Customer Reviews

Is Reality Optional? and Other Essays (HOOVER INST PRESS PUBLICATION)

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Thomas Sowell hits it out of the park on this one. He's thought provoking, succinct, and ideologically on the button. This is a series of 2-3 page writings on a variety of topics that we all think about, but can never articulate in the fresh and clear way that Thomas Sowell does. He just makes sense, period.

A must for anyone who follows the brilliant Dr. Sowell, this book collects a series of his essays and thoughts on politics, race, and common sense. As a special treat he has a section of quotes at the end with gems like "To me, the fact that I have never killed an editor is proof enough that the death penalty deters" and "There are only two types of food- Southern fried chicken and everything else". A reader would be hard pressed to ask for more.

I'm a conservative and I have good friends and family memebers who are liberals. The conservatives and liberals I know are all intelligent and concerned people. I could never figure out why there were such differing views on so many topics.

This book nails it. It is from a conservative view, but will be enlightening to all. One of my favorites.

Mr Sowell brings perspective to political struggles, citing long forgotten facts that our political masters would like us to forget. He shows that you must examine the consequences of policies over the long term, rather than the instant gratification the media offers. And as a consumate professional, Sowell has the facts and statistics to back up his analysis.

A great collection of essays by one of Americas greatest intellectuals. Sowell covers a wide range of topics from drug legalization to why he thinks the word conservative should disappear from the English language. you may not agree with Sowell on every issue, but his arguments are well constructed and thought provoking.

Is Reality Optional?: And Other Essays (Hoover Institution Press Publication)

Thos book is an under the covers look at the fallacies that modern society attributes to everyday issues. Usually what people see from the media is not even closer to the truth. People need to read this book to see the truth behind what the media is trying to sell us. It covers many topics, and is entertaing.

It is amazing. I have read a number of Dr. Sowell's books and try to read his essays as published. I am now reading some of his older work and it is clear that not only is he brilliant and always insightful, he is so aware that he put it together and saw it all coming. The titles, the concepts, the observations are fresh, new and helpful insights right now even though written more than ten years ago. I have often heard Dr. Sowell referred to as a national treasure. It is a national tragedy that he was never our president. A man I would follow and believe because he has never, ever been small-minded, selfish or as far as I can tell, wrong. A terrific read.

A series of short essays that makes one question and wonder how society and this country got the point where it is. A very pragmatic and revealing view of "reality".

I loved this book! It is compiled of short essays that are easy to read and allow you to just read in spurts(while on vacation or between tasks at work). I enjoy several books from Sowell...he makes GREAT sense and doesn't make excuses for others based on ethnic/cultural/economic background.