Book for a hardcore left-liberal?

myself | 12/1/2003 | oblomov

[oblomov]

I have a friend who is a hardcore left-liberal. Looking to buy a book that will not convert him, but which might open his mind a little to other political possibilities.

Let's be honest, the latest screed by Ann Coulter or Sean Hannity is not likely to be read, or enjoyed by him.

It needs to be much more subtle, something that appeals to the native idealism of a liberal sort, but with an ultimately conservative/libertarian conclusion.

Any suggestions?

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Enemies, Foreign and Domestic.


Glue a little mirror on the front cover.

[Thane_Banquo]

Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations.

[Tijeras_Slim]

The Black Book of Communism

Death By Government

[ozzie]

Parliament of whores....PJ o'Rourke
Constitution of Liberty.........von Hayek

[ml/nj]

Radical Son (Horowitz) worked for one of my daughter's friends.

ML/NJ

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

David Horowitz' "Radical Son," which describes how he evolved from a Red-Diaper Baby to a conservative spokesman.

[Maria S]

Dereliction of Duty, Hell to Pay

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

We must be using the same drugs. :)

[Russ]

The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk

[mewzilla]

Click here for a recommendation from a former loony leftie. Hayek's book The Road to Serfdom made an indelible impression.

[palmer]

Ayn Rand. She was not flawless but did have a knack of engaging the passive liberal mind.

[billhilly]

It might be easier to find a new friend.

[jocon307]

"Radical Son" by David Horowitz

I haven't read the book, but I did just read two chapters from it in an anthology, and I am thinking if I drop a hint or two I can be given it for Christmas.

As you may know, Hororwitz was a red-diaper baby who became a leading light on the radical left, after the murder of his bookkeeper by the Black Panthers he finally saw through the lies of communism/socialism and finally migrated all the way over to become a leading light of the right. He is also a tremendous intellectual who has written (with his oft time collaborator Peter Collier) several well regarded books of multi-generational biography on great American dynastys.

He is an excellent, highly readable writer. You start reading his stuff and the writing just carries you along, you don't want to put down the book. Not just because of what he is saying, but because of the fluid and interesting way he is saying it.

I'm not sure how left-wing your friend is. If he's a hard-core commie he may regard Horowitz as a traitor to the cause and not want to listen to him. Otherwise I think anyone would find his story of a tremendous life-change interesting and eye opening.

[IoCaster]

Try this---> Reading List for the Counter-Intelligentsia

[Mad Dawgg]

I suggest: The Quest for Cosmic Justice by Thomas Sowell

[Mad Dawgg]

I also suggest: The Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek

[archy]

I have a friend who is a hardcore left-liberal. Looking to buy a book that will not convert him, but which might open his mind a little to other political possibilities.

Age range? Education? Family? That first suggestion for a copy of Enemies, Foreign and Domestic is a good one, and I'd bet you could get the author to include a personal inscription for the recipient, maybe even yet in time for a Christmas present.

Aside from EF&D, much of the late Robert Anson Heinlein's work comes to mind, and most of his works are still in print, one clue that they're a pretty good read. A lot depends of your friend's taste, of course, and I'm hoping you can give us a little more info in that regard.

-archy-/-

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

If you're trying to convince him of the moral and ethical bankruptcy of the hard left: Shakedown, by Kenneth Timmerman, is an excellent read.

If you want to make him aware of the true, documented depths to which the Dems sank in order to (attempt to) steal the election of 2000: Bill Sammon's At Any Cost should open his eyes (and make his jaw drop open...) :)

If (like most leftists) he's succumbed to the subtle poison of today's fashionable leftist anti-Semitism: Alan Dershowitz's The Case For Israel, Phyllis Chesler's The New Anti-Semitism and Yaacov Lozowick's Right To Exist are all excellent cures for that particular disease.

Possibly your best bet, however, is to give him something from a fellow Democrat: Zell Miller's A National Party No More. It spells out, succinctly and inarguably, the horrors of the present-day leftist agenda... and, coming from one of his own, he can't reasonably cry "bias" against its arguments.

I don't know how to make hyperlinks -- perhaps some enterprising fellow Freeper could help out, here? -- but, all of these are currently available on Amazon. Just type in the titles, and read the descriptions offered of each. Hope this helps! :)

[BadAndy]

"What's So Great About America", by Dinesh D'Sousa. The book addresses many of the leftists misconceptions and attitudes about western civilization in general and the US in particular.