Book List and Reviews

Continuing education is critical to Freedom. Following are some of the books that I have read the over last 6 months:

The Elders of Israel and The Constitution

I loved this book. Jerome Horowitz describes the premise and principles of the US Constitution in terms that are very easily understood. The link above points to the on-line version of his book (FREE). Chapter three can be read in 5 or 10 minutes and it lays out the basic premise of checks and balances established in the US Constitution. Read it :-) It teaches more in one chapter than most high school and college texts on the subject. Read Chapter 4 to learn what the "indispensable ingredient" is. Share your comments on the "Indispensable Ingredient". Chapter 7 Answers the question: "Did the framers of the Constitution establish a democracy?". The answer is NO. They despised a true "democracy"...so what did they establish??

The Title of Liberty

This book is a compilation of speeches given by Ezra Taft Benson. He uses moral basis and principles of freedom to elucidate the premise upon which we should base our National and Personal liberty.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Financial Freedom. There are two money and tax systems in this country, one for the educated and another for the uneducated. Robert Kiyosaki presents his story in layman's terms. He is no writer, but he makes some interesting points.

What is the "Invisible Hand"? Learn more from Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations". Adam Smith was a contemporary of the founding fathers of the US and he is credited with laying the premise of liberty upon which the framers established a model to build the most prosperous nation in all of human history. Want to prosper? This book reveals the "ancient principles" upon which true prosperity is based. In fact, these principles are based on LAWs, not unlike the law of gravity, when one adheres to the principles upon which the law is based, he WILL prosper.

Atlas Shrugged
A novel by Ayn Rand. I am only about a 1/4 of the way through this book but I am enjoying it so far. It took Ayn 10 years to write this book. She escaped communist Russia during the Bolshevik revolution and ended up in Hollywood California where she had a chance meeting with Cecil B. DeMille. Cecil offered her a job on the spot as a play right. She went on to write a number of books and plays. Her childhood experience in Russia taught her well the evils of Marxism. Her thoughts on capitalism are interesting and well illustrated in this novel. She takes rational thought too far and later becomes an atheist. She has since passed away and I am sure she has a different opinion now ;-)

Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill spent 20 years interviewing 100s of this nations most prosperous individuals and he spells out their "secrets" for prosperity. Personally I enjoyed the book. He exposes some principles that are really common sense, but profound when applied "on purpose".

Master Key to Riches
Another book by Napoleon Hill. This book is something of a "re-tread" of "Think and Grow Rich", but well worth the read.

Positive Imaging

This is a fantastic book by Norman Vincent Peale. It is a very easy read, but profound even if rather simple and common sense. If applied these concepts are powerful and indisputable. I am getting into the habit of applying what I have learned in this book. I will save my findings on this for another post, another day.

Rights of Man by Thomas Paine. This book was foundational for me. Thomas Paine was another contemporary of the founding fathers, and is considered by many to be a founding father of the US Constitution. In this book Thomas takes on a debate with a Mr Burke that had published a pamphlet with arguments against the French revolution. This book is available on line. Read the first chapter and you will be hooked by his clarity of thought and excellent sense of humor.

The proper role of "Law"

Read an excellent treatment of the proper role of "Law".
Frederic Bastiat was a comtemparary of the founding fathers of the USA. He understood well the tendency of man to distort law for their individual favor, and ultimately to the bondage of the masses. Want to be free? You must know what it means to be free. What is freedom to you? Here is a link to "The Law"

Love Wealth more than Liberty?

"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."
- Samuel Adams

Author of your fate?

How unfortunate that so many of us place limits on our own capacity. The pattern of our lives becomes like the line of a stream as it makes it's aimless path through obstacles and substances that act upon it to move it to and fro, such that when we look back we see an incoherent journey to which we felt compelled beyond forces of our own volition. Perhaps to the point where we adopt a sort of helplessness, that at times leads to hopelessness, then idleness, and finally on to a type of “entitlement” mentality that has the individual looking to some external authority or source to provide at first his means...and then his happiness. Each of us have within us the author that writes our own fate...it is our thoughts. Or rather our thoughts are the germinating seed that grows into whatever we go on to realize in our physical lives. I commend to you a small book. It is on-line and completely FREE. "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen.