Miscellaneous and General

The works listed here either, 1) do not fit into one of the other categories, or 2) have multiple subjects per volume, or 3) are on a specific subject of which there are not enough similar books to warrant a separate section, or 4) simply are very general in nature.  A number of books deal with politics and government;  a number are on culture;  some discuss conservative philosophy and principles;  and so forth.

Allison, Lincoln, Right Principles:  A Conservative Philosophy of Politics.  London:  Basil Blackwell, 1984.  180pp.

In this introduction to modern English conservative thought, Allison covers a number of subjects:  varieties of conservatism, man, science and religion, right and wrong, equality and justice, rights, property and ownership, freedom and forms of government.  A helpful analysis of conservative principals and philosophies.

Anderson, Annelise and Dennis L. Bark, eds., Thinking About America:  The United States in the 1990s.  Stanford, California:  Hoover Institution Press, 1988.  590pp.

As a follow-up volume to the successful The United States in the 1980s, this book recommends more specific proposals and policies to help steer America through the end of the twentieth century.  Every area of domestic and foreign policy is covered by such experts as:  Sidney Hook, Thomas Sowell, Seymour Martin Lipset, Milton Friedman, F.A. Hayek, James Q. Wilson, Ronald Reagan, James Buchanan, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Richard Nixon and Caspar Weinberger.  Each of these 47 essays offers significant and stimulating ideas and directions for George Bush and his successors to utilize during the 1990s.  An indispensable book.

Anderson, Martin, Revolution, New York:  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988.  486pp.

Anderson has served in both the Nixon and Reagan White House, and has been a major intellectual force behind the Reagan Revolution.  As such he is eminently qualified to present this account of the Reagan Presidency:  his ascendency to power;  his two terms in office;  his achievements;  and his legacy.  An absorbing and thorough look at Reagan, Reaganomics and the Reagan Revolution.  Besides serving as policy advisor to Nixon and Reagan, Anderson has served as a senior scholar at Stanford's Hoover Institution for over 20 years.

Arkes, Hadley, First Things:  An Inquiry Into the First Principles of Morals and Justice.  Princeton, New Jersey:  Princeton University Press, 1986.  432pp.

Pronouncements on areas of morals, law and politics must be based on axioms, necessary truths, or first principles.  The first half of this book defends this thesis, as Arkes seeks to refute moral relativism and scepticism, and make a philosophical case for first principles.  In the second half of this book he examines cases and applications, such as:  abortion;  welfare and redistribution;  war and intervention;  privacy;  and other issues.  An important book on moral and political philosophy.  Arkes teaches jurisprudence and political science at Amherst College.

Babbitt, Irving, Democracy and Leadership.  Indianapolis:  Liberty-Press, 1979.  390pp.

Babbitt, a professor of French literature at Harvard, wrote this book in 1924.  He was a leader, along with Paul Elmer More, of the New Humanist movement -- a movement at war with the philosophies of Marx, Rousseau, Dewey, Freud and other naturalists, utilitarians and secularists.  In this collection of essays he provides a political application of the principles of the New Humanism, and calls for obeisance to the standards of morality and spirituality.  An important contribution to the study of politics, culture and philosophy.  Babbitt died in 1933.

Banfield, Edward C., The Unheavenly City Revisited.  Boston:  Little, Brown and Company, 1968, 1970, 1974.  358pp.

This is a major revision of Banfield's The Unheavenly City, which assesses the problems of the modern city from economic, sociological, and political perspectives.  He assesses the problems of poverty, racism, unemployment, crime, and education, and notes that government attempts at dealing with these problems usually compound them.  Many urban problems, argues Banfield, are "really conditions that we cannot eliminate or do not want to incur the disadvantages of eliminating."  In general, the conditions of our cities may not be as bad as often expected.  A provocative and intriguing analysis.

Barry, Norman P., An Introduction to Modern Political Theory.  New York:  St. Martin's Press, 1981.  250pp.

This is a general overview of current political theory.  Concepts of justice, freedom and equality are analysed, and their applications to law, the state and society are explored.  Not simply a textbook on political science, this volume is an important philosophical critique of modern political trends from a decidedly libertarian perspective.  A good introduction to recent thinking on political, philosophical and social issues by a leading English political scientist.

Barry, Norman P., The New Right.  London:  Croom Helm, 1987.  205pp.

In this book Barry examines the resurgence of "New Right" thought and action in the West, particularly in America and Britain.  Various branches of conservatism, including neo-conservatism and libertarianism, are studied, and the Right's influence on public opinion and public policy is analysed.  A helpful overview and assessment of the rightward swing of the past 15 years.

Barry, Norman P., On Classical Liberalism and Libertarianism.  New York:  St. Martin's Press, 1987.  215pp.

This volume is a study of the philosophical and historical roots of modern libertarian thought.  Barry examines the thinking of Hume, Smith, Mill and Bentham and traces their influences on such figures as von Mises, Hayek, Friedman, Nozick and Rothbard.  An important and incisive look at the economic and philosophical development of classical liberalism.  A fine work.  Barry teaches politics at the University of Buckingham in Great Britain.

Beichman, Arnold, Nine Lies About America.  New York:  Pocket Books, 1972, 1973.  320pp.

Although written when the New Left in America was still a force to be reckoned with, this book still has relevance since so many counter-culturalists of the sixties hold positions of influence in the eighties.  Beichman examines and refutes the charges levelled by the intellectual left, such as:  American values are materialistic;  the American political system is a fraud;  America is a fascist country;  etc.  A learned look at, and rebuttal of, the Left's program of "lying through the perversion of language or distortion of fact".

Berger, Peter and Richard John Neuhaus, To Empower People:  The Role of Mediating Structures in Public Policy.  Washington, DC:  American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 1977.  45pp.

In this ground-breaking work, Berger and Neuhaus discuss the importance of institutions which stand between the state and individuals.  Such mediating structures include families, labour unions, neighbourhoods, church groups and voluntary associations.  These groups are needed, argue the authors, to protect against a too-powerful state, to maintain democratic pluralism, and to more effectively provide welfare state kinds of services.  A very valuable little essay, big on ideas and insight.

