Recommended Reading
So much to read, so little time!... This list only begins to scratch the surface. You'll want to branch out from here. Thomas Jefferson believed that an informed citizenry was necessary to liberty. Believe it. Turn off the T.V. - read a book. Own them or say 'the library is my friend.'
The Real Jefferson Allison, Maxfield, Cook, Skousen
The Real Washington Allison, Parry, Skousen
The Real Franklin Andrew M. Allison
"The American Classic Series": A series dedicated to helping Americans understand and appreciate the Founders and the remarkable system of free government they gave us. Discover who these great men really were. One of them might already be your favorite Founder - find out why.
1984 George Orwell
Brave New World Aldous Huxley
Read these back-to-back. One is "hard" totalitarianism; the other "soft." The result is the same. Taken together, they are a fascinating juxtaposition. Either is a frightening warning. Both authors were before their time.
The Road to Serfdom F. A. Hayek
"Definitive Edition" Bruce Caldwell (Editor)
All right, we'll beg: please read this book! Hayek was another who saw far over the horizon. He tells us about the perils of socialism (and all of the other "-ism" variants), why people may want to be controlled, why it never turns out like they think it will, and the absolute disaster of internationalism.
Liberal Fascism Jonah Golderberg
Goldberg examines modern liberalism's relation to early 20th-century fascist politics. The title is perhaps unfortunate - the cover hilarious (Goldberg should sell the shirts). Goldberg argues that fascism is a phenomenon of the left and, like Hayek, that all the "-isms" are really related, with only minor differences - including modern environmentalISM.
Basic Economics, 3rd Ed. Thomas Sowell
The fourth edition will be out soon
This is the economics book for the rest of us. No charts, no graphs, no arcane theories. Sowell writes in plain language, with concrete examples form the past and present. Read Basic Economics to compare what is to what should be. Thomas Sowell has a massive body of work - books as well as articles. Read some. We're fortunate to have this man's brain on the planet at this time - take advantage of it.
Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand
"Who is John Galt?" Find out in Ayn Rand's masterpiece. Though a literary fiction, it belies a great deal of truth. Captains of industry struggle to succeed with their dreams, against the backdrop of a government that wants to destroy them and capitalism. One by one, those who really make the world run decide to withhold their talents and efforts. Rand mixes in her personal thoughts on religion and her philosophy. Though some may not ascribe to the entire package, it is quite a worth-while read! Atlas Shrugged is one of the most influential books in history. Wow.
The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression Amity Shlaes
What you learned about the Great Depression in school is wrong. The '30s depression lasted all over the world for a couple of years. In America, we call it "Great." It lasted more than ten years here and would have lasted longer, had WWII not intervened. Why? Ms. Shlaes is a consummate researcher and scholar - but she doesn't write like one! That's a compliment. The Forgotten Man is a gripping account of real history. Quite eye-opening!
The Bible God
Dive in anywhere, really. Jews may love the first half, Christians the second. But, do cross-train. Study the book of Jeremiah (The story of what happens when a (chosen) people turns away from God.) - it has a familiar ring to it. This is God's handbook, written by his "homies." We need Him right about now.
Rules For Radicals Saul Alinsky
Read this if you can stand it - "the oppressed classes" and all of that.... Did you realize that you were the enemy? It only gets worse. But, you need to know what the community-organizing, Marxist enemies are thinking, 'cause they're in control right now. Word: we know what you're up to. We've sussed you out! You will lose. Word up. Good news: there are "Cliff Notes" to be had, if you will. Get this document (5kb). (Note: no offense intended toward those venerable little yellow books that helped many of us get through high school!)
The Movement Action Plan Bill Moyer
The anatomy of mass movements and how to win. The eight stages of successful movements. There is a stage where a movement is won or lost by either side. We may be at that point now. Learn: how to use their own plan against them and how we're winning (IF we'll just keep going). Covered by Glenn Beck on his Fox show. Get it (225kb).
You Don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows Bill Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn, et. al.
This is pure drek. Pure, frightening drek. Please drag your eyes over it. Take one for the team. Know what the people who want to RULE you think. Know what these unrepentant American terrorists think. This is their master plan. They're doing it. Now you know. Covered by Glenn Beck on his Fox show. Get it (kb).
