How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World [Paperback]

Harry Browne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1974

Product Details Paperback: 407 pages Publisher: Avon Books; Reissue edition (March 1974) Language: English

Product Details

• Paperback: 407 pages
• Publisher: Avon Books; Reissue edition (March 1974)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380004232
• ISBN-13: 978-0380004232
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #525,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

249 of 253 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Soul of Reason April 15, 2001

By John A. Johnson

Format:Hardcover

I first heard Browne speak in the early 70s on NBC's Today Show, where he was promoting his book, How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World. The book explains how to recognize and overcome common but false assumptions that unnecessarily restrict our freedom. I had never heard someone speak with such clarity, rationality, and insight about any subject. I was blown away, not by Browne's charisma (although he was charming), but by how reasonable his ideas sounded. At first opportunity I rushed out to buy the book and then devoured it.

The first thing that struck me about the book was the beautifully clear and simple prose. I don't know whether Browne or an editor should get the credit, but the book seems to follow many of Strunk and White's suggestions for strong, lucid writing. Browne avoids needless and overly sophisticated words. He uses short sentences and paragraphs. The writing style makes the book very easy to read. You never have to figure out what Harry Browne is saying; rather, his ideas seem to jump right off each page at you.

Anyone who writes about self-improvement or personal growth must make assumptions about human nature, and I think his assumptions are correct. Harry Browne makes his assumptions about human nature explicit in the very beginning of his book. He assumes that people believe that every conscious choice we make will help us attain happiness or avoid unhappiness. So why aren't we all exquisitely happy all the time?

The main reason is that, although we choose to act in ways that we believe will make us happy, our beliefs can be wrong. The first of the three major sections of this book covers fourteen traps, which are common but false beliefs about what we need to do to be happy. Many of the traps are so taken-for-granted that they appear to be truisms.... Harry Browne exposes these errors of thinking and describes realistic alternatives that are more likely to lead you to happiness. In particular, I find his analyses of the Identity, Morality, and Unselfishness Traps so incisive and so liberating that I can barely restrain myself from sharing those valuable insights right here.

The second section of the book discusses specific entities that people often believe restrict their freedom: the government, social restrictions, bad relationships, jealousy, business problems, insecurity, and so forth. For each case, Browne explains why these things need not restrict us if we make the right choices.

The third major section contains the most ambitious and far-reaching ideas in the book. This section describes a technique that Browne calls Starting from Zero. Starting from Zero calls for sweeping away absolutely every aspect of your current life that does not correspond to your dream life. My guess is that many readers will find Starting from Zero too drastic for their liking. Browne does allow that the technique can be used on a smaller scale for addressing problems in any specific area of your life. Nevertheless, he warns us that he has seen many of his friends try to use forms of gradualism to improve their lives, but years later they are still stuck in the same ruts. "Freedom," asserts Browne, "requires bold action."

So, nearly 30 years after hearing Harry Browne speak, do I still find his ideas reasonable? Absolutely. His analysis of traps that limit our freedom is dead on. His techniques for increasing freedom work. I think that this book is so remarkable that I require students in my Personal Well-Being and Adjustment course to read, analyze, and react to Browne's ideas.

This is not to say that Browne's philosophy will appeal to everyone. In fact, to suggest that it would appeal to everyone would put us into what Browne calls The Identity Trap - the failure to recognize that each person is unique in his or her perceptions, beliefs, and values. This book will probably appeal the most to those who value freedom, autonomy, private ownership, and personal accountability over security, contractual commitments, communal property, and shared responsibility. To the extent that freedom and autonomy represent part of traditional masculinity, whereas security and commitment are part of traditional femininity, men may like this book more than women. Nonetheless, both women and men in my courses report finding many ideas in Browne's book personally valuable.