Billingsley, Lloyd, The Absence of Tyranny:  Recovering Freedom in Our Time.  Portland, Oregon:  Multnomah Press, 1986.  202pp.

This is a passionate, educated and well-written defence of freedom.  Billingsley both praises freedom and warns against the threat to its survival.  This book critiques ideology, bureaucracy, and the growing state.  Marxism in particular and statism in general are attacked, while freedom -- the absence of tyranny -- is extolled.  A fine moral argument for pluralism, democracy and liberty.

Blainey, Geoffrey, The Tyranny of Distance.  Melbourne:  Sun Books, 1966.  365pp.

Blainey has perhaps written more books on topics of Australian history than anyone else.  This volume, although not intended as strict history, is nonetheless an analysis of how distance and isolation have affected the growth and development of Australian life and culture.  These two components offer much more by way of explaining the events and characteristics of Australia than is generally realized, argues Blainey.  The author was for many years Professor of Economic History at the University of Melbourne until his retirement in 1988.

Brandis, George, Tom Harley and Don Markwell, eds., Liberals Face the Future:  Essays On Australian Liberalism.  Melbourne:  Oxford University Press, 1984.  386pp.

This book is about liberalism in general and the Liberal Party in particular.  The history of the Liberal Party is traced;  the Party is analysed and assessed;  and principles and specific policies are discussed.  Many involved in the Liberal Party -- Macphee, Puplick, Snedden, Withers, etc. -- and a number associated with it -- Tom Harley, David Kemp, George Brandis, etc. -- are featured in some 27 articles.  A helpful resource book on the philosophy, history, policies and programs of the Liberal Party, and the liberal-democratic tradition, in Australia.

Brandis, George, Tom Harley and Yvonne Thompson, eds., Australian Liberalism:  The Continuing Vision.  Melbourne:  A Liberal Forum Publication, 1986.  248pp.

This is a follow-on to the previous volume.  Many more Liberal leaders are featured -- men such as Menzies, Peacock, Howard, Greiner, Chaney, etc.  About 170 articles are featured dealing with liberalism and the Liberal Party.  Wide-ranging and informative.

Bruckner, Pascal, The Tears of the White Man.  New York:  The Free Press, 1983, 1986.  244pp.

Bruckner, a French journalist active in world relief activities, here gives a scathing critique of "Third Worldism", the guilt-tripping romanticism of the Third World by Western liberals.  He argues that their so-called compassion in fact often results in greater harm for the Third World, since it exploits the plight of the impoverished for political ends.  A witty, severe, and much needed assault on the muddle-headed sentimentalism of Western intellectuals.

Buchanan, Patrick J., Conservative Votes, Liberal Victories:  Why the Right Has Failed.  New York:  Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Co., 1975.  184pp.

Written before the Reagan Revolution, this book seeks to explain why America's conservative sentiment fails to result in conservative government.  Although dated, this book offers keen insight and political analysis in a number of areas.  Chapters cover topics like:  economic and social policy;  East-West relations;  and wealth distribution.  A helpful series of proposals for conservative victory.

Buchanan, Patrick J., Right From the Beginning.  Boston:  Little, Brown and Company, 1988.  392pp.

This is the autobiography of one of American conservatism's feistier and more outspoken defenders.  This book helps to explain the recent rise of the Right in American political life.  Buchanan discusses the people, institutions and values that helped to mold his views, and shows how these influences were made manifest in his many years of service to Presidents Nixon and Reagan.  He also devotes several chapters to blueprints for a restored America.  Intriguing reading by "the pit bull of the American Right," as George Will put it.  Buchanan is a nationally syndicated columnist.

Buckley, William F., Executioner's Eve:  And Other Contemporary Ballads.  New York:  G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975.  512pp.

In Buckley's fifth collection of writings topics covered include:  Watergate;  OPEC;  the 1972 Presidential campaign;  capital punishment;  abortion;  and the Supreme Court.  Some of the personalities discussed are:  Richard Nixon, Jane Fonda, George McGovern, Charles Colson and George Wallace.  Witty, informed and delightful reading.

Buckley, William F., Four Reforms:  A Guide For the Seventies.  New York:  G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1973.  128pp.

In this dated but helpful volume, Buckley focuses on four problem areas in need of change:  the welfare system;  taxation;  education;  and criminal justice.  Herein are offered thoughtful and practical solutions to some major problems of American society.  Many of the specific proposals and most of the general principles are as relevant for the eighties and nineties as they were for the seventies.  A good example of constructive conservatism.

Buckley, William F., God and Man at Yale:  The Superstitions of "Academic Freedom".  Chicago:  Henry Regnery Company, 1951.  240pp.

This, Buckley's first book, is an assessment of Yale in particular -- where Buckley was a student -- and of academia in general.  The author charges that Yale and many universities are hostile to traditional religious and moral values, to Christianity, and to conservatism.  He documents the socialistic and anti-religious sentiment at Yale, and questions whether academic freedom in fact really exists there.  An important volume, relevant as ever, in critiquing the secularist and collectivist trends in our leading institutions of higher learning.

Buckley, William F., The Governor Listeth:  A Book of Inspired Political Revelations.  New York:  G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970.  447pp.

This is Buckley's third collection of writings, covering, among other things, the turbulent political upheavals of the late sixties.  Included in this collection are the infamous debates between Buckley and Gore Vidal.  Also covered:  the Black Panthers;  the ABM Treaty;  Vietnam;  Apollo;  and the Beatles.  A fascinating and thoroughly entertaining potpourri.

Buckley, William F., A Hymnal:  The Controversial Arts.  New York:  G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978.  502pp.

In this sixth collection of writings, Buckley discusses:  Nixon and detente;  gun control;  the Panama Canal;  the United Nations;  the ACLU;  feminism;  capital punishment;  life in the Soviet Union;  and Elton John.  A little bit of everything.  Informed and lively as always.

Buckley, William F., Inveighing We Will Go.  New York:  G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972.  410pp.

This is Buckley's fourth collection of writings.  In it he discusses the Vietnam War, the Pentagon Papers, Nixon and China, feminism, abortion laws, the Supreme Court, the Catholic Church, and the economy.  Once again, stimulating and informative reading from Bill Buckley.

