-Made Man" by Norah Vincent is the true story of a female journalist living for 18 months as a man, hanging out with men, infiltrating their haunts, and trying to find out what makes them tick, WITHOUT letting anyone in on the experiment, including the close friends she develops along the way.  It's an awesome book.  Ladies will learn a lot about how better to understand what life is like for men, and men may have some major revelations about why we do certain things/feel certain ways without even realizing it.  It's extremely fair and honest without being judgemental or wallowing in misandry and generalizations like many books on the subject.

Favorite dessert:  Chocolate pudding/mousse.  Not very exotic, granted, but I'm a certified chocoholic!

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## micahnelson

> "1984" by George Orwell
> "Creature from Jekyll Island" by G. Edward Griffin


1984 deprogrammed me. Creature from Jekyll Island is an amazing book, but honestly it could use some editing. I learned ALOT from the book, but i feel it could be about half the length it is. Maybe break it up into two books, the mechanics and the history. 


1776 is a great book, and should be required reading for those discouraged during our campaign.

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## Broadlighter

I just read "Whatever Happened To Justice" by Richard Maybury. Ron Paul endorsed this book and is also quoted in it. This is a good introduction to the principles of liberty and understanding the foundations of our Constitution. It also explains the differences between Common Law and Political Law in ways most people unfamiliar with them can understand.

A while back I read Maybury's companion book, "Whatever Happened to Penny Candy." This is the one about economics and money. 

I'd say these are good reading for Jr. High and High School students to familiarize themselves with the concepts of the Freedom Movement.

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## liberatenyc

'On Liberty' by JS Mill.

very short.  very relevant to the present times.

Strawberry cheesecake for dessert.

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## american.swan

Please check out this thread for a more complete list of books the forum has recommended...

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=17960

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## Original_Intent

The Law by Frederic Bastiat  (can read free online) http://www.constitution.org/law/bastiat.htm

An Enemy Hath Done This by Ezra Taft Benson

The second Treatise on Civil Government by John Locke free read at
http://www.constitution.org/jl/2ndtreat.htm

And for relaxing the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (Fantasy)

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## winston84

*State of Emergency by Pat Buchanan* is a great book I would recommend if you want to understand the scope and consequences of illegal immigration in the US.  1884 is absolutely an essential and prophetic sci-fi, love the book, read it three times already.

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## mport1

Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell.

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## SlapItHigh

> I'm looking to digest new information. What would you suggest as a good book that would be relevant to our times? 
> 
> 
> Also, throw in your favorite dessert. I like cookies.



Healing our Wold in an Age of Aggression couldn't be more relevant.  Definitely check it out, great book!!  Ruwart offers the older version on her site for free - http://www.ruwart.com/Healing/ but the newer version has been updated to be more relevant to today.

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## bcmiller

The Well Educated Mind - Susan Wise Bauer 

I am 80% through this book and I am enjoying it.

Favorite Desert?  Where to begin... I will have to go with a Cherry Italian Ice/Water Ice.  I am going to have one in a few minutes.

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## 10thAmendmentMan

Shame on everyone for no mention of "The Road to Serfdom" by Hayek yet.  Single best explanation on why socialism doesn't work.

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## Shink

> I'm looking to digest new information. What would you suggest as a good book that would be relevant to our times? 
> 
> 
> Also, throw in your favorite dessert. I like cookies.


Rule By Secrecy by Jim Marrs.  Lemon merangue pie.

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## fluoridatedbrainsoup

Vurt by Jeff Noon

We Can Build You by Philip K. Dick

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

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## Cowlesy

The Constitution of the United States -- by the Founding Fathers

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## quickmike

> Henry David Thoreau is good reading for any and every day of the week.


For some reason Kevin Trudeau came to mind when I first read this. You know, the snake oil salesman who claims magnets can cure cancer and all that stull.

