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This book is a fantastic introduction to economics. It explains a simple but important idea, and the entire rest of the book is an elaboration on the idea. The "one lesson" is the need to look beyond the first order effect of an action or policy, and see the many different consequences.  Each subsequent chapter goes on to apply that lesson to diffe... (See the whole review)

Basic Economics has been written with the thought that learning economics should be not only a relaxed experience, but also an enjoyable one. This is the revised and enlarged edition of a new kind of introduction to economics for the general public-without graphs, statistics, or jargon. In addition to being updated, Basic Economics has also ... (See the whole review)

Based on the author's seminal article in Foreign Affairs, Samuel P. Huntington's The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order is a provocative and prescient analysis of the state of world politics after the fall of communism. In this incisive work, the renowned political scientist explains how "civilizations" have replaced nations and... (See the whole review)

The biography of US abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, a newspaperman who brought the issue of slavery to the foreground, and changed the morals of a country. Garrison brought reason and passion together to inspire and provoke, culminating in the eventual abolition of slavery in this country.

This book annihilates the false notion that natural resources are limited and diminishing. In fact, the market price of every raw material has steadily decreased over the years. Why? Because people are the true ultimate resource. On average, each person produces more than he consumes. The more people, the more abundant the production and the cheape... (See the whole review)

While Unrugged Individualism is only 65 pages long, the information inside is so succinct and essential that this is one of the best books around. This book explores the topic of benevolence -- why it's a virtue and what it consists of. But it is not just about benevolence. In order to discuss such things as the difference between benevolence and a... (See the whole review)

In "Philosophy in a New Key", Suzanne Langer developed a theory of symbolism, there applied to music, which she felt could be developed to embrace all the arts. In "Feeling and Form" she did just that. It offers the reader nothing less than a systematic, comprehensive theory of art, applied in turn to painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, ... (See the whole review)

A comprehensive analysis and refutation of the arguments made over the centuries to prove the existence of a god. Insists that reason, not faith, should be man's guide in all matters.

Robert G. Ingersoll (1833-99), the "Great Agnostic," was the greatest freethought orator in the history of the United States. No public speaker before or since has enjoyed the reputation accorded him. After the Civil War, Ingersoll embarked upon a career as a lecturer, touring the United States to make his thoughts on religion, women's right... (See the whole review)

In this book Smith dissects atheism and theism with an epistemological scalpel. He discusses the distinction between belief and knowledge, what counts as knowledge, Occam's Razor, Rand's view of contextual certainty and modern empiricism. Smith also takes on the Ontological argument for God (not included in his earlier work).

Thomas Paine played a vital role in the American Revolution of 1776. This was the last book he wrote, which centers almost entirely around Christianity. To Paine, it made sense to question everything in order to make valid answers possible. He puts forth many questions in this book regarding Christianity, confronting many beliefs with pure and rati... (See the whole review)

A fascinating portrait of the minds that have shaped the modern world. In an intriguing series of case studies, Rousseau, Shelley, Marx, Ibsen, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Bertrand Russell, Brecht, Sarte, Edmund Wilson, Victor Gollancz, Lillan Hellman, Cyril Connolly, Norman Mailer, James Baldwin, Kenneth Tyan, Noam Chomsky, and others are revealed as inte... (See the whole review)

The classic world history of the events, ideas and personalities of the twentieth century. While you are unlikely to agree with Johnson all of the time, his understanding of statism and capitalism make this book a refreshing departure from Marxist interpretations of history.

Based on interviews with Rand and discussions with those close to her, this biography describes her life from her youth in Russia, to her stint in Hollywood as a screenwriter, and through her marriage, the publication of her novels, and the evolution of her philosophy.

Literally encyclopedic -- almost the length of a volume of the Britannica in terms both of number of pages and content per page --" Capitalism: A Treatise on Economics" is regarded by some as philosophically and intellectually the strongest and most comprehensive book in the defense of laissez-faire capitalism that can be found anywhere in the worl... (See the whole review)

This is the magnum opus of Ludwig von Mises. Being one of the best books on economics ever written, its philosophical content is often ignored. This is applied philosophy at its best, and a careful analysis will show a variety of ideas useful outside of this particular field.