Buckley, William F., The Jeweler's Eye:  A Book of Irresistible Political Reflections.  New York:  G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1958, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968.  378pp.

This collection of essays -- his second -- covers a wide range of subjects:  Sartre;  Castro;  John Lennon;  Vietnam;  the race to the moon;  the Playboy philosophy;  the John Birch Society;  Whittaker Chambers and Alger Hiss;  the Supreme Court;  and the meaning of conservatism.  Another very readable and enjoyable volume by the editor of National Review.

Buckley, William F., Right Reason.  New York:  Doubleday, 1985.  454pp.

This is the latest (No.7) collection of writings from the pen of Bill Buckley, covering the past eight years.  As ever, it is entertaining, provocative, witty, intelligent and informative.  Some of the topics covered include:  the Moral Majority;  Nicaragua;  Korean Airlines Flight 007;  Grenada;  South Africa;  gun control;  AIDS;  the federal deficit;  and peanut butter.

Buckley, William F., Rumbles Left and Right.  New York:  MacFadden-Bartell Books, 1963, 1964.  192pp.

The first collection of Buckley's writings.  This volume tackles such subjects and personalities as Barry Goldwater, Kruschev, Catholicism, sailing, Castro, Norman Mailer, American education, Whittaker Chambers, desegregation, Jack Paar, Franco's Spain, communism, and Joseph McCarthy.  An interesting melange from the pen of the dean of American conservatism.

Buckley, William F., Up From Liberalism.  New York:  Bantam Books, 1959, 1968.  179pp.

This book is a scorching critique of liberals and their philosophy.  Buckley is not afraid to take on the big guns of liberalism:  Paul Hoffman, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Hubert Humphrey, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.  In addition to making a frontal assault on key liberal thinkers and thinking, Buckley also critiques conservatism and maps out a conservative strategy.  A valuable volume by one of America's leading conservatives.

Buckley, William F. and L. Brent Bozell, McCarthy and His Enemies.  Chicago:  Henry Regnery Company, 1954.  425pp.

Of the scores of books written on Joseph McCarthy, this is one of the few to come to his support.  While not overlooking the faults and weaknesses of the late Wisconsin Senator, this book challenges many of the allegations and myths surrounding this controversial figure.  A well documented defence of McCarthy, and an important study on the menace of treason and the dangers of communism.

Buckley, William F. and Charles R. Kesler, eds., Keeping the Tablets:  Modern American Conservative Thought.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1988.  469pp.

This is a major revision of the 1970 American Conservative Thought in the Twentieth Century.  Only one third of the original essays remain.  Some of the new material includes:  Charles Murray on the welfare state;  Norman Podhoretz on Vietnam;  Walter Berns on judicial activism;  Willmoore Kendall on equality;  Thomas Sowell on civil rights;  and Joseph Sobran on abortion.  These 26 essays represent some of conservatism's finest thinking.

Buckley, William F., ed., Did You Ever See A Dream Walking?  American Conservative Social Thought in the Twentieth Century.  New York:  The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1970.  554pp.

This is a fine compilation of readings from major American conservatives.  A wide range of conservatives and libertarians are represented, men such as Russell Kirk, Leo Strauss, Whittaker Chambers, James Burnham, Milton Friedman, Frank Meyer, Henry Hazlitt and Eric Voegelin.  An important collection of some key writings by leading conservative thinkers.

Buckley, William F., ed., Odyssey of a Friend:  Whittaker Chambers' Letters to William F. Buckley, Jr., 1954-1961.  New York:  G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1969.  303pp.

Between the publication of Witness in 1952 and the death of Chambers in 1961, he and Buckley corresponded often and in depth.  This collection of nearly one hundred letters written to Buckley is full of pathos, poignancy and passion.  These moving letters cover a host of subjects:  the Hiss case;  the outlook for the West;  the communist underground in America;  Chambers' Christianity;  his friendship with Arthur Koestler;  and much more.  A book difficult to put down.  Compelling reading.

Buckley, William F., ed., On the Firing Line:  The Public Lives of our Public Figures.  New York:  Random House, 1989.  533pp.

Firing Line, Buckley's debate program, has been airing on public television since 1966.  This volume provides excerpts from more than 100 of his more memorable interviews.  Reagan, Thatcher, Kissinger, Muggeridge, Mortimer Adler, Timothy Leary and Alan Paton are a few of the personalities featured.  A fascinating collection of scintillating debates by some keen and witty minds.

Burke, Edmund, Reflections On the Revolution In France.  New Rochelle, New York:  Arlington House, n.d.  266pp.

First penned in 1790, this book has become, in Russell Kirk's words,, "the foundation of modern conservatism".  Whether one can go so far as Kirk in calling this "the most brilliant work of English political philosophy," it certainly is a work of monumental importance.  Burke clearly saw in the French Revolution the uprooting of human society and the traditions of Christendom.  Anarchy and then tyranny would be the result of this reckless pursuit of abstract rights and "metaphysical madness".  Burke's warnings and prophetic insights remain valid today, as the revolutionary spirit continues to boil, despite the horrible failings of previous revolutions, such as the French, Russian and Cuban.  Burke was born in Dublin in 1729 and died in Beaconsfield, England in 1797.

Burnham, James, Congress and the American Tradition.  Chicago:  Henry Regnery Company, 1959, 1965.  363pp.

Burnham here discusses the nature and principles of the American system of government;  evaluates the declining state of the American Congress;  and speculates on the future of Congress.  An impassioned and scholarly defence of the American system in general, and the role of Congress in particular.  Although somewhat dated (today, the Executive, not Congress, seems to be on the decline), this is still an incisive and valuable work.

Burnham, James, Suicide of the West.  Chicago:  Regnery Books, 1964, 1985.  312pp.

This is Burnham's classic work on the destructiveness of liberalism and its threat to the free world.  Burnham critiques liberalism's relativity, double standards, guilt-tripping, and moralizing.  Burnham has been a leading conservative thinker and writer in America for the past 40 years.  This is perhaps his most important and memorable work.  Burnham died in 1987.

Butler, Eamonn, Hayek:  His Contribution to the Political and Economic Thought of Our Time.  New York:  Universe Books, 1983.  168pp.

