The Best Book By The Smartest Guy in the Room

I've read a lot of Thomas Sowell's writing, and I found this to be the most interesting yet. It's full of pithy, intelligent shorts on a variety of subjects, but they are all unified by the clarity of his thinking. I've always found Sowell to be compelling, but this particular book actually changed my views on a couple of issues. If you already know and like Sowell, this is a great addition. If you've never read his work, this is a great place to start.

59 people found this helpful

Thomas Sowell does it again!

I hate to raciallize a review, but that is what I am going to do. I am an African American listener. Once upon a time I would have called myself a Democrat, at this point I am more moderate on many of my beliefs. This book which is a collection of Mr. Sowell's writings, challenged me to rethink the way I think. Thomas Sowell challenges me to rethink the way I think. In the long run I believe it has made me a better citizen. I would recommend this book for any of my friends. I would love to iconoclast Thomas Sowell and Cornell West. They are polar opposites when it comes to there politics, but not when it comes to their genius.

41 people found this helpful

Brilliant thinker!

What did you love best about The Thomas Sowell Reader?

I loved the way Robertson Dean reads this just like he completely comprehends it all. Thomas Sowell is genius with a side of chips! He's very witty, too. I'm listening to this collection of articles and essays for the second time!

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The logic behind the thinking process is very compelling. When I listened to it the first time I kept saying,

What about Robertson Dean’s performance did you like?

He actually reads this very much the way I could hear Thomas Sowell read it.

If you could give The Thomas Sowell Reader a new subtitle, what would it be?

Logical Thinking for and Increasingly Illogical World.

Any additional comments?

I just bought one of his audio books on economics! Does that make me a nerd? I don't care!

23 people found this helpful

Eye opening.

What did you love best about The Thomas Sowell Reader?

It contains so much information that, after reading it, one feels so much knowledgeable about a myriad of topics.

What did you like best about this story?

It stimulates the desire on the reader to research further most subjects presented.

What about Robertson Dean’s performance did you like?

I enjoyed his voice and his clear pronunciation of words.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I listened to this book on my long runs, when I could give it my full concentration. I loved it.

Any additional comments?

I love this book. I have already more books, from the same author, ready to be listened to.

15 people found this helpful

The best truths are those put plainly

If you could sum up The Thomas Sowell Reader in three words, what would they be?

deep simple true

Who was your favorite character and why?

Thomas Sowell

His brief autobiography was like the rest of his writing. Concise, interesting, full of deeper insights.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The book has something like a hundred one-line quotables. I've probably use four already in discussions on facebook.

Too many to mention. The entire "random thoughts" chapter was pure gold.

Any additional comments?

I'm looking forward to my next Sowell purchase.

His unique life has led to a unique wisdom, and fortunately he's got both the talent and inclination to share.

14 people found this helpful

Brilliant! Must listen!

The Thomas Sowell Reader is a book that brings together many of the author's essays and newspaper columns over many years. Economist Dr. Sowell's writings are consistently brilliant. At age 88 he is a national treasure. Just get this book and listen to it! Narration is superb.

11 people found this helpful

What can I say!!

Thomas Sowell is a national treasure. The first book I read was Migrations & Culture, next the Vision of the Anointed and then Race and Culture. This book is a MUST read. I will read again and again.

8 people found this helpful

A Must Read

A great book to start with for anyone unfamiliar with Thomas Sowell. It covers everything from personal anecdotes, to his views on economics, education, civil rights, the justice system, identity politics, right up to current events like SJWs, BLM and the state of American politics today.
Sowell has a clear and easy to understand style of writing and this in turn translates beautifully into the spoken word with a brilliant reading by Robertson Dean. Whether you plan to listen for a longer stint or you only have five or ten minutes to spare each chapter is a stand alone essay, so either way you’ll come away more knowledgeable about the way things get done (or not done) in America today.

7 people found this helpful

The antidote to fuzzy, well-meaning thinking

Thomas Sowell thinks and speaks clearly. This is a lost art. His primary talent is demonstrating that certain important questions are often skipped over as we evaluate the world around us. He asks those important questions and arrives at unexpected answers.

For instance, it's customary to survey companies before and after implementation of minimum wage laws to demonstrate that they've fared tolerably. However, companies that have failed during the transition are not surveyed. Sowell points out that, by that logic, Russian Roulette could be shown to be a perfectly safe recreational activity. He has a similar view on the "safety" of minimum wage laws.

Not an essay goes by that doesn't make me gasp with a mixture of delight, surprise, and horror that I never thought of that before.

6 people found this helpful

Sowell so good

Thomas Sowell is one of the most brilliant mind of our time. His books should be taught in every schools!

5 people found this helpful