The complete text of several of Aristotle's most important and influential works, in the famous and authoritative Oxford translations by W. Rhys Roberts and Ingram Bywater. Complete texts include: "Categories," "On Interpretation," "The Posterior Analytics," "On the Soul," "Metaphysics," "Nicomachean Ethics," "Politics" and "Poetics." It also has t... (See the whole review)

From the Back Cover "An original work of synthesis...a program of unrivalled ambition: to unify all the major branches of knowledge--sociology, economics, the arts and religion--under the banner of science." --The New York Times "As elegant in its prose as it is rich in its ideas...a book of immense importance." --Atlanta Journal & C... (See the whole review)

Our conceptions of human nature affect every aspect of our lives, from child-rearing to politics to morality to the arts. Yet many fear that scientific discoveries about innate patterns of thinking and feeling may be used to justify inequality, to subvert social change, and to dissolve personal responsibility. In "The Blank Slate", Steven P... (See the whole review)

Carl Sagan muses on the current state of scientific thought, which offers him marvelous opportunities to entertain us with his own childhood experiences, the newspaper morgues, UFO stories, and the assorted flotsam and jetsam of pseudoscience. Along the way he debunks alien abduction, faith-healing, and channeling; refutes the arguments that scienc... (See the whole review)

In this extraordinary bestseller, Steven Pinker, one of the world's leading cognitive scientists, does for the rest of the mind what he did for language in his 1994 book, "The Language Instinct". He explains what the mind is, how it evolved, and how it allows us to see, think, feel, laugh, interact, enjoy the arts, and ponder the mysteries of life.... (See the whole review)

In 1958, Ayn Rand, already the world-famous author of such bestselling books as "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Fountainhead", gave a private series of extemporaneous lectures in her own living room on the art of fiction. Tore Boeckmann and Leonard Peikoff for the first time now bring readers the edited transcript of these exciting personal statements. "... (See the whole review)

A remarkable series of lectures on the art of creating effective nonfiction by one of the 20th century's most profound writers and thinkers-now available for the first time in print. Culled from sixteen informal lectures Ayn Rand delivered to a select audience in the late 1960s, this remarkable work offers indispensable guidance to the aspi... (See the whole review)

The story of people finding the moral conviction to live their own lives, and of a man who stops the motor of the world to pave the way.  This is Ayn Rand's magnum opus. It is her comprehensive philosophical novel, dealing with each of the major categories of philosophy. This book lays down the basis of her entire philosophy in a compelling story. ...

This is Ayn Rand's first popular novel which brought her fame and a large following. "It is the story of a gifted young architect, his violent battle against conventional standards, and his explosive love affair with a beautiful woman who struggled to defeat him." (back cover) It shows man as a heroic being: Howard Roark, the perfect Egoist.

A short novella about a man trapped in a future society that has taken collectivism to its full and natural course. He struggles against that society and eventually breaks free and discovers the most glorious word in the english language, "I".

1984 is a dystopian story set in the future of a statist world. The main character, Winston Smith, struggles to live in a world where there is no privacy, and the government controls every aspect of your life. The symbol of the government is Big Brother, a fictitious leader who is said to benevolently watch over his people. In practice, the citizen... (See the whole review)

Jefferson's theory and practice have often been seen as inconsistent or contradictory. Mayer attempts to show that much of Jefferson's views and actions are consistent with a contextual view of the Constitution. The contextual view, as explained in this book, provides an interesting way of understanding the purpose and structure of the Constitution... (See the whole review)

This Hugo and Nebula award winning masterpiece captures the world from a small child's point of view amazingly well.  Ender is a little boy who is smaller than everyone else his age and smarter than most everyone else of any age.  His very existence is due solely to the hope that he might one day save the world.  He is persecuted by his jealous cla... (See the whole review)

Evolution, Biology, Philosophy and more. Dense but well written.

If you like John Stossel, you'll like this book.  It's the story of his intellectual and professional development.  He explains what evidence he ran into that made him a strong advocate of free-markets.  He reviews the major ideas and issues he's dealt with, going over many of his television specials. ... (See the whole review)

In this book, Bastiat defends free markets by crushing the arguments for intervention.  He goes through one economic fallacy after another, demolishing them with logic and especially wit.  Bastiat explains his ideas through stories and examples, always showing the absurdity of these bad ideas.  The style is funny and light-hearted, and he makes the... (See the whole review)

Also by: Neil Vidmar and Hans Zeisel ... (See the whole review)

Widely known for encouraging the idea that thinking is a skill that can be taught, and for his promotion of the skill of 'lateral thinking' to enhance creativity, de Bono's Mechanism of Mind uses stories, metaphors and models to help explain how your mind works, and how you can help it to work better. (See the whole review)

Marvellous teleological defence of individual rights. Smith is an Objectivist (ARI) although she comes over as more generally Aristotelian here.