This is a useful introduction to the main currents of Hayek's thought.  Covered are his views on the market process, how society works, institutions of a liberal order, and social justice.  A readable book for the nonspecialist which not only makes clear his main intellectual contributions, but shows why Hayek is one of the great thinkers of the 20th century.

Carey, George W., ed., Freedom and Virtue:  The Conservative/Libertarian Debate.  Lanham, Maryland:  University Press of America/The Intercollegiate Studies Institute, 1984.  156pp.

An excellent exposition of libertarian and conservative positions is put forth in this set of essays.  The two sides, plus the fusionist (middle) position are analysed, and proponents of each side clearly state their respective cases.  Among the contributors are Russell Kirk, Robert Nisbet, Walter Berns, M. Stanton Evans and Murray Rothbard.  This is probably the best volume available that describes and explains the similarities and differences between these two positions.  An excellent collection of essays.

Carroll, John, Guilt:  The Grey Eminence Behind Character, History and Culture.  Melbourne:  Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1985.  264pp.

Guilt is one of the major maladies affecting Western man.  How did it arise?  What is its nature?  How can it be harnessed for good?  These are some of the questions addressed in this philosophical/sociological enquiry into the predicament of modern man.  A penetrating account of the modern world's problems from an original and deep thinker.  Carroll is a reader in sociology at La Trobe University in Melbourne.

Carroll, John, Puritan, Paranoid, Remissive:  A Sociology of Modern Culture.  London:  Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1977.  148pp.

Carroll argues here that the West is suffering a transformation from a Puritan culture into a remisive-hedonist culture, with the paranoid (a person who lives in fear of domination or threat from his environment, including the people around him) being a by-product of the transitional tensions.  Carroll's 1970s portrayal of the paranoid bears a striking resemblance to the typical 1980s/90s environmentalist/feminist/ethnic rights activist.  A fascinating, densely argued study.

Carson, Clarence B., A Basic History of the United States.  5 vols.  Wadley, Alabama:  American Textbook Committee, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986.  1,316pp.

In five volumes Carson provides a survey history of the United States.  Written in layman's language, Carson covers all the major personalities, facts, dates and events, and also examines the chief ideas and ideologies which helped shape the rise of America.  A good easy-to-read introduction to American history written by a competent conservative historian.

Carson, Clarence B., The Flight From Reality.  Irvington-on-Hudson, New York:  The Foundation for Economic Education, 1969.  548pp.

This book is a history and analysis of utopians, intellectuals, reformers, social engineers and revolutionaries who seek to remake American society according to their own vision.  A frontal assault on liberalism, socialism, communism and social engineering.  A learned and comprehensive critique.  Carson has taught American History at Grove City College in Pennsylvania.

Coleman, Peter, The Heart of James McAuley:  Life and Work of the Australian Poet.  Sydney:  Wildcat Press, 1980.  132pp.

This volume traces the career and influence of one of Australia's leading poets and social critics.  Besides producing ten volumes of verse, McAuley wrote widely on politics, education, art, culture, and church affairs.  He served as editor of Quadrant from 1956 until his death in 1976.  Peter Coleman has been editor of the Bulletin and co-editor of Quadrant.

Coleman, Peter, The Liberal Conspiracy:  The Congress for Cultural Freedom and the Struggle for the Mind of Postwar Europe.  New York:  The Free Press, 1989.  333pp.

In June 1950 over one hundred American and European intellectuals and writers met in Berlin to establish the Congress for Cultural Freedom.  This book chronicles the genesis and evolution of the Congress, as well as its eventual decline in 1967.  The Congress produced a number of important books and journals, including Encounter in England, and Quadrant.  Coleman, a member of the Australian branch of the Congress, here gives a detailed account of the Congress and its battle against the totalitarian assault on the West.  An important book.

Conway, Ronald, Land of the Long Weekend.  Melbourne:  Sun Books, 1978.  372pp.

In 1971 Conway wrote his influential book on Australian morals and manners, The Great Australian Stupor.  In this volume he continues his examination of Australian society, a society characterized by the breakdown of traditional family values.  Into the vacuum have rushed a host of substitutes, such as a paternalistic Welfare state, and superficial "mateship".  An insightful examination of Australian social and cultural life.

Cooray, L.J.M., The Australian Achievement:  from Bondage to Freedom.  Epping, New South Wales:  Australian Achievement Project, 1988.  172pp.

What were the values and institutions which were transported from the West by white settlers 200 years ago which helped transform the new land into a free and prosperous commonwealth?  Cooray defines and defends these values and institutions -- moral and religious values, rule of law, private property, the entrepreneurial spirit, competition, freedom, family, self-discipline, etc. -- and decries their current decline in Australia and the West.  An important alternative to the standard leftist view of Australian history and culture.  Cooray teaches law at Macquarie University.

Covell, Charles, The Redefinition of Conservatism:  Politics and Doctrine.  London:  MacMillan, 1986.  267pp.

"The principal aim of this book is to provide a general introduction to the moral, aesthetic, cultural and political doctrines of five contemporary conservative thinkers."  The five English conservatives covered are John Casey, Roger Scruton, Michael Oakeshott, Maurice Cowling and Shirley Robin Letwin.  A major theme is the intellectual debt some of these thinkers owe to the philosopher Wittgenstein.

Cowling, Maurice, ed., Conservative Essays.  London:  Cassell, 1978.  198pp.

Although slightly dated, this is an important collection of some of the better English conservative thinkers.  Fourteen authors are features, including Peregrine Worsthorne on freedom, Utley on Thatcher, Scruton on culture, and Kenneth Minogue on modern British politics.  A fine set of essays.

Crane, Philip M., The Sum of Good Government.  Ottawa, Illinois:  Green Hill Publishers, 1976.  214pp.

In this book the Illinois Congressman discusses American liberalism;  affirmative action;  the United Nations;  trade unions;  big business;  health care;  regulatory agencies;  the growing bureaucracy;  and the nature of American politics.  A learned critique of the philosophy and policies of liberalism, and a set of proposals for a conservative agenda.

Davis, John Jefferson, Evangelical Ethics:  Issues Facing the Church Today.  Phillipsburg, New Jersey:  Presbyterian and Reformed, 1985.  299pp.

