Two Lucky People: Memoirs [Paperback]

Milton Friedman (Author), Rose D. Friedman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1999

In Two Lucky People, Rose and Milton Friedman provide a memorable and lively account of their lives, the people they knew, and the work they shared. Their involvement with world leaders and many of this century's most important public policy issues moves their memoir beyond the merely personal and makes fascinating reading for anyone interested in the history of twentieth-century ideas.

"The Friedmans come across as the last Enlightenment thinkers in a post-modern world. . . . This is a book that restores your faith in reasoned discourse. . . . There really are people who believe in scholarly exchange as a way to discover truth."--David Brooks, New York Times Book Review

"The Friedmans are a feisty couple, who clearly delight in their lives and each other. And shining through their reticence, and their conservatism, is a decency that even liberals will recognize."--Milton and Judith Viorst, Washington Post Book World

"This engaging book recounts the life and contributions of one of America's most influential writers and economists in the second half of the twentieth century. And her husband's no slouch either. . . . An indispensable guide through the evolution of economic thought."--Stephen Moore, National Review

"A thought-provoking book and one rich in history, the personal history of the Friedmans . . . and the cultural and political history of our country."--Steve Huntley, Chicago Sun-Times Books

"[Two Lucky People] is almost like a letter from a couple of old friends--a couple of old friends who had a long, compelling intellectual journey, came to know some of the great world leaders of this century, and had 60 years of happy, supportive marriage."--N. Gregory Mankiw, Fortune

"A rich autobiographical and historical panorama."--William P. Kucewicz, Wall Street Journal

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Perhaps they really are just a pair of lucky people, but Milton and Rose Friedman are so perfectly matched that destiny must have played some part in their coming together. Milton is a Nobel Prize-winning economist, Rose, an influential theorist who advised American presidents and world leaders on the formation of their economic policies. Together the two wrote books (one flopped, the other is 1982's Free to Choose, a runaway bestseller) and were instrumental in influencing systems and ideas like negative income tax, the balanced budget amendment, tax-withholding, and even drug legalization. At times their ideas seemed outrageous but their strong belief that personal freedom is essential to a sound economy has helped shape many of the West's socioeconomic policies in the latter half of the 20th century.

And it is together, too, that the Friedmans penned their memoirs. The tone of Two Lucky People is quite humble despite their considerable achievements. They remember the lingering, technical conversations--which would put most people to sleep--that they shared in front of their fireplace; the personal and professional relationships they had with Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, and Margaret Thatcher; Milton's winning of the 1976 Nobel Memorial Prize for Economic Science; and countless other triumphs in their field. The book lacks the personal information--tastes in literature, art, music--and the quotidian details that help form a solid sense of personality. But their passion for their vocation seems all-consuming and maybe, in the end, that's what defines them best. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

...[an] engaging book ... written in a kind of snappy dialogue... -- National Review, Stephen Moore

...a rich autobiographical and historical panorama ... What makes these memoirs so enjoyable is their candor. -- The Wall Street Journal, William P. Kucewicz

On the evidence of this joint autobiography, it is little wonder that Milton and Rose Friedman are advocates of a free society. Their own lives are a testimonial to what freedom is about and what it offers.

Two Lucky People moves with vitality across many of the major issues of our century. But in the end, it remains a tantalizingly elusive book. Indeed, the Friedmans go to some lengths to present themselves as in almost every respect far less interesting than they really are: just two disinterested scientists, doting parents, and grandparents.

One would not learn from this book that they rank among the most radical critics of the American status quo, favoring the decriminalization of drugs, privatization of Social Security, and a wholesale recasting of the public-school system. But then, the outward-directed temperament that enabled the Friedmans to live such full and rich lives may be fundamentally at odds with the kind of introspection we expect in autobiographies. -- Commentary, David Frum --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 667 pages
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226264157
• ISBN-13: 978-0226264158
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #415,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating story; actually a "two-fer" - 2 biographies, September 3, 1998

By 

Curt Weil "curtweil" (Palo Alto, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Two Lucky People: Memoirs (Hardcover)

I'm indebted to the review by Thomas Sowell in the July 6 issue of Forbes Magazine (Forbes.com) This book has history, sociology, romance, economics, faith, good stories and more.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the Best Autobiography I Have Ever Read!, November 17, 2005

By 

Charthead (Iowa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Two Lucky People: Memoirs (Paperback)

This is a great book for anyone who is interested in Milton Friedman, economics, The University of Chicago, twentieth-century intellectual history, university politics, or rags-to-riches stories. Both authors have led very interesting lives and the tone throughout the book is upbeat and positive. This is one of the best and most-influential books I have ever read. Milton Friedman is one of the most clear-thinking, intelligent people of the twentieth-century and our country would be better off if more of his ideas on economics, education, and freedom were put into practice.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars God helps those who help themselves, June 6, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Two Lucky People: Memoirs (Paperback)

Milton Friedman is one the of tough guy who always support the free market idea.He is the first guy who builds the monetary school and also a good story teller.He does do a great job and I guess that is not just luck.