These selections from the many writings of Thomas Sowell over a period of a half century cover social, economic, cultural, legal, educational, and political issues. The sources range from Dr. Sowell's letters, books, newspaper columns, and articles in both scholarly journals and popular magazines. The topics range from late-talking children to "tax cuts for the rich," baseball, race, war, the role of judges, medical care, and the rhetoric of politicians. These topics are dealt with by sometimes drawing on history, sometimes drawing on economics, and sometimes drawing on a sense of humor.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
By K. Davies
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book should be sent to all members of parliament, so that they can understand what is required of them.
Thomas Sowell applies common sense to world and local areas of concern that exposes big government in a very entertaining and knowledable way.
Thomas Sowell applies common sense to world and local areas of concern that exposes big government in a very entertaining and knowledable way.
By Robmurfuk
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've yet to find anyone who makes such lucid, clear, straightforward and honest arguments as Dr Sowell. David Mamet called him "our greatest contemporary pholisepher"? Who am I to disagree.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars
42 reviews
121 of 124 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crystalline common sense
20 Oct 2011
By Joseph Devita
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Brilliant people understand and use very difficult concepts, while geniuses are that small group who can also explain those ideas simply enough for most others to understand them. Thomas Sowell, with his crystalline intelligence and erudite yet demystifying writing, is such a genius.
This book is a compendium of his works ranging over decades, yet so insightful and important are his thoughts that it is almost impossible to date them- their pertinence is literally timeless.
Ranging over politics, education, legal theory, race and other categories, Sowell brilliantly analyzes a broad spectrum of topics including the reason homeruns increased in the 1920's, the effects of affirmative action across the globe , Marx's life and personality, and the effects of geography on culture and economic development, always bringing to bear that ability to undermine commonly accepted assumptions with facts and logic.
As anyone who is familiar with Sowell knows, he is a Black Conservative philosopher whose main preoccupation is subjecting the thoughts and actions of those he calls the anointed, Progressive politicians and intellectuals, to the light of reality and commonsense, and in the process decimating their arguments while also demonstrating how dangerous they are. Given the partisan political environment today, this exegesis of so much of what is accepted as axiomatic fact is an invaluable guide for those who find themselves grasping to really understand and weigh the political and social aspirations and effects of the Left.
And therein lie the limits of the popularity of this book. For a Conservative or anyone who values the collective intelligence and experience that is institutionalized in the free market and cultural entities like the family and religions, or anyone with an open mind willing to be guided by one of the great thinkers of our times in navigating the treacherous maze that political and cultural discourse has become, this book is a delight and invaluable.
For Progressives and their intellectual allies this book will be anathema, something to be mocked and burned as a heresy.
You must decide who you are. For those who eagerly open this book to be enlightened or just comforted, you will find all your expectations more than fulfilled.
This book is a compendium of his works ranging over decades, yet so insightful and important are his thoughts that it is almost impossible to date them- their pertinence is literally timeless.
Ranging over politics, education, legal theory, race and other categories, Sowell brilliantly analyzes a broad spectrum of topics including the reason homeruns increased in the 1920's, the effects of affirmative action across the globe , Marx's life and personality, and the effects of geography on culture and economic development, always bringing to bear that ability to undermine commonly accepted assumptions with facts and logic.
As anyone who is familiar with Sowell knows, he is a Black Conservative philosopher whose main preoccupation is subjecting the thoughts and actions of those he calls the anointed, Progressive politicians and intellectuals, to the light of reality and commonsense, and in the process decimating their arguments while also demonstrating how dangerous they are. Given the partisan political environment today, this exegesis of so much of what is accepted as axiomatic fact is an invaluable guide for those who find themselves grasping to really understand and weigh the political and social aspirations and effects of the Left.
And therein lie the limits of the popularity of this book. For a Conservative or anyone who values the collective intelligence and experience that is institutionalized in the free market and cultural entities like the family and religions, or anyone with an open mind willing to be guided by one of the great thinkers of our times in navigating the treacherous maze that political and cultural discourse has become, this book is a delight and invaluable.
For Progressives and their intellectual allies this book will be anathema, something to be mocked and burned as a heresy.
You must decide who you are. For those who eagerly open this book to be enlightened or just comforted, you will find all your expectations more than fulfilled.
141 of 147 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Useful Compilation
15 Oct 2011
By D. W. MacKenzie
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
The republication of these short essays is useful mainly because it is timely. Thomas Sowell has a talent for applying the `unintended consequences/spontaneous order' line of economic reasoning to real economic events. There are several important lessons in these essays. Markets work in ways that are subtle- enough so that people often underestimate the connection between market competition and public welfare. The costs and consequences of government intervention are also subtle and often unseen by many. Finally, the concept of Social Justice has no real meaning. As Hayek put it decades ago, social justice is a dishonest insinuation that one ought to agree to the demand of some special interest which can give no reason for it. These ideas are not entirely new. Frederic Bastiat and, of course, Hayek, imparted these lessons to past generations. However, the recent resurgence of belief in government intervention or planning means that these lessons need to be relearned. Sowell's reader presents these concepts in an easily understood and topical fashion. Well done!
54 of 56 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spot on and Enthralling
28 Oct 2011
By J. Ash
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
The Thomas Sowell ReaderDr. Sowell doesn't suffer from tunnel vision. Nor does he spew venom. What he does is make an educated summary of a topic and then produce unending evidence and backup for his conclusions. I remember in college reading some of his works and having professors rave about his ability. Some thirty years later my boss's daughter is reading him in her AP high school class and telling him that his books are enjoyable, accessible and educational.
Milton Friedman was proud of Dr. Sowell and Dr. Sowell has done his best to carry on a great tradition of extraordinary insight and accessible teaching.
He is too old to run for president and he wouldn't touch D.C. with a ten foot pole, but if any of our last 4 presidents had followed his advice we'd not be grappling with a downturn that has not just put us,but the entire globe in peril.
I have some hope that by word of mouth young people, bored with the transparently liberal drivel shoved at them, will find Dr. Sowell and come to realize that they've been sold out by the last three generations and will have a fight not much easier than our founding fathers if they want to reclaim America.
Milton Friedman was proud of Dr. Sowell and Dr. Sowell has done his best to carry on a great tradition of extraordinary insight and accessible teaching.
He is too old to run for president and he wouldn't touch D.C. with a ten foot pole, but if any of our last 4 presidents had followed his advice we'd not be grappling with a downturn that has not just put us,but the entire globe in peril.
I have some hope that by word of mouth young people, bored with the transparently liberal drivel shoved at them, will find Dr. Sowell and come to realize that they've been sold out by the last three generations and will have a fight not much easier than our founding fathers if they want to reclaim America.
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4.7 out of 5 stars
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