This is a basic textbook on social ethics written from a conservative, evangelical perspective.  Davis treats such topics as euthanasia, contraception, divorce and remarriage, war and peace, capital punishment and civil disobedience.  Davis displays a depth of knowledge in this volume, both of the biblical material and of the complex social issues he discusses.  A clear, scholarly and informative work.

Donohue, William A., The Politics of the American Civil Liberties Union.  New Brunswick, New Jersey:  Transaction Books, 1985.  366pp.

This is a detailed and systematic analysis of the activities, history and philosophy of the ACLU.  Donohue attacks the ACLU's claim to neutrality, and shows that it clearly is partisan:  "Quite simply, the ACLU has a politics, and that politics is liberalism."  With extensive documentation and research, Donohue supports this charge.  While not overlooking the contributions the ACLU has made to freedom, this book clearly shows how it generally supports left-wing causes and is hostile to traditional American values.  A valuable and convincing work.

East, John P., The American Conservative Movement:  The Philosophical Founders.  Chicago:  Regnery Books, 1986.  279pp.

The most important theorists of the American conservative movement in the post-World War II era are Kirk, Weaver, Meyer, Kendall, Strauss, Voegelin and von Mises, argues East.  He gives a brief biographical sketch of each thinker, analyses their philosophical positions, and weighs their importance to modern American conservatism.  Brief but incisive chapters by a perceptive political science professor.  East served in the United States Senate from 1980 until his death in 1986.

Evans, M. Stanton, Clear and Present Dangers:  A Conservative View of America's Government.  New York:  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1975.  433pp.

This is a wide-ranging work by a leading American conservative social thinker.  Among the topics covered are:  the courts;  federal government;  bureaucracy, taxation;  welfare;  education;  energy;  civil liberties;  crime;  foreign policy;  and social engineering.  The book ends with some conservative counter-proposals to these present dangers.

Feuer, Lewis, Imperialism and the Anti-Imperialist Mind.  Buffalo:  Prometheus Books, 1986.  265pp.

Dr Feuer, who now teaches at the University of Virginia, analyses in some detail the meaning, history and significance of imperialism.  He argues that some types of imperialism have in fact been beneficial, and refutes the theories of Hobson, Lenin, et. al.  A stimulating and creative book.

Filler, Louis, Dictionary of American Conservatism.  New York:  Philosophical Library, 1987.  380pp.

The first of its kind, Filler's work is a much needed volume.  It is full of facts and information.  Major individuals, groups, events, issues and works of conservatism are briefly but perceptively covered.  This is an entertaining as well as informative volume which covers just about every important aspect of American conservatism.  An instructive and fascinating reference tool.  Filler has written several books, and is a professor of history.

Germino, Dante, Beyond Ideology:  The Revival of Political Theory.  Chicago:  University of Chicago Press, 1967, 1976.  254pp.

In the past two centuries traditional political theory has been marred by positivism, reductionism and ideology a la Comte, Marx, Tracy and others.  Germino assesses this trend, and discusses a counter-trend engineered by contemporary political theorists such as Voegelin, Strauss, Arendt, Maritain, Oakeshott and Jouvenel.  These thinkers all "reject political messianism and utopianism in politics", and call for a return to political theory conducive to the open society.  Germino teaches government at the University of Virginia.

Gingrich, Newt, Window of Opportunity:  A Blueprint For the Future.  New York:  Tom Doherty Associates, 1984.  272pp.

This is an optimistic, future orientated volume, emphasizing American vision, growth, creativity and potential.  A kind of conservative In Search of Excellence, this book deals with welfare, taxation, space exploration, education, defence, bureaucracy, crime and nuclear issues.  A wide-ranging and thought-provoking book.  Gingrich is a Congressman from Georgia.

Goldwater, Barry, The Conscience of a Conservative.  Shepherdsville, Kentucky:  Victor Publishing, 1960.  123pp.

In this volume, the distinguished former Senator from Arizona applies the basic tenets of conservatism to modern problems.  Discussions on states' rights, labour reform, the welfare state, civil rights, education, the Soviet threat, and farming are included here.  A clear and cogent exposition of conservative social thought.

Gottfried, Paul and Thomas Fleming, The Conservative Movement.  Boston:  Twayne Publishers, 1988.  140pp.

In this brief but meaty volume, conservatism since the second world war is analysed.  Major men, movements and ideas are traced, and various branches are investigated.  The intellectual, political and social fortunes of conservatism are discussed, and the future of post-Reagan conservatism is examined.  A valuable guide to American conservative thought in its various forms.

Gray, John, Liberalism.  Milton Keynes, UK:  Open University Press, 1986.  106pp.

Gray contends that liberalism is "the political thoery of modernity".  The first section of the book traces the historical growth of this theory, maintaining that "classical" and "revisionary" or radical liberalism are both parts of a single tradition.  The second section attempts to restate "classical" liberalism in contemporary terms, defending it against conservatism and "market socialism" alike.  An important primer from one of England's most important liberal-conservative scholars.

Green, David G., The New Right:  The Counter-Revolution in Political, Economic and Social Thought.  Brighton, Sussex:  Wheatsheaf Books, 1987.  238pp.

In Britain and Australia, the phrase "New Right" is used to refer to a quite different group from those who wear the label in the USA.  In this book, Green identifies four strands to the "New Right":  anarcho-capitalism/libertarianism (David Friedman, Robert Nozick, Ayn Rand);  the disciples of Milton Friedman and the Chicago School;  the Public Choice School;  and the Hayekian/Austrian School.  The second half of the book considers the impact of these theorists on public policy in the USA and Britain, and finds this impact to be less than is popularly supposed.

Greenleaf, W.H., The British Political Tradition, Vol. II:  The Ideological Heritage.  London, Methuen, 1983.  579pp.

This is the second volume of Greenleaf's magisterial 4-volume series written between 1983 and 1987.  Cobden, Spencer, Mill, Chesterton, Bentham, Webb and Churchill are among the many thinkers examined;  topics featured include the Manchester School, collectivism, laissez faire, libertarianism, Tory paternalism, the Welfare State, Fabianism, Social Democracy and Christian Socialism.  A very valuable study.

