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What Shaped My Thought
No Treason: The Constitution Of No AuthorityNo Treason: The Constitution Of No Authority by Lysander Spooner
Buy new: £10.95 / Used from: £8.18
One of the most powerful and radical shapers of my anti-state thought. Biting logic and impassioned writing. Especially see essay four.
Despatches from a Dying Country: Reflections on Modern EnglandDespatches from a Dying Country: Reflections on Modern England by Sean Ivor Gabb
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Gabb blends radical libertarianism with a very British sense of tradition, order and justice. Esp. see his essays on the constitution, threats to it and how to avert them.
For a New Liberty: The Libertarian ManifestoFor a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto by Murray N. Rothbard
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Inspiring, readable and impressive, this is one of the most important influences on my thought, though I don't go quite so far as Rothbard. Again, every conservative should read this book.
Capitalism: a Treatise on EconomicsCapitalism: a Treatise on Economics by George Reisman
Buy new: £70.99 / Used from: £100.71
A readable and complete treatise on economics from a coherent, principled laissez faire perspective. I use this as a reference book and is one of the best investments I've ever made.
Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal (Signet Shakespeare)Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal (Signet Shakespeare) by Ayn Rand
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Though taking holistic Objectivism with a pinch of salt, Rand's essays are reassuringly sound, powerful, confident, provocative and inciteful.
Socialism: An Economic and Sociological AnalysisSocialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis by Ludwig Von Mises
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A systematic, intelligent and approachable analysis of the flaws of socialism from an Austrian School perspective.
Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance (Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions)Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance (Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions) by Douglass C. North
Buy new: £11.15 / Used from: £9.28
Brings together much of what I'd thought for several years about human action without knowing North had got there first. Written with clarity and based on logical economic reasoning. Very readable.
How to Out-sell, Out-market, Out-promote, Out-advertise, Everyone Else You Compete Against, Before They Even Know What Hit ThemHow to Out-sell, Out-market, Out-promote, Out-advertise, Everyone Else You Compete Against, Before They Even Know What Hit Them by Paul Gorman
Buy used from: £55.99
I read this a long time ago. Very different from all my other recommendations, but this book is worth more than just a guide to marketing strategy. It's about phychology and success and determination.
The Way We Live Now (Wordsworth Classics)The Way We Live Now (Wordsworth Classics) by Anthony Trollope
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There is no novel I've ever come across that is more addictive, entertaining, thought-provoking and perennially relevant as this one. And it was published in 1875.
The Book of Snobs (Konemann Classics)The Book of Snobs (Konemann Classics) by William Makepeace Thackeray
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A collection of satirical columns in Victorian-era Punch magazine, originally entitled The Snobs of England by One of Themselves. Incredibly entertaining with ever-enduring themes.
The Mystery of CapitalThe Mystery of Capital by Hernando De Soto
Buy new: £6.48 / Used from: £3.91
The central thesis about what holds back development and growth in much of the world is so simple, obvious even after having read it. This book's insights are important firepower for many a debate.
Why Societies Need Dissent (Oliver Wendell Holmes lectures)Why Societies Need Dissent (Oliver Wendell Holmes lectures) by CR Sunstein
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Uses behavioural phychology to show the dangers of 'sheepism' in organisations, not least the institutions of governments. The conclusions here can be applied to so many situations in so many ways.
The Case for IsraelThe Case for Israel by Alan Dershowitz
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A considered defence of Israel's existence and rights from a very moderate perspective.
Man, the State and War: A Theoretical AnalysisMan, the State and War: A Theoretical Analysis by KN Waltz
Buy new: £14.37 / Used from: £10.25
Waltz seeks to identify the causes of war and reaches insightful and systematic conclusions which have shaped my perspectives on thinking about foreign policy. Enjoyable, readable and powerful.
The End of History and the Last ManThe End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama
Buy new: £10.27 / Used from: £7.50
Impressive, informative, approachable and inspiring. Maybe history hasn't ended but Fukuyama's arguments are enticing and I've found myself using many of his points in many discussions.
The FountainheadThe Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
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Powerful, bitter, and addictive from the first chapter. Many excellent lines, complex characterisation and hugely provocative.
Atlas ShruggedAtlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Buy new: £6.01 / Used from: £4.07
Again, powerful, bitter and addictive. This book makes many people reassess their outlook on life. Its flaw is a long speech by John Galt which, regardless of its brilliance, has no place in a novel.
Bernard Shaw: His Life, Work and FriendsBernard Shaw: His Life, Work and Friends by St.John G. Ervine
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A wonderfully readable biography of Shaw. But I recommend it for its literary brilliance rather than its subject. Especially see the discussion of Fabians and imperialism.