The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power ... (See the whole review)

Though a tiny bit outdated being published in 2002, Statecraft takes the reader through what Thatcher considers all of the world's most pressing foreign policy issues. Her examinations are broad and insights interesting and applicable to more than just any specific issue. Statecraft reads like a combination history, prophecy, and memoir, because ... (See the whole review)

This is the first novel in Goodkind's Sword of Truth series, comprised so far of eight books following the life of Richard, The Seeker of Truth.  Wizard's First Rule begins with Richard as a simple woods-guide, but quickly transforms into a face-paced action/fantasy read that spans a massive continent made up of three realms of varying magical qual... (See the whole review)

This is a brilliant comic book series that takes the insult, "not if you were the last man on earth", and makes an eerie Twilight Zone series out of it. In the story, a mysterious plague has selectively killed off all the males of all animal species on earth, except for Yorick Brown and his pet monkey.  Now, Yorick seeks to reunite with his ... (See the whole review)

In 1984, this groundbreaking book presented a chilling profile of the criminal mind that shattered long-held myths about the sources of and cures for crime. Now, with the benefit of twenty years' worth of additional knowledge and insight, Stanton Samenow offers a completely updated edition of his classic work, including fresh perceptions into crime... (See the whole review)

Why is there evil, and what can scientific research tell us about the origins and persistence of evil behavior? Considering evil from the unusual perspective of the perpetrator, Baumeister asks, How do ordinary people find themselves beating their wives? Murdering rival gang members? Torturing political prisoners? Betraying their colleagues to the ... (See the whole review)

This is one of the milestone comic stories of this era. Written by Frank Miller, the story shows a brooding, old and retired Bruce Wayne. The world is in chaos and Bruce Wayne decides to take back the world by donning the mantel of the Bat. But his second coming is met with opposition from all classes, the mutant gangs and its leader, the Gotham Ci... (See the whole review)

"The Watchmen" is set in a unique universe where superheroes have been banned and the world is on the brink of nuclear war. The story starts off as a murder mystery and grows into a tale of truly epic proportions. Alan Moore paints a largely dark picture of humanity and weaves a story that is so intricate it absolutely demands your full attention. ... (See the whole review)

Dedicated as few men have been to the life of reason, Bertrand Russell has always been concerned with the basic questions to which religion also addresses itself -- questions about man's place in the universe and the nature of the good life, questions that involve life after death, morality, freedom, education, and sexual ethics. He brings to his t... (See the whole review)

Farrell debunks the myth of male power. He dares to question the image of male-as-oppressor, arguing that this misconception has hindered not only men, but women as well. (See the whole review)

Meditative and yet authoritative, The Philosophical Programmer celebrates the creative possibilities of programming while reminding the reader of technology's ethical conundrums. Daniel Kohanski keeps this slim volume rooted in valid examples, providing a rich exploration of the thought process involved in machine code. He treats programming as a l... (See the whole review)

Despite popular belief, American boys tag behind girls in reading and writing ability, and they are less likely to go to college. Our young men are greatly at risk, yet the best-known studies and experts insist that it's girls who are in need of our attention. The highly publicized "girl crisis" has led to many changes in American schools, politics... (See the whole review)

Phenomenon: Keirsey and Bates's Please Understand Me, first published in 1978, sold nearly 2 million copies in its first 20 years, becoming a perennial best seller all over the world. Advertised only by word of mouth, the book became a favorite training and counseling guide in many institutions -- government, church, business -- and colleges across... (See the whole review)

Some observers see the global political landscape as a complex amalgam of divergent worldviews, shades of gray that usually move in harmony but sometimes collide with violent results. David Frum and Richard Perle, authors of An End to Evil think it's a great deal simpler than that: the United States is good, those who pose a threat, current or futu... (See the whole review)

Subtitled The Science Lover's Illustrated Guide to How Life Grows, Develops, Reproduces, and Gets Along, The Way Life Works is what happens when a biologist and artist share an interest in life from bacteria to humans, and collaborate on taking their knowledge public. The result is a most magnificent science book, devoted to the wonder and unity of... (See the whole review)