Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
Troy Senik, Ed. ·
July 13, 2012 at 7:28pm
Ricoteers, here's your task for a summer Friday: you've been allowed the opportunity to assign no more than three books for Mitt Romney to read prior to assuming the presidency -- books intended to inform his conduct and priorities in office. There are no boundaries on subject matter. The only criterion is that they be chosen with the intent of strengthening his capacity to be an effective, prudent chief executive. Your nominations, please.
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Comments:
Dec '10
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
Harry Jaffa's The Crisis of the House Divided; Friedrich Hayek's The Road to Serfdom; and my own Soft Despotism, Democracy's Drift. I mention the last of these three books because I believe that Romney needs to reflect on the direction that the legislation he sponsored in Massachusetts leads. If we do not reverse the trend and do so very soon, we will have so thoroughly subverted the republican ethos of self-reliance that there will be no turning back.
Nov '11
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
Machinery of Freedom by David Friedman
For a New Liberty by Murray Rothbard
Atlas Shrugged by You Know Who
Oct '10
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
These can all be deemed “executive summaries” of their subject matter (although the Sowell title has substantially embiggened since I read and reviewed it), but that's all somebody en route to the presidency has time to digest. One would expect somebody with Romney's background to have already encountered and grasped these concepts, but having them presented in a clear as light way as these books do might reinforce the challenges which will face him if and when he assumes the office.
Troy, you limited it to three works, so I refrained from including any one of half a dozen essential books about international affairs, only because if the next president blows the domestic and international economic challenges, decline in global influence will be inevitable regardless of how wise the foreign policy of the administration.
Edited on July 13, 2012 at 8:03pmOct '10
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
I think Sowell is definitely going to be one of the options for a lot of members. I'd recommend ThOma's Sowell Reader since it has the best of all his works. Another is 'Is public education necessary?' by Samuel Blumenfeld. Last is a book on foreign policy, but I don't have a good recommendation. Maybe something on China.
Apr '11
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
1. Free to Choose by Milton and Rose Friedman
2. Democracy in America by the French fellow
3. Anything but Atlas Shrugged. What with the boring-ness and all.
Jan '11
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
Capitalism and Freedom ~ Milton Friedman
Sep '10
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
I'd ditch the 3 books and tell him to read and re-read one essay: The Death of Plato by James V. Schall
May '11
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
Democracy in America by Alexis de Toqueville. No book better describes the American character...at least what it used to be.
May '11
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
George Washington's Sacred Fire - Peter Lillback
The Federalist Papers - Hamilton, et.al.
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
Apr '11
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
William E. Simon's (along with Edith Efron) "A Time For Truth." The preface was written by Milton Friedman and the foreword by F.A. Hayek. He was the Treasury Secretary in the mid 70's and the "energy czar." One brief quote "I kept struggling to make the government grasp that it was the architect of our disasters." Gary Wolfram of Hillsdale College is the William E. Simon Professor of Economics.
Jun '12
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
Charles Murray, Coming Apart
Daniel Hannan, The New Road to Serfdom
Arthur Brooks, The Road to Freedom
James Delingpole, Watermelons
Thomas Sowell, Everything the man has ever published
Nov '11
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
Jun '11
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
The Federalist Papers - Jay, Hamilton, and Madison
The Use of Knowledge in Society - Essay by Hayek
Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison (its my favorite, and should teach him to not just be a pawn for the established elite)
May '12
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
"Still the Best Hope", Dennis Prager
"A Conflict of Visions", Thomas Sowell
The Holy Scriptures: The Bible, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine & Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price.
Dec '10
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
Gov. Romney is smart, and he understands economic nuts and bolts, but he does not appreciate the limits of technocracy.
So I like Prof. Rahe's approach--to direct Gov. Romney's perspective away from technical minutiae and toward a broader understanding of society and its governance. Along the same lines, I offer the following suggestions, which are made with an eye toward a more business-minded reader with limited time and limited patience for nuanced political philosophy.
Charles Murray, In Pursuit of Happiness and Good Government. Murray argues that a limited government, by encouraging personal responsibility, also makes people happier. The book draws from his earlier Losing Ground, and can appeal to data-nerds. But it also evokes Burke and his "Little Platoons."
Mark Levin, "Liberty and Tyranny." This is not a great book, but it is a good one. Intentionally or not, Levin rewards the reader with 45% of the value of Prof. Rahe's "Soft Despotism, Democracy's Drift," while demanding 10% of the effort. What a bargain! (We can expose a President Romney to Prof. Rahe's work after his election!)
Hayek, The Fatal Conceit. This book has many critics, but it is the briefest, most accessible statement of Hayekian thought.
Jun '11
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
John Adams, by David McCollough. Perhaps he will come to understand in depth what a fellow Massachusetts moderate was willing to sacrifice in order to achieve and preserve the unparalleled liberty we continue to enjoy in this country today . . . but which is under grave threat from the Redistributor in Chief in the Oval Office.
In the process, perhaps he will feel called to restore the integrity of Adams' first White House blessing:
"I pray Heaven to bestow on this House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof."
Feb '12
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
The Clash of Civilizations, by Samuel P. Huntington. I have found this useful in understanding global politcs in a way that makes sense, to me.
Charlemagne: From the Hammer to the Cross, by Richard Winston. There is alot to gleen from mistakes and triumphs of successful people.
In advance, I am under the impression that Amity Shlaes is working on a biography of Calvin Coolidge due to be released soon. I predict a classic and essential reading.
Edited on July 13, 2012 at 10:53pmFeb '12
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
Richard Epstein's Design for Liberty
May '10
Re: Open Thread Friday: The Romney Reading List
There are lots of good books, but few writing that are both great and timeless. He should read the very best of those. So, no books, but daily reads to cement a few important principles of character and focus.
Proverbs 1-9, and selections -- Proverbs 1-9 read daily, another chapter, in sequence through the book, read along with it. The first chapters are specifically about wisdom, as is the book generally. This can focus his mind on being wise.
1 Samuel 8 - 2 Samuel 24 -- This passage starts with a discouragement of the idea of a king. It proceeds to the reign of Saul, and then through the reign of David. It shows how easily a king can be ruined by his own choices. If a man is wise it will teach him humility.
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution -- This is the focus. We've seen the results of someone who disregards and disrespects these pivotal documents. We ned a man who is motivated to re-cast the country in the intent of the Framers.