The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible: A Free Market Odyssey [Paperback]

Ken Schoolland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2005

Challenges readers to think about why some countries are rich, while others are poor and explores alternative thinking about important economic, practical, and philosophical matters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 255 pages
• Publisher: Academic Foundation (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 817188444X
• ISBN-13: 978-8171884445
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,356,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Good It's Banned by Hawaii Public School & StateLibraries, June 4, 2000

By 

Michael Jensen (Honolulu, HI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The adventures of Jonathan Gullible: A free market odyssey (Paperback)

Schoolland does a wonderful job of exposing the foibles and hypocrisy that permeate government programs and policies, making a highly effective case for the free market and the libertarian principle of self-ownership.

The book is written as an easy-to-read children's story, but since it also operates on a deeper level, it is a compelling read for adults as well. I would recommend this as a "must read" for everyone above the age of ten, and would not hesitate to recommend it to an adult of any age. In fact, when friends and family ask me to explain my political philosophy, I get them a copy of "Jonathan Gullible."

An interesting side note, is that although the book has been published in at least 22 languages world-wide, significant difficulty is encountered getting the book carried by the Hawaii State and Public School Library systems, here in the author's state of residence. Recently, several such institutions have been asked to carry the book, and upon their failure to acquire it on their own, copies were donated. The donated copies are currently undergoing a review for "balance" before placement can be approved. Ironically, this fits in rather well with the message Schoolland has presented in "Jonathan Gullible."

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vivid Introduction/Defense of Free Markets, November 26, 2004

By 

Adam Gonnerman (North America) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The adventures of Jonathan Gullible: A free market odyssey (Paperback)

After returning from Brazil, South America I purchased a copy of this book. I was amazed, because it seemed to be describing the country I had just been living in! This wonderful, readable book shows the fallacies of collectivism in terms that anyone can understand, using narration. In fact, I'm reading it to my 7-year-old daughter these days for bedtime.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, best introduction to basic economic ideas, December 7, 1999

By 

M. Livshutz (Niles, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The adventures of Jonathan Gullible: A free market odyssey (Paperback)

I bought 1 copy of this book for my 13-year old nephew, but kept it for myself (I'm 25). Now, I'm getting a few more. It is just so well-written, I couldn't let go of it. Some of my friends, who are usually uninterested in politics or economics, read it almost nonstop with pleasure. At least they now understand the basic idea of a voluntary free-market society and how it's different from our society today. Even if they disagree, at least they know better than to misinterpret the free-market issues due to ignorance.

The only gripe about this book is that a few chapters are a bit formulaic and sometimes don't make the underlying concept as clear as other chapters do. It appears to me that the author didn't take enough time to develop his ideas well enough in those few chapters. I hope he will clarify them in the next edition.