Introduction
I’m often asked to provide a list of books that conservatives should read. Not formally, of course, but people I know that like to read know that I’m a conservative and love reading, so they ask me what books that conservatives should read.
Now, I’m no book expert. I like reading a variety of books, from ones on habit to ones on modern warfare, but I’m not an expert in literature. Nor am I an expert in conservatism; I’m just a young conservative that thought it would be a good idea to start a conservative blog so I could start spreading my thoughts on American politics and other issues.
But, because I’m a conservative that loves reading, I do think I can provide a good list of books that conservatives should read. I’ve reviewed tons of books and read even more, so even if this list doesn’t contain a book you’d like it to, know that it was curated from a long list of books that conservatives should read. Maybe, in the future, I’ll expand it and put even more conservative books on it.
In any case, without further ado, here is the list! Enjoy reading this list of books that conservatives should read and then enjoy reading these books! I think you’ll enjoy reading each of the 10 that I chose.
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A Young Conservative’s List of Books that Conservatives Should Read:
1. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
For those of you that have been reading this blog for awhile, this choice of Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand for my first choice among the books that conservatives should read should not surprise you. For those of you that haven’t been on this conservative blog before, just know that Atlas Shrugged is, by far, my favorite book of all time. The characters in it, political philosophy behind it, and the way that Rand uses events in it to show that capitalism is an unvarnished good and communism is undeniably evil is excellent.
If you’ve never heard of Atlas Shrugged before, it’s a book about what would happen if the producers of the world; the factory owners, geniuses, inventors, and others that add value to society simply went on strike and disappeared, leaving the world to the looters and socialists. The story is excellent and only adds to the philosophy behind it, which is called Objectivism. Order a copy of and read Atlas Shrugged. You won’t regret it.
Read my full review of Atlas Shrugged here: https://genzconservative.com/atlas-shrugged/
2. The Federalist Papers
Want to know how the Founding Fathers defended the Constitution and ensured that it would be adopted by the requisite number of states? And from that, do you want to learn how conservatives today can defend the Constitution and its amendments from the attacks of leftists that hate liberty in America? Then you need to read The Federalist Papers, written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison.
The Federalist Papers are number two on my list of books that conservatives should read because they are a defense of the American system that conservatives want to defend. Learn how you can defend your society and the system of government for that society by reading The Federalist Papers.
Yes, because they’re from the late 18th Century, they don’t apply perfectly to the politics of today. But still, the arguments in them about centralized power, interest groups, individual liberty, the nature of government, and more are still incredibly relevant. The context may have changed, but the need for the arguments has not. Learn how to defend liberty by reading The Federalist Papers!
Read my full review of The Federalist Papers here: https://genzconservative.com/review-of-the-federalist-papers/
3. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
The Wealth of Nations might seem like an odd choice for a list of books that conservatives should read. It’s from before the American Revolution and is about economics rather than political philosophy. Perhaps it is, I don’t really know nor do I much care. I think it is absolutely one of the books that conservatives should read because the economic arguments in it are the basis and bedrock of the free market capitalism that conservatives now support.
Adam Smith can and should be thought of as the father of modern capitalism. His arguments for capitalism and why it is natural, efficient, and leads to greater profits are found in The Wealth of Nations. Yes, like Atlas Shrugged, it is a long book that can be somewhat difficult to read at times. I’m not denying or downplaying that fact.
It took me quite awhile to read, and I’m a fast reader. But, regardless, it is a book you need to read. Conservatives need to understand capitalism so that they can defend it. Reading The Wealth of Nations is one of the best ways to start understanding capitalism. That’s why it’s on this list of books that conservatives should read. You should read it.
Read my full review of The Wealth of Nations here: https://genzconservative.com/the-wealth-of-nations-review/
4. The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
I know what you’re thinking by this point. “The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, are you serious? Is this list of books that conservatives should read really just a list of long and somewhat difficult to read books?” And, you would be partially right to think that. No book I’ve listed so far in this post on books that conservatives should read is a walk in the park. They’re full of complexity and are difficult, The Gulag Archipelago is no exception.
But, it is another one that you need to read. It explains why communism, more specifically the Soviet system under Stalin, was so evil. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was a soldier for the Soviet Union fighting on the Eastern Front. But, because an NKVD officer wanted his cigarette case and he had written something minorly complimentary about Stalin, he was sent to a gulag in Siberia and worked almost to death.
In The Gulag Archipelago, he describes the horrors of those gulags and the Soviet system as a whole. The stories are gut-wrenching and painful to read. But you need to read them if you want to have a fire lit under you to fight against the “democratic socialists” that would bring that system here if able to do so. Read it to learn about the true, evil nature of socialism. That’s why it’s on this list of books that conservatives should read.
