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The Joy of Freedom: An Economist's Odyssey (Hardcover)

by David R. Henderson (Author)

4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Review
''The joy of freedom is a quasi-autobiographical clarion call of a free society. It is passionate and eloquent, yet at the same time, thoughtful, informed, and profound. A splendid statement of the moral case for a free society, at the same time it is an informed and comprehensive survey of its practical virtues and of the harm done by widespread government intervention'' - Milton Friedman - Senior Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, and Nobel Laureate

Product Description
Brings free market economics to life through stories of those who have discovered it in their own lives. David R. Henderson, one of the world's most vigorous advocates of free markets, celebrates those in American society, and around the world, who are fighting to get government off their backs.

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Product Details

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Financial Times/Prentice Hall; 1st edition (September 24, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0130621129
ISBN-13: 978-0130621122
Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds

Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #432,983 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover

Citations (learn more)

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Customer Reviews

17 Reviews

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4 star:		(2)
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4.9 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm using this book, October 21, 2001

By	Dwight R. Lee (Dunwoody, GA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a professional economist who is constantly looking for better ways to communicate the essence of economics to non economists, I couldn't be more enthusiastic about Henderson's The Joy of Freedom. Without mind numbing diagrams and equations, Henderson conveys more economic understanding than any of the standard text books I know--and I know a lot of them, having written a few myself. And it is not just economic concepts and the standard perspective on economic efficiency that he communicates so compellingly. With a personal story beautifully woven into the narrative, Henderson shows how humane and socially concerned economists can be (and generally are). Read this book and find out that economists can be passionate in wanting to make this world a better place, and have real guide posts in going about it, guide posts that elevate the ideal of freedom to the central organizing principle. The next time I teach a principles courses I'm going to do my students a tremendous favor by using David Henderson's The Joy of Freedom: An Economists Odyssey as the main text.

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Henderson rivals Hazlitt !, December 19, 2001

By	Marshall Fritz (Fresno, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In the mid-80s, I took a casual poll of free market leaders:
What are the top-five free-market books for a novice to read?

Every one of them put Henry Hazlitt's "Economics in One
Lesson" on his or her list, typically at the top.

If I were to repeat the poll now, I suspect Hazlitt's classic
will have a contender for first place, my friend David
Henderson's "The Joy of Freedom."

Henderson seduces the reader with his personal stories,
like why as a college kid in Canada he resigned from
a great summer job measuring trees. His stories are
so much fun to read that learning economics kinda
sneaks up on you.

Indeed, it's Henderson's charm that is the anti-dote
for what von Mises called the "Anti-Capitalist Mentality."
(BTW, Mises' book of that title was on many 'top-five'
lists, and Bastiat's "The Law" was on every list.)

You'll want an extra copy or two of "Joy of Freedom"
for lending to friends who do not share your love of
freedom, especially those who will even argue about its
meaning.

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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A personal path of discovery, October 31, 2001

By	Charles Hooper (Grass Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

David Henderson is my friend and I helped him with this book, so I suppose I'm biased. But my familiarity can help you decide whether to buy this book or not.

The Joy of Freedom is the work of an exceptional teacher who has a skill for communicating economic concepts. It is the result of his lifelong desire to understand the world, to better himself, and to help others. As the reader, we walk side by side with David as he struggles to understand complex and important issues. He tells us stories from his life, from childhood through his successful career as an economist. The result is an interesting, easy-to-read, understandable, and enjoyable book about some of the more pressing problems of our time. How many other books can make that claim?

If you care about your personal retirement assets, your ability to get good health care, the education of yourself or your children, your rights and security, the inner workings of the government, the laws of economics, discrimination, or the environment, this book has something for you. You don't have to agree with everything Dr. Henderson says. In fact, because he is such a good thinker and communicator, his path of discovery should help you on your own, whatever course it may take.

Charles L. Hooper, coauthor Making Great Decisions in Business and Life

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

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5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book!
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5.0 out of 5 stars Like Atlas Shrugged
The Joy of Freedom is like Atlas Shrugged in that reading both books ignites a passion for liberty in me. Henderson, like Rand, is a zealous advocate of freedom. Read more

Published on March 3, 2004 by P. Murray

5.0 out of 5 stars More relevant than ever.
Henderson is one of the few economists who can cogently communicate the "Joy of Freedom" passionately to an audience new to the magic of markets without getting... Read more

Published on May 30, 2003 by Daniel L. Lurker

4.0 out of 5 stars An explanation of freedom from a personal perspective
Professor Henderson does not disappoint with this book. During the early 1990s, I had the pleasure of taking a class from Professor Henderson at the Naval Postgraduate School... Read more

Published on September 3, 2002 by Zecon

5.0 out of 5 stars The Joy....
Better than "Free to Choose"
If you liked "the armchair economist" you will love this book.
Very clean prose.

Published on August 30, 2002 by genghis

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, Fresh, and Passionate
I spend a large amount of time searching for books that explain economics in compelling, non-jargony language. There are distressingly few such good books. Read more

Published on March 18, 2002 by Donald J. Boudreaux

5.0 out of 5 stars Digging ourselves out of the government health care fiasco
Buy this engaging book if for no other reason than to read the author's lucid explanation of the federal health care cost mess. Read more

Published on January 28, 2002 by Thomas F. Lee

5.0 out of 5 stars A Philosophical Thriller!
This book is one of the most spiritually emancipating books I've read in a while. In it the author removes the concept of freedom from the tired sepia tones of historic context... Read more

Published on January 22, 2002 by Paul Downs

5.0 out of 5 stars Reaching People Where They Live
There is a saying that people don't care what you know until they know that you care. In "The Joy of Freedom," Dr. Read more

Published on January 9, 2002 by Jon Kalb

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