America's Ruling Class - and the Perils of Revolution Angelo M. Codevilla
This American Spectator piece really opened my eyes about some things: not how the "evil" ideologue would rule us, but how the rank-and-file wonk-type comes to be and how they really think that we are of a "lesser intellect," and how they really only want to "help" us. There really are two Americas. The Ruling Class really doesn't see the world in the same way normal people do. Mr. Codevilla does not focus too much on the "Revolution" part of the title - that's not the point. I found this fascinating; it explained a lot. This was first brought to a wider audience by Rush Limbaugh on his radio program. Get it (313kb).
How Obama Thinks Dinesh D'Souza
This Forbes piece is both fascinating and something that most people probably know nothing about. Both supporters and detractors could never quite put their finger on the reasons for Obama's words and actions. 'He's a little of this; a little of that,' but most could never quite figure him out. This article could help. It is a taste of Mr. D'Souza's book on the same subject, coming out soon. Get it (152kb).
Common Sense Glenn Beck
Influenced by Thomas Paine's classic, which is included as the second half of the book, Paine's pamphlet is widely credited with driving the colonies to revolution. Beck's book details the egregious corruption pouring out of today's Washington, D.C. It skewers politicians on both sides of the aisle and makes the case for a non-violent revolt against the Federal government. If you're not outraged, then you've stopped breathing! This is a must-read for every American who cares about continuing our way of life.
The 5,000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World W. Cleon Skousen
This book should be a required reading for every American. It covers the role of the individual, the importance of Natural Law, the Founders' belief in God/Creator, and the reasons for the checks and balances built into our system. This book will affirm what is great about America and will likely surprise you with some facts you didn't know.
The Constitution and The Declaration of Independence
Available from many online sources as free PDFs. Do not download annotated versions from law firms or other sources - we must read them for ourselves, as the Founders and Framers intended. These are the contracts under which we live - read them!
Try these : Declaration (72K), Constitution (384K).
The Federalist Papers
The quintessential volume on the meaning of The Constitution, written by the Framers themselves. Originally a collection of essays written under the pseudonym "Publius" (Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay), published to convince the state of New York to ratify The Constitution, they are just as important to us today, as we can read the Framers' original intent from their own minds, in their own hands.
Electronic copy: The Federalist Papers (1.3MB).
Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto Mark R. Levin
Mark R. Levin takes on the Statist [a person who vests power in the government, not the individual - who can be from any political party] and describes how the government and those who wield its power are destroying The Constitution and undermining the Civil Society established by The Founders. Levin explains milestones in our nation's history where the progressive Statists have irreparably damaged our liberty and the fabric of our society. Mark Levin is a brilliant Constitutional scholar, who makes its study approachable and its pending loss understandable to everyone. Savor this book. Read it slowly so that its words may sink in. It is a thoroughly researched, well-written and important book. It may prove to be a seminal work like Goldwater's The Conscience of a Conservative. Time will tell.
Rise to Rebellion Jeff Shaara
This is the first of a three-part series that chronicles the American Revolution. It is a historical novel that takes the words of our Founders and weaves them into a tale of the excesses of the Crown that lead up to the Revolution. The writing is crisp and exciting and makes this important part of our history come alive. You will read in amazement and see how history is repeating itself today.
Constitution Of the State Of Georgia
This one's ours. Although it may not make for exciting reading, it might be good to keep a copy for reference. Get it at http://sos.georgia.gov/ELECTIONS/constitution.htm .
Newsletters
The GA 9-12 Monthly Newsletter
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Additional Resources
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is the nation's most broadly supported public policy research institute, with more than 453,000 individual, foundation and corporate donors. Heritage, founded in February 1973, has a staff of 244 and an expense budget of $61 million.
National Review and NRO
National Review magazine and NRO online are America's most widely read and influential conservative news, commentary, and opinion sources. Both are the benchmark vehicles for reaching those conservatives who shape opinion on the important issues, and both reach an affluent, educated, and highly responsive audience of corporate and government leaders, the financial elite, educators, journalists, community and association leaders, as well as engaged activists all across America.
The Tenth Amendment Center
The Tenth Amendment Center works to preserve and protect Tenth Amendment freedoms through information and education. The center serves as a forum for the study and exploration of state and individual sovereignty issues, focusing primarily on the decentralization of the Federal government's power.