One of conservatism's most articulate voices dissects today's most important economic, racial, political, education, legal, and social issues, sharing his entertaining and thought-provoking insights on a wide range of contentious subjects.
Controversial Essays (HOOVER INST PRESS PUBLICATION)
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"This book contains an abundance of wisdom on a large number of economic issues." --Mises Review
About the Author
Thomas Sowell is the Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution.
He writes on economics, history, social policy, ethnicity, and the history of ideas. Sowell’s current research focuses on cultural history in a world perspective. Sowell's journalistic writings include a nationally syndicated column that appears in more than 150 newspapers from Boston to Honolulu.
Over the past three decades, Sowell has taught economics at various colleges and universities, including Cornell, Amherst, and the University of California at Los Angeles, as well as the history of ideas at Brandeis University. He has also been associated with three other research centers, in addition to the Hoover Institution. He was project director at the Urban Institute, 1972-1974, a fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, 1976–77, and was an adjunct scholar of the American Enterprise Institute, 1975-76.
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More About the Author
Thomas Sowell has taught economics at Cornell, UCLA, Amherst and other academic institutions, and his Basic Economics has been translated into six languages. He is currently a scholar in residence at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He has published in both academic journals in such popular media as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes magazine and Fortune, and writes a syndicated column that appears in newspapers across the country.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
51 of 54 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The book is a collection of columns, which barely qualifies as a book of "essays", which I normally consider lengthier and more complex. I have read many of Sowell's books and was quite familiar with his ideas, but had never seen most of these columns. Thus, I wanted to see his thoughts on various topics of recent years. No real surprises there, and he demonstrates the ability to pack a punch in a column.
The columns are organized into six parts: Economic, Racial, Political, Educational, Legal, and Social. My favorites tend to be on his core subjects of economics and race, especially those positions with libertarian orientation instead of straight conservatism. Familiar topics, such as affirmative action, slavery, and heavy-handed government, are all here. The author is also ready to take on hypocrites with little prompting.
I recommend the columns as an introduction to and summary of the ideas and breadth of Mr. Sowell. Personally, I actually prefer his books, where the scholarship has more opportunity to shine.
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Terry Godat
Format:Paperback
The only drawback to a collection of newspaper columns like the present volume is that, as is usually the case with good writers, the quality of their writing is not quite as high as it is in their other books. Having said that, I must say this book is still good enough.
I think the best article is "Another Outrage," detailing Bill Clinton's unpatriotic speech at Georgetown University in the wake of the events of 9/11/01. Like Sowell, I am sick and tired of people who think present-day Americans are "paying the price" for having owned slaves and killed Indians. Those who think America is the cause of all the world's problems find kindred spirits in Bill and Hillary. Thomas Sowell isn't fooled.
16 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By M. Wilson
Format:Paperback
I highly recommend anyone interested in politics pick up this nice collection of editorials, along with a few other Sowell books. "Vision of the Annointed" is classic, and a true nightmare to leftist elites. Walter Williams also has some excellent books similar to this one.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent...a gem on every page
A wonderful collection of essays that clearly demonstrate why acclaimed economist Thomas Sowell is also one of the foremost philosophers of our time. Read more
Published on November 18, 2009 by C. Wilson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Black Economist and White Liberals
CONTROVERSIAL ESSAYS
by Thomas Sowell
This is a collection of articles by the famed economist Thomas Sowell, only the majority of the texts aren't about economics. Read more
by Thomas Sowell
This is a collection of articles by the famed economist Thomas Sowell, only the majority of the texts aren't about economics. Read more
Published on July 9, 2008 by golgotha.gov
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic
Sowell's ability to explain things clearly and logically will cause many people to rethink their positions on many societal issues. Read more
Published on March 8, 2008 by D. Alder
5.0 out of 5 stars
OUTSTANDING BOOK
I believe Thomas Sowell is the best current OP-ED writer. His columns are consistently outstanding. As a black man and one who grew up in Harlem, he can make some of the candid... Read more
Published on August 7, 2006 by Wayne Reynolds
2.0 out of 5 stars
Sowell as journalist
Sowell is a better scholar than journalist. He should stick to his scholarly writing and leave the journalism to people who write with more grace, wit, and charm than he does. Read more
Published on July 7, 2006 by D. Bartholome
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not great - a serious diappointment.
I am a Republican working as a civil servant in Washington. Having read some of his previous writings, I thought that this collection of Sowell's essays would be interesting and a... Read more
Published on May 13, 2004
1.0 out of 5 stars
Concise Bore
Thomas Sowell is a concise bore. He manages to show his reader one thing in this collection of short ramblings - that he has a chip on his shoulder. Read more
Published on July 17, 2003 by Erik Gauger
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 15
books:
See all 15 books this book cites
5
books
cite this book:
- Harvest of Sorrow by Robert Conquest on page 297, and page 298
- The Economics of Population Growth by Julian Lincoln Simon on page 23
- An Essay On The Principle Of Population by Thomas Malthus on page 21
- The Economics of Population: Key Classic Writings by Julian L. Simon on page 23
- The Economics of Population: Key Modern Writings (International Library of Critical Writings in Economics) by Julian Lincoln Simon on page 23
See all 15 books this book cites
- Racial Classification and History (Critical Race Theory: Essays on the Social Construction and Reproduction of "Race") by E. Nathaniel Gates on page 332
- Pricing on Purpose: Creating and Capturing Value by Ronald J. Baker in Back Matter
- Barbarians inside the Gates and Other Controversial Essays (HOOVER INST PRESS PUBLICATION) by Thomas Sowell in Front Matter
- In Every Tongue: The Racial & Ethnic Diversity of the Jewish People by Diane Tobin in Back Matter
- The Limits to Union: Same-Sex Marriage and the Politics of Civil Rights (Law, Meaning, and Violence) by Jonathan Goldberg-Hiller in Back Matter
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