Recommended Books
(This partial list of recommended books is still a work in progress. I expect to add dozens of books over the next few months.)
Secular Classics
The Art of War, (Sun Tze)
(War has truly been called “diplomacy by another means.” The converse of any true statement is itself a true statement. Diplomacy is war by another means. This small book has been used by generals to defeat their enemies, businessmen to understand their customers’ needs, and diplomats to plot strategy. How can you use it as a force for good?)
The Communist Manifesto, (Karl Marx)
Marxism isn’t dead; it has only altered its form. Here’s a key to understanding it.
Federalist Papers, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison
When Benjamin Franklin was asked what kind of government the Constitutional Convention had given the people, he replied, “A republic—if you can keep it.” Those who want to reclaim the republic would do well to understand what kind of government the Founding Fathers intended for us to have.
The Law, (Frederick Bastiat)
Written as a rebuttal to The Communist Manifesto, this work is considered the definitive treatise providing practical and philosophical arguments for freedom.
The Prince, (Niccolo Machiavelli)
This book is an education in the way politics really works. After reading this book, you should learn to look beyond political rhetoric. Don’t just read their lips; watch their hands.
Religion and Philosophy
The Holy Bible
If you already have a copy of the Bible, that’s good. Here’s a suggestion: Pretend you’re reading it for the first time. Forget what you’ve been told that it says. You’ll be edified by what you’ll find—things you missed before.
The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’an, (Abdulla Yusuf Ali;) published by Dar Al Kitab, Cairo, ©1934
In this two-volume set, written in Arabic with English translation, you’ll find annotations telling you how mainstream Muslims understand the words found in the Qur’an (Koran). Granted, there are several Muslim sects with differing understandings of the Koran; but this book is probably closer to the actual meaning of the Koran than anything you’ll read from people who hate Muslims. (There are several books by that name. For information, click here.)
The Teaching of Buddha (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism) Until I read this book, I’d never realized that the Bible has many verses teaching the virtue of a simple lifestyle. I’d never heard simplicity preached from a pulpit, probably because advertising agencies can’t find a way to make it profitable. Through this book, I gained a clearer understanding of both Buddhism and Christianity. For information, click here.
Meditations, (Marcus Aurelius)
Marcus Aurelius was one of the greatest stoic philosophers of all time. During the Age of Enlightenment (the early modern era), stoicism became one of the four pillars of culture in the American South. It still is.
Analects of Confucius, (translated and annotated by Arthur Waley) ©1938 The text you'll see is probably not the Waley translation.
A collection of sayings by Confucius.
The Taoist Body (Kristofer Schipper, translated by Karen C. Duval) Pelanduk Publications 1993
I couldn’t find a better work to describe Taoism, but this one is pretty good. (For purchasing information, click here.)
Tao Te Ching I admit I haven't read it, but I intend to. I found it online while looking for links to The Taoist Body. It's the sayings of Lao Tze, the founder of Taoism. Tao means, "The Way."
Contemporary Works
The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve, (G. Edward Griffin) If you think that banker-related events of the past two years were a scam, try reading this one. The Federal Reserve is the most massive fraud ever perpetrated on the American people. Major banks have the power to “create money” out of thin air, collect interest on lending it, and expect American taxpayers to cover “losses” incurred as a result of gambling by these same banks—and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. (If there's no American Opinion Bookstore near you, click here for Amazon.com.)
The Grand Chessboard, (Zbigniew Brzezinski. In this 1997 work, a top advisor to every U.S. President since Jimmy Carter says that whoever controls “Eurasia” controls the world. He then sets about telling how U.S. policy can be shaped to control Eurasia. As you’re reading this, you’re likely to notice the similarity between the author’s recommendations and the events taking place in the world today.
The Last JFK Conspiracy Book, (Jerry Mills) If you think that the government would never lie to you, you’re probably not old enough to remember the Warren Commission Report (and you’re probably not a Native American, a black, or other racial minority.) The author spent a quarter of a century researching the assassination of President Kennedy and then wrote it down in a uniquely readable form—as a satire. In this book, geriatric space travelers from the future (Captain James Kook, Mr. Spook, Ensign Jackass, Chief Engineer Snot, Dr. Bonehead, and others) go back to the year 1963 and attempt to prevent the assassination of President Kennedy. They succeed—sort of.
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism (Naomi Klein) Picador Publications ©2007 Naomi Klein, a Canadian liberal, has been addressing Tea Party concerns for years. In this meticulously researched book, she describes scores of ways that gangster government has been robbing people all over the world, pretty much the same ways we’re not seeing in America. The information in The Shock Doctrine is reason enough for liberals, conservatives, and libertarians to set aside their differences long enough to deal with corruption in government. (For more information, click here.)
Many other classic books and writings