Haakonsen, Knud, ed., Traditions of Liberalism.  Sydney:  Centre for Independent Studies, 1988.  201pp.

This collection of essays provides fascinating reasssessments of three "classical liberal" thinkers (Locke, Smith, J.S. Mill), written by distinguished contributors to the contemporary academic liberal-conservative revival in Britain (Shirley Robin Letwin, William Letwin, Kenneth Minogue, John Gray, Alan Ryan, Donald Winch) and Australia.  The papers highlight the strong conservative underpinnings of the best achievements of "liberal" philosophy.

Hallowell, John H., The Moral Foundation of Democracy.  Chicago:  University of Chicago Press, 1954, 1973.  134pp.

Democracy, says Hallowell, must be based upon moral and spiritual values in order to survive.  Without a consensus of values, democracy breaks down.  The importance of democracy is its preservation of freedom, and freedom is the means of developing moral and spiritual perfection.  Thus democracy is indispensable for morality, and morality is essential for democracy.  An important book.

Hamilton, Charles H., ed., Fugitive Essays:  Selected Writings of Frank Chodorov.  Indianapolis:  Liberty Press, 1980.  429pp.

Chodorov, an independent and eclectic thinker, had a profound influence on conservatives and libertarians alike.  In this collection of articles, all of his important themes are presented:  his isolationism and anti-war sentiment;  his hatred of communism, and the need to oppose it (with ideas, not bullets);  his enmity towards statism, welfarism, collectivism, politics and taxation;  and his passionate commitment to individualism, personal liberty, natural rights, and the free market.  Chodorov, whose other books include The Income Tax:  Root of All Evil and One Is a Crowd, died in 1966.

Hancock, W.K., Australia.  London:  Ernest Benn Limited, 1930.  326pp.

There are very few good histories of Australia that are not tinged by leftism.  This volume, although over fifty years old, is one of the finest available histories of Australia.  Not only is Australian history surveyed, but covered in some detail as well are Australian economics, politics, arts, culture and law.  A fine analysis of Australian society from a decidedly conservative perspective.  Hancock was Professor of Modern History at the University of Adelaide.

Handlin, Oscar, The Distortion of America.  Boston:  Little, Brown and Company, 1981.  154pp.

These essays, written between 1955 and 1980, centre on the theme of the deterioration of America at home and abroad.  The crisis in national identity and purpose is in good measure due to the adversarial role of American intellectuals.  An important critique of Leftist attacks on America, and an urgent call for a renewal of American resolve -- moral and political.  Handlin teaches history at Harvard, and has authored over two dozen books.

Harbour, William R., The Foundations of Conservative Thought:  An Anglo-American Tradition in Perspective.  Notre Dame:  University of Notre Dame, 1982.  220pp.

Conservatism as it developed in the Anglo-American tradition is here analysed.  Harbour studies the religious orientation of conservatism;  conservatism's view of human nature and reason;  its relationship to modernity;  and its moral and social foundations.  Most of the major spokesmen for the various strands of conservatism are featured.  A helpful and balanced treatment.

Harries, Owen, ed., Liberty and Politics:  Studies in Social Theory.  Rushcutters Bay, NSW:  Pergamon Press, 1976.  151pp.

In this volume Harries, Frank Knopfelmacher, John Passmore, Peter Shrubb and seven other authors discuss a number of related topics:  socialism and law;  democracy and its critics;  the nature of tradition;  liberty and communism;  and the value of Western culture.  A helpful set of articles on Western liberties, values and society.

Hart, Benjamin, ed., The Third Generation:  Young Conservative Leaders Look To the Future.  Washington, DC:  Regnery Books, 1987.  270pp.

In this volume Hart chronicles a new generation of conservative leaders and movements in America.  Such figures include Richard Brookhiser, Gregory Fossedal and Richard Vigilante.  First generation conservatives (Buckley, Hazlitt, Kirk, etc.), and second generation conservatives (Kristol, Neuhaus, Novak, etc.), are also discussed.  An interesting story of a new wave of conservatives in American life.

Hasluck, Paul, Shades of Darkness:  Aboriginal Affairs, 1925-1965.  Melbourne:  University of Melbourne Press, 1988.  154pp.

Given the current guilt-tripping in regard to Australia's treatment of its indigenous peoples, this book provides some refreshing thinking on this controversial subject.  Many of the myths surrounding Aboriginal conditions and treatment are dispelled in this authoritative and well researched book.  An excellent study of the actual state of affairs in Aboriginal assimilation into Australian culture.  The author served as Minister for Territories from 1951 to 1963.

Hayek, Friedrich A., The Constitution of Liberty.  Chicago:  University of Chicago Press, 1960, 1978.  568pp.

This is a major treatise in defence of liberty.  First, Hayek examines the ethical and philosophical bases of freedom.  Next, he discusses the legal institutions that have arisen to secure individual liberty.  Lastly, he discusses the economic basis of freedom.  A very significant and valuable work by one of the great champions of liberty.  An outstanding contribution to political philosophy.

Hayek, Friedrich A., Law, Legislation and Liberty.  3 vols.  Chicago:  The University of Chicago Press, 1973, 1976, 1979.  vol. 1, 184pp;  vol. 2, 196pp;  vol. 3, 244pp.

This is a monumental study of the basic principles which govern the free society -- its political, economic and legal aspects.  An important work on society and its values.  Philosophy, law, economics, politics, sociology, history, and culture are all discussed in these wide-ranging and illuminating volumes.  Hayek, an Austrian, has taught economics at universities in Vienna, Salzburg, Chicago and London.

Himmelfarb, Gertrude, The New History and the Old.  Cambridge, Massachusetts:  Belknap/Harvard University Press, 1987.  209pp.

In the essays reprinted here, Himmelfarb makes a sustained assault upon the various forms of "New History" which have ravaged historical scholarship in recent times.  Drawing largely on British examples, Himmelfarb exposes the limitations of psychohistory, sociological history and Marxist history.  The two final chapters consider two attempts to revivify traditional history:  Nisbet's History of the Idea of Progress and the historical theorizing of Michael Oakeshott.

Himmelfarb, Gertrude, Marriage and Morals Among the Victorians.  New York:  Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.  253pp.

