What books would you recommend reading?

Anonymous question

Wow, you mean actual books? So video blogs, like SVTV , aren’t good enough? Telegram channels, like Pozharsky’s, aren’t good enough? Text columns, like Vladimir Zolotoryov’s, are also not what you’re looking for? Well, then you are a rare guest… And what kind of books? Fiction, journalism, popular science, treatises?

Well, let’s start with the heavy stuff. The most fundamental treatise, without a notion of which an educated person should simply be ashamed to call themselves such, is Mises’ “Human Action.” Long, detailed, clear, with a somewhat ponderous German style—it structures the brain perfectly. It’s also the best remedy for insomnia; take half a chapter before bed. I’ll add Rothbard’s “The Ethics of Liberty” to this—also long, also a bit dry, but interesting because it presents a slightly different approach to libertarianism than Mises. It’s like Plato and Aristotle: seemingly conflicting methodologies, but together they create an excellent stereo pair.
Want the same thing, but easier and more concise? Read Usanov’s “Science of Wealth,” a good, solid economic pop-science book with pictures.

In the fiction genre, the choice is not particularly large; the subject is just too specific. Usually, the heroes of fiction books are personalities, but we want something about society. It would be strange not to recommend such a famous writer of women’s novels as Ayn Rand. Feel free to read everything she wrote: the early works are more concise, the later ones more fundamental. Very potent stuff, but it must be followed up with economic treatises.

Also very good is Alexander Rozov’s Meganesian cycle. It’s a huge volume of text, but the necessary impression is formed after two or three books. It goes down well with tech-savvy boys. Also, don’t forget to follow up with treatises; overall, while a libertarian author, he has been noted for an uncritical perception of Marxism.

And from the classics—read the grandmaster of American sci-fi Robert Heinlein, “The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress.” A bit naive regarding artificial intelligence, but very interesting regarding the structure of society.

Apple-chan

Yabloko-chan is choosing what to wear to the Moscow mayoral elections. It’s like an expensive and posh club with face control. Last time, she wore Mitrokhin—she was let into the club, but the success was quite questionable. Parnas-chan, who isn’t exactly a beauty herself, wore Navalny back then and outshone everyone except the hostess of the evening. If Yabloko-chan wears Mitrokhin again now, she will most likely be let into the club again, but it will look rather dreary.

I simply can’t afford such parties yet, but as they say, it’s better to be the first in the village than the second in Rome. For now, I’ll take Svetov to Nizhny and energize the regional branch there.