Age may also play a role in how one accepts Browne's ideas. During the year we lived together prior to getting married, my wife and I had separate checking accounts and pretty clear definitions of who owned what in our apartment. I think our only piece of joint property was an old, black-and-white TV set. I thought that Browne's notion of avoiding joint ownership was a great idea at the time. After we got married (something Browne advises against), however, issues of ownership became less and less important to me. Also, when I was in my 20s, I might have seriously entertained Browne's Starting from Zero plan, which involves liquidating all of your assets to begin a totally new life that better resembles your dream life. Today, I can't imagine trying to improve my life that way. Maybe later in life people are more willing to forfeit some freedom for security. Hey, even Harry Browne got married (although he states in an appendix to the 1997 edition that he still recommends that individuals maintain their sovereignty in a marriage relationship).

No matter whether you are young or old, male or female, married or single, I think How I Found Freedom in an Unfree Word will probably increase your understanding of how erroneous thinking causes us to restrict our own freedom. By increasing your awareness of erroneous thinking and offering you better alternatives, Harry Browne gives you a chance to make choices that will increase your freedom and happiness. Whether you want to make those choices is up to you. Read more ›

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A good read... practical August 6, 2005

By David Ellison

Format:Paperback

Though I haven't read this book in 20 yrs. (I lost the old one, and plan on buying another copy.) I remember thinking at the time, that this book would've saved me a lot of emotional trauma had I only had it ten years earlier. To the point, this book looks at things with a no nonsensense approach when it comes to relationships and obligations. It looks below the the surface of the 'social contract" and asks what obligations do we truly have to ourselves, each other, and society at large? And whether you choose to accept Mr. Brownes' options or not, at least you've been made aware of the fact that these choices exist.

Many people have a vested interest in keeping the status quo, especially those people we sometimes refer to as "takers". Mr. Browne points out that we are in no way obligated to support anyones addiction, neurosis, or world view, except our our own.

I found this book refreshing, informative, and relevent to my life. I strongly reccomend it to anyone who needs a little freedom in their life.

77 of 83 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book changed my life.... much for the better! June 9, 1999

By The LanterFly

Format:Hardcover

I first read this book in 1974, in college and starting a career. I was hell bent on changing the world, and this book stopped me dead in my tracks. I read it now as a personal ritual once a year, it has saved me a lot of time and wasted energy, not to mention money. I've been far more successful AND happy changing my own world, and you will be too with the help of this book. Invariably the people I've met over the years who practice these principles are the most open, generous, productive, happy people I've known. Too, the ones who preach (and practice) self sacrifice and "unselfishness" (i.e., Altruism)invariably have their hand in someone elses pocket, yours perhaps, or are quite willing and eager to sacrifice others as well, you perhaps, for your own good, of course. Don't let 'em get away with it.

BUY THIS BOOK. Except for Libertarians, freedom is a concept largely ingored these days, most likely because freedom involves responsibility--for yourself--what a concept! READ THIS BOOK. Browne doesn't let anybody off the hook. GIVE THIS BOOK AWAY. Then people won't wonder how you can be so self assured and still be a nice person. You'll be an enigma! And there aren't nearly enough of us enigmas out here....

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars In the will of my father May 19, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

My father passed away when I was at the age of 6. In his will he left this book,"How I found freedom in an unfree world" to be given to me at the age of 18. This book is the only thing that I have that may tell me how my father would have offered advice to me in growing up. Every sentence I read feels like it is coming from the lips of my father. Thank you Harry Brown for your contribution and completion to my life.

48 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST 'SELF-HELP' BOOK EVER WRITTEN August 28, 2000

By TUCO H.

Format:Hardcover

99.9% of self-help books are mixtures of idiotic positive thinking and dubious information designed to sell you 'dreams of prosperity' and pluck your cash out of your wallet. Browne's classic 1973 book is the ANTITHESIS of all that. Notwithstanding Browne's LIBERTARIAN convictions which you may have disagreements with, there is NO ONE who reads this book who will not benefit enormously and feel a huge burden lifted off his or her shoulders. Browne is an expert at simplifying complex amounts of information for the layman without in any way affecting its essence. Suffice it to say that after reading this book, you will FIND IT VERY HARD TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET MANIPULATED INTO 'TRAPS' ever again (and you certainly will never look at GOVERNMENT the same way again).