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## Severius

_The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_ by Robert A. Heinlein. One of my favorite books ever, a book on revolution against tyranny.
_The Stars Like Dust_ by Isaac Asimov. Another book on revolution against Tyranny, the ending gives me goosebumps and brings tears to my eyes.
_Two Treatises of Government_ by John Locke.
_Common Sense_ by Thomas Paine.
_On Liberty_ by John Stuart Mill

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## max

> I'm looking to digest new information. What would you suggest as a good book that would be relevant to our times? 
> 
> 
> Also, throw in your favorite dessert. I like cookies.



STRANGER THAN FICTION An Independent Investigation of true culprits behind 9/11By Albert D Pastore

Awesome reading!

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## LibertyEagle

> About the only useful things for this book so far.... look up words you come across that you don't know the meaning of. That's the best thing I've learned from Dianetics so far 
> 
> btw ..scientology = dianetics. it's like the bible of scientology


Why on earth are you reading THAT?

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## LibertyEagle

We have started and recreated so many of these book threads, it sure would be nice  if we had a place to put it where we could easily refer to and add to it.

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## CMoore

In addition to Basic Economics, Thomas Sowell has written a number of books all of which are useful reading.  He is a real idea man and has introduced me to a number of things that I had never thought about.

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## Zydeco

Free to Choose by Milton Friedman

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## mport1

> In addition to Basic Economics, Thomas Sowell has written a number of books all of which are useful reading.  He is a real idea man and has introduced me to a number of things that I had never thought about.


Yeah, I really think Basic Economics is a great starting point for reading.

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## ItsTime

Albert Camus "The Stranger"

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## mtmedlin

" It aint nobody's business if I do" by Peter McWilliams

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## sylvania

I liked _Waiting for the Barbarians_ by J M Coetzee.  It's a small book, only 176 pages long, but I found it to be very interesting.  It deals with a magistrate living on the edge of a dying empire and explores the idea that the most intimate way to know someone is through torture, which made me think a lot about power struggles and the abuse of power and such.  It had a lot of impact on me.  I'm not sure I would recommend it for light bedtime reading, but...it was interesting.  A lot of my favorite books have already been listed here.

From an Amazon review:

"Coetzee is a master of putting very complex stories into simple packagings. This book is very deep, yet the story is simple: a magistrate of a wild outpost of an empire leads an easy life in peace until a colonel in the army comes by, which set off a number of events that ultimately put the magistrate against the empire. 

Coetzee writes in a very unique manner. Aside from the colonel (Joll), no one has a name in the book, he just refers to everyone as "the girl" or "the magistrate". As soon as the colonel visits the city with an obsession about an impending barbarian invasion, the entire town becomes paranoid with these barbarians. The barbarians in fact are just simple nomads that live in the adjacent mountains, but the obsession grows so quickly that the magistrate, when he tries to reach out to barbarians and understand who they are, he gets misunderstood as a barbarian helper and so is put in jail. 

Some of the best writing is the description of his time in prison and the abuse he underwent. Coetzee plays with metaphors relating to the body and its conditions in ways that leaving interesting impressions and provokes much thought. I am still grappling to get the right message out of the book, but conclude that there are many. 

Overall, this is an enjoyable and very short book. It is true literature, so not a very light reading if you are looking for a passtime. I needed to stop a couple of times to reflect on it, and was highly impressed by Coetzee. He definitely deserved the Nobel Prize. "  Denis Benchimol Minev

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## Jared Callanan

Someone mentions Chuck Palahniuk but not Bret Easton Ellis? I can't let that go by as Palahniuk is a poor mans author when compared to Ellis. Anything by Ellis will outshine Palahniuk, notably American Psycho, Glamorama, Less Than Zero.

 As for political oriented books; "A Republic Not an Empire" and "Where the Right Went Wrong" by Pat Buchanan are both outstanding books.

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## krott5333

If you're a gun-nut like myself, a few good books about what happens in a disarmed society are:

*"Unintended Consequences"* by John Ross

*"Enemies Foreign and Domestic"* by Matthew Bracken

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## constituent

tolstoy- resurection

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## Jared Callanan

I forgot a great one; A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick

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