Read The Gulag Archipelago here: https://genzconservative.com/the-gulag-archipelago/
5. American Betrayal by Diana West
Some say that American Betrayal is a book of conspiracy theories about the Soviets and the FDR administration. That’s why you’ll never see it on another list of books that conservatives should read. But, those who say that either have not read it or are so imbued with pro-socialist philosophy that they don’t care what’s in it. West writes well and defends her sources.
More importantly than that, it’s a book that shows how the elites have betrayed America, both when dealing with the Soviets and when dealing with the Islamic Fundamentalists. That’s why I included it in this list of books that conservatives should read. Conservatives stand against those groups. American Betrayal shows how they have infiltrated America and how certain elites let them do so. Read it if you want to learn about what elites and institutions are letting the enemy infiltrate America.
Read my full review of American Betrayal here: https://genzconservative.com/american-betrayal/
6. Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman
Do you want to learn why capitalism leads to freedom and the two are inextricably linked? Then read Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman. It shows not only why capitalism is a moral system, but also how it can be applied to specific problems in society to create better outcomes than Big Government ever could.
Better yet, and the real reason it’s on this list of books that conservatives should read and other pro-capitalism books are not, is that Friedman writes in a way that everyone can understand. It’s not as holistic as The Wealth of Nations. But, it is easier to read and will teach you a lot about capitalism. So, if you don’t have time to plow through The Wealth of Nations, instead read Capitalism and Freedom. You’ll learn about as much but far more quickly. Although, ideally you’d read both.
In any case, Capitalism and Freedom is worth your time and is a great book. That’s why it’s on this list of books that conservatives should read.
Read my full review of Capitalism and Freedom here: https://genzconservative.com/capitalism-and-freedom/
7. The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach
I know, I know, The Automatic Millionaire is an odd choice for a list of books that conservatives should read. It’s not about conservative political philosophy or a book about economics. I suppose I included it more because I think it is a book that every single young conservative should read.
That’s because it’s a book that is far more valuable when you’re young than when you’re older because it is, essentially about the time value of money. Bach discusses why investing from an early age is so important and why that means that if you want to retire without relying on government support, then you need to start saving and investing now.
Because fiscal responsibility it important to conservatives, I think they need to save and be fiscally responsible themselves. Learning how to save and invest, as The Automatic Millionaire teaches you to do, is important. That’s why I included it on this list of books that conservatives should read.
Read my review of The Automatic Millionaire here: https://genzconservative.com/the-automatic-millionaire/
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8. Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg
Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg is, I think, an obvious choice for a list of books that conservatives should read. It is about how the progressive, leftist movement is not based in kindness and making society freer, but is, in reality, basically a hybrid of dangerous, late 19th and early 20th Century ideas about government control with the early Italian fascism of the 1920s and 30s.
That’s a fact that few, even among the conservative ranks, are willing to admit. They don’t like to admit that a major political party is rooted in fascism. But, the modern, progressive wing of the Democratic Party is, for the reasons that Goldberg outlines in Liberal Fascism. That makes it one of the most important books that conservatives should read; it gives us the historical ammunition we need to start fighting back in the culture war the way we need to. If you’re a strong conservative that wants to learn how to fight the culture war by calling out the Democrats on the fascist roots of their ideology, read Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg,
Read my full review of Liberal Fascism here: https://genzconservative.com/liberal-fascism/
9. Coming Apart by Charles Murray
Want to learn why America is falling apart? Then you need to read Coming Apart by Charles Murray. Drugs, globalism, declining public morals, and more are the reasons why America seems to be collapsing in on itself right now. But they’re not the only reasons, there are more. If you want to learn about them, read Coming Apart.
I included Coming Apart on my list of books that conservatives should read because conservatives need to learn what is destroying American society. Some of it is Democrat programs. Welfare, free sex, and other things are certainly bad for society. But, Republican policies, namely free trade, haven’t helped either. Free trade has hollowed out fly-over country just as badly as drugs and Republicans need to wake up to that fact. Coming Apart shows just how bad the hollowing out of America has gotten. Read it. There’s a reason it’s on this list of books that conservatives should read.
Read my review of Coming Apart here: https://genzconservative.com/coming-apart/
10. America: Imagine a World Without Her by Dinesh D’Souza
America: Imagine a World Without Her is the last book I could fit into this list of books that conservatives should read. I included it over some other strong contenders because, unlike any other book I’ve named, it is unabashedly and exclusively pro-American. The others all are pro-American too, of course. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have included them in a list of books that conservatives should read. But, that’s not all their about, they include other subjects too. Political philosophy, economics, investing, or other subjects.
America: Imagine a World Without Her, on the other hand, is about how America would be a worse place if America no longer existed. That’s what it is about. And in doing so, D’Souza paints an excellent picture of America’s strengths. One that will make you proud to be an American. Read it, you won’t regret taking the time to do so because it will give you the historical information you need to fight back in the culture war against the leftists that hate America and wish it never existed.
Read my review of America: Imagine a World Without Her here: https://genzconservative.com/america-imagine-a-world-without-her/
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