In an age where morality and decency seem to be disappearing, it is refreshing to study a time and place where they were given more serious attention.  These eleven essays centre on Victorian morality -- an often misunderstood and maligned phenomenon.  Himmelfarb examines some high-minded moralists like Eliot, Mill, Carlyle and Dickens;  detractors such as Bentham, Godwin and the Webbs;  and some English conservatives, old and new, like Disraeli and Oakeshott.  An important study of the many facets of Victorianism.  Another fascinating and brilliant volume by Himmelfarb.

Himmelfarb, Gertrude, Victorian Minds.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1952, 1970.  397pp.

Edmund Burke, J.S. Mill, Jeremy Bentham, Lord Acton and John Buchan are among the minds studied in this collection of essays.  These intellectual biographies represent the diversity of the Victorian age -- an age of belief and unbelief;  an era of conservatism, liberalism and radicalism.  Himmelfarb is a premier authority on 19th-century England.  She has written a number of outstanding studies, and is married to Irving Kristol.

Hooper, Walter, ed., Present Concerns:  Essays By C.S. Lewis.  New York:  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1986.  108pp.

Lewis' writings generally centred on theology and literature.  But in this collection of nineteen essays he focuses on a number of social and political issues.  Some of the topics addressed are:  democratic education;  living in the Atomic Age;  equality;  the necessity of chivalry;  and existentialism.  Absorbing reading.  This is the first time these essays (written between 1940 and 1945) have appeared in book form.

Hospers, John, Libertarianism:  A Political Philosophy For Tomorrow.  Los Angeles:  Nash Publishing, 1971.  488pp.

This is an older but standard work on the philosophy and practice of libertarianism.  Its theory and application are explained in some detail.  Topics covered include:  the nature of liberty;  the role of the state;  economic liberty;  welfare;  taxation;  moral and civil liberties;  freedom and foreign relations;  and the place of law and the police.  A major exposition of the libertarian credo.

Howard, John A., ed., On Freedom.  Greenwich, Connecticut:  Devin-Adair, 1984.  161pp.

In November of 1982 the Rockford Institute held a conference in Frankfurt, West Germany on the topic of freedom.  Some of the leading minds of our day convened to discuss, analyse and defend democratic freedom.  Participants included:  Leszek Kolakowski, Richard John Neuhaus, Paul Johnson and Arthur Shenfield.  A stimulating and valuable collection of essays.

Isaac, Erich and Rael Jean Isaac, The Coercive Utopians:  Social Deception by America's Power Players.  Chicago:  Regnery Gateway, 1983.  325pp.

This is a very perceptive and valuable assessment of social utopians who are out to remake society in their own image.  These groups are anti-technology, anti-growth, anti-business, anti-religious.  This is a blistering attack and expose of these utopians, be they in the media, in "peace" groups, in consumer groups, in environmental groups, in liberal churches, or in leftist think tanks.  A hard-hitting and well-documented critique of these modern-day Luddites.  The Isaacs, husband and wife, are active writers living in New York.

Johnson, Paul, Enemies of Society.  New York:  Athenium, 1977.  278pp.

This, book is a critical assessment of Western civilization -- past and present -- and the forces which are bent on destroying it.  It is a major assault on totalitarian political systems, moral relativism and secularist humanism.  Crime, technology, the environment, education, science, the arts, progress, economics, and politics are some of the topics treated.  An ingenious and perceptive study by an English journalist and historian.

Johnson, Paul, A History of the Jews.  London:  Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1987.  643pp.

The recent works of Paul Johnson have clearly established him as one of England's premier historians.  This volume provides substantiation of this claim.  In this massive volume Johnson traces the 4,000 year history of the Jews.  He emphasizes the contributions the Jewish people have made to Western civilization.  This is history and commentary at its best.  Required reading for all who wish to understand the Jewish phenomenon.

Johnson, Paul, Intellectuals.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1988.  385pp.

"This book is an examination of the moral and judgmental credentials of certain leading intellectuals to give advice to humanity on how to conduct its affairs."  How do these moral mentors treat their families, friends and colleagues?  How do they regard truth?  How do they apply their public principles to their own lives?  The record, argues Johnson in these case studies, is pretty dismal.  Rousseau, Marx, Hemingway, Russell, Sartre, and Chomsky are among the intellectuals analysed.  A fascinating and important volume.

Johnson, Paul, Modern Times:  The World From the Twenties to the Eighties.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1983.  817pp.

Modern Times is a remarkable and monumental history of the past six decades, full of detail, insight, erudition and brilliance.  The modern era is characterized by its abandonment of any kind of absolutes, replaced by relativism, especially moral relativism.  A moral and religious vacuum has ensued.  "The history of modern times is in great part the history of how that vacuum had been filled."  Hitler and Stalin are but two examples of attempts to fill this vacuum.  This is an extraordinary volume.  Absolutely must reading.

Judis, John B., William F. Buckley, Jr:  Patron Saint of the Conservatives.  New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1988.  528pp.

Judis is not a conservative.  Nonetheless he has written a fairly objective and balanced biography of America's most famous conservative.  All the colourful episodes of Buckley's life are covered:  his student days at Yale;  his founding of National Review, his New York City Mayoral race;  his hosting of Firing Line;  his stint at the United Nations;  his influence on Ronald Reagan;  etc.  Buckley's role in the evolution of conservatism into a major force in American life and politics cannot be overstated.  This book gives a close look at a fascinating man and the conservative revolution he helped to create.

Kemp, David, Foundations for Australian Political Analysis:  Politics and Authority.  Melbourne:  Oxford University Press, 1988.  488pp.

In this significant study, Kemp examines Australian political life from both theoretical and practical perspectives.  The book focuses on the problem of the growth of governmental and institutional authority, noting its effect on the values and interests of the individual.  Kemp proposes specific policy responses to help restrain government power and limit the political dimensions of institutional authority.  A scholarly and comprehensive work of political and social theory.  Kemp taught politics at Monash University for a number of years before becoming a Liberal Party parliamentarian.

Kemp, Jack, An American Renaissance:  A Strategy for the 1980s.  Falls Church, Virginia:  Conservative Press, 1979.  197pp.

In this volume the New York Congressman outlines conservative strategies in a number of areas:  economics, defence, energy, social welfare, taxation and jobs creation.  The emphasis is on American creativity, risk-taking, vision and growth.  An optimistic call for a conservative renewal in America.

Kendall, Frances and Leon Louw, After Apartheid:  The Solution for South Africa.  San Francisco:  Institute for Contemporary Studies, 1987.  253pp.

The number of books not highly critical of South Africa can probably be counted on one hand.  This is a very positive look at South Africa and its problems which offers constructive and workable solutions.  The authors propose a Swiss-like canton system which would result in a decentralized political and economic structure, resulting in more freedom for all parties.  A fine work, offering a glimmer of hope for the deeply troubled nation of South Africa.

Kendall, Willmoore, The Conservative Affirmation.  Chicago:  Henry Regnery, 1963.  272pp.

This is a fine discussion of what conservatism is and how it fits into American politics.  Subjects covered include:  egalitarianism and political reform;  McCarthyism;  the Congress and the Executive rivalry;  Christian pacifism;  freedom of speech;  communism;  church/state relations;  and education.  A learned and helpful volume by an important conservative thinker.  Kendall died in 1967.

Kilpatrick, William Kirk, The Emperor's New Clothes.  Westchester, Illinois:  Crossway Books, 1985.  184pp.

In this volume Kilpatrick analyses the various new pop psychology movements:  encounter groups, the human potential movement;  behaviour modification, Rogerian psychology, and scores of other trendy humanistic psychologies.  He contends that these movements are inimical to the Christian faith, and not compatible.  Therefore they are not helpful but destructive therapies.  Kilpatrick teaches educational psychology at Boston College.

Kirk, Russell, The American Cause.  Chicago:  Henry Regnery, 1957, 1966.  154pp.

This book is an analysis of the moral and social principles which have made America great -- principles which have been eroding as of late.  In order to withstand the inroads of collectivism and communism, America must return to a belief in moral absolutes, political federalism and economic freedom.  This is a very fine articulation of conservative philosophy and a learned set of proposals for an American resurgence.

Kirk, Russell, The Conservative Mind:  From Burke to Eliot.  New York:  Avon Books, 1953, 1973.  492pp.

This is Kirk's most significant work.  It is an intellectual history of conservative thought, brilliantly explained, portrayed and analysed.  Key figures discussed include:  Burke, John Adams, Coleridge, Randolph, Tocqueville, Hawthorne, Newman, Babbitt and Santayana.  Kirk demonstrates in this volume that he is not only an authority on conservative philosophy, but he is one of America's leading thinkers.  This is a very important and penetrating work.  Highest recommendations.

Kirk, Russell, Edmund Burke:  A Genius Rediscovered.  New Rochelle, New York:  Arlington House, 1967.  255p.

This is a helpful biography of Edmund Burke, whom Kirk calls a "touchstone" of conservatism.  Taking advantage of recently released papers and correspondence of Burke, Kirk paints a faithful picture of his life and thought.  Although the spirit and mind of Burke are clearly illuminated in this volume, the reader is directed to chapter two of Kirk's The Consewative Mind for a more thorough analysis of Burke's political philosophy.

Kirk, Russell, Enemies of the Permanent Things.  New Rochelle, New York:  Arlington House, 1969.  311pp.

In this volume Kirk traces the effects of liberalism on the arts, sciences and politics of American culture.  The field of literature is especially analysed as Kirk shows how cultural and intellectual abnormality and deformity have ensued from our abandonment of higher norms and the wisdom of our fathers.  Fascinating and original thoughts by America's foremost conservative mind.

Kirk, Russell, A Program for Conservatives.  Chicago:  Henry Regnery, 1954, 1962.  325pp.

This is an important exposition of conservative principles and philosophy from a leading conservative thinker in America.  Kirk sets out the conservative position on issues like social justice, power, tradition, order, community and the intellect.  This is an informed, balanced and wide-ranging defence of conservatism.  Kirk is a master of his subject, and is expert at conveying it to the general public.

Kirk, Russell, The Roots of American Order.  La Salle, Illinois:  Open Court, 1974, 1975.  534pp.

What are the bases of, and influences on, American society?  Kirk looks at Hebrew, Greek, Roman, medieval and contemporary roots that have contributed to the nature of the American system.  Thinkers such as St. Paul, Plato, Jonathan Edwards, Abraham Lincoln, John Locke, Augustine, John Bunyan, to name a few, are discussed in this informative, comprehensive and lively study.  A major contribution to political and social theory.

Kirk, Russell, ed., The Portable Conservative Reader.  New York:  Penguin Books, 1982.  723pp.

Russell Kirk has put together a fine compendium of conservative thought in this volume.  Selections are from Burke, Hamilton, Disraeli, de Tocqueville, Babbitt, Eliot, Muggeridge and Kristol, among others.  A very fine collection indeed.  His 40-page introduction alone is worth the price of the book.

Kirkpatrick, Jeane J., Dictatorships and Double Standards:  Rationalism and Reason in Politics.  New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1982.  270pp.

This is a collection of essays -- nine out of ten having been previously published -- on politics, foreign policy, democracy versus totalitarianism, Latin America, and liberty and equality.  Perhaps the most important essay is the one the book is named after, which gives a blistering attack of the failures of the Carter Administration's foreign policy.  Kirkpatrick, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, is an extremely intelligent, perceptive and shrewd observer of political matters.

Knopfelmacher, Frank, Intellectuals and Politics.  Melbourne:  Thomas Nelson, 1968.  156pp.

"The principal theme which permeates what I have written here is the relation of intellectuals and some of their common preoccupations to politics in the widest sense."  Of the five essays, the title essay and one entitled "Catholics and Communists:  A Tragi-Comedy of Errors" are especially important in their political/philosophical analysis.  Knopfelmacher was born in Vienna in 1923, lived in Czechoslovakia, studied in England and arrived in Australia in 1955.  He was Reader in Psychology for a number of years at Melbourne University until his retirement in 1988.  He is one of Australia's most important -- albeit imported -- minds.

Kristol, Irving, Reflections of a Neoconservative:  Looking Back, