Customer Reviews

How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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....

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).

A number of time when politician write books, they have one thing in mind - money. Harry Browne is not a politician, although he did run in 1996. What separated Browne from the "traditional" politician, Browne has core values and moral convictions.

Browne has written a book that should be on the best sellers list. This is more than self-help book, this is a life-changing book. You can find books on financial freedom, but this book shows you how to be free and independent without losing any freedoms along the way.

The book is broken down into three parts, Why you are not free, How you can be free and A new Life. Browne presentation is easy to follow and comprehend, you'll have to spend some time practicing the technique to prefect it.

I liked the book's overall message, its simple, straightforward and motivating. I found that this book, unlike so many others allows me to make the choices I think are necessary to change my life. Harry Browne has certainly done himself proud with this book. An excellent piece of writing for all to read!

Harry Browne's "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World" is one of those classics you'll return to again and again over the coming years. I've recommended it in my sales training seminars ("The Closers") since I first read it about 30 years ago. And my original copy still sits on my desk to this day. It literally improved many aspects of my life in an extremely positive way.

Because times/situations change, a small portion of the information is, of course, somewhat dated. And some of it you simply won't agree with anyway (me either!). But the basic philosophy behind it (about 90% of the book) is as solid today as it ever was . . . even more so, perhaps!

I read every single one of the reviews written before today (4/04/05). Let me save you some time: The best/most accurate/most reasonable of all of them is the one written by John A. Johnson on 4/15/01. Read it; then get your own copy of Harry's powerful book!

To Mr. Johnson's excellent review, let me simply add this: Before you start reading it, get out your Hi-Liter pen and be prepared to wear it out. As the old saying goes, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." So, if you're really ready, "The teacher" is about to appear!

Note: You may have noticed that all of my book reviews carry "5 Star" ratings (*****). But that's not the sign of a "soft reviewer." I only review books to which I can honestly give a "5 Star" rating. You may assume, therefore, that any sales training/self-improvement book without my "5 Star" rating is either something less than "5 Star," or I simply haven't gotten to it yet . . . and there are certainly plenty of those!

A lot of what's out there is just a repeat of other books with a thing or two added in. This book is really refreshing in the amount of original content and the power of its ideas. It's really one of the best books I've ever read- and that's really saying something (I have a 2000 book library in my home). Harry Browne presents many ways of dealing with many differing freedom restricting issues. My favorite was his discussion of how to find freedom from social restrictions- I copied and pasted a little of my notes to give you a sense of this book:

"Whatever your social standards, the best place to find like minded people is the same place where you would most like to be. If you crave companionship that's more intellectual, you might try courses in the subjects that have always interested you. And since you could run into potential friends almost anywhere, it's important to display your standards openly and honestly wherever you are. Only then can others recognize you as a kindred soul.

For if you wear a socially acceptable mask, those whom you seek will walk right by you. And those whom you attract with the mask will only add to the pressure that you be something other than yourself.

If you make your actions and words consistent with who you are and what you admire, you'll know which people are compatible- just by their reactions to you. Those who disapprove will seek someone different to be with, and those who have standards similar to your will react favorably toward you. If effect, you let others tell you about themselves through their reactions to what you are.

So it's important to reveal yourself as you really are. If you're ambitious and show it, people who appreciate ambition are more likely to notice you. If you are careful to respect the property and lives of others and clearly you want the same treatment in return, you're less likely to wind up with thieving or freeloading friends.

When you act as you want to act, you stand a far greater chance of meeting the people who could be valuable to you. When you let others determine your conduct, you acquire nothing but restrictions.

Many people hide their identity, tolerate restrictions, and remain in bad relationships because they're afraid of being lonely. But I wonder what they mean by lonely. Aren't they very lonely when they deal with people who don't understand and appreciate them?

What you are is the most valuable asset you possess for finding others and the best way to find those people is to advertise your real self and by being honest about who you are.

No matter where you go, you never know whether someone you're seeking might see you. What a shame it would be if that person passed you by because you didn't reveal the qualities that both you and she admire most.

To reveal those qualities, you have to be willing to accept the disapproval of those you aren't seeking. It takes courage to overcome the embarrassment, self-consciousness, and even ridicule that might result from honest exposure of your nature- but that's the only way to form the relationships you seek. The kind that are far more rewarding than what you've tolerated in the past.

The best method of advertising is simply to live the way you want to live. Furthermore, your greatest pleasures will be those you experience when you can be yourself completely. Only then will you be free to enjoy every good thing the experience has to offer you."

Overall, an outstanding books. I feel like an entire weight has been lifted from my shoulders and new clarity brought to my life. That's what a good book should do for you. Highly recommended.

I'm not kidding. I look for the old out-of-print paperback and when I find one I usually find a person to give it to. It has changed lives. The premise of the book is that we all draw nice little boxes around ourselves (like a chalk box on the sidewalk) and then say that we can't get out of the box. This book shows you not only how to get out of the box but why you should want to. (Yes, Harry Browne is running for president on the Libertarian ticket.) I gave a copy of this book away, to a coworker who was going on vacation for a week; and when she came back to work on the following Monday she quit her job. This has happened more than once to people who have read this book. So, don't say I didn't forewarn you. Enjoy and get ready for changes.

Having first read this over a decade ago as a young teenager this remains one of my favorite books, and when it went out of print I sold my copy, both to make it available to people who'd yet to have a chance to read it, and to secure a nice profit. Luckily now I can go onto Harry's website and purchase it in ebook form for a fair price, leaving the expensive used copies for collectors. I'd like to see amazon start carrying the ebook version as well so that more people may access it again.

This book should really be called "How to Find Happiness". It is a gold mine of great ideas to focus your life on things that really count. It would be a great idea to re-read this book every December. Then you could make the kind of New Year's resolutions that would result in every year being better than the one before. Thank you, Harry Browne, this book really helps in so many ways. It truly is a classic.

Is "How To Find Freedom In An Unfree World" as relevant in 2007 as when it was first published in 1973? The answer to that is a resounding "YES!" In fact, after recently re-reading this book for the first time in twenty-five years, I think that this book is at least as relevant, if not more so, than it was thirty-five years ago. Why? Now we face even greater danger of federal government control of our lives than ever before. Today, we have a federal government that wants to track our every move in the name of national security. Today, we have a federal government that wants to involve itself into every aspect of our lives in order to protect us from ourselves.

Sadly, it's not just the government that wants to control us. Today, the national news media wants to sway our opinions so our thinking will be politically correct. Organized religion wants to control our actions. Plus, as always, there are always friends and relatives around to pressure us to act like they want us to act.

Yes, the old Identity Trap is alive and well, very much used by those who want to control us. All the other traps Harry Browne discusses in Part I of the book are still very much around too, such as, the Group Trap, the Burning Issue Trap, and the Previous Investment Trap, just to name a few.

You may certainly not agree with everything that Harry Browne says in this book, but it will be well worth your time to grab a copy of this book and read it to at least be aware of all the outside forces that entice us to give up our freedom without our even realizing that we are giving up our freedom. And, that awareness is an important first step to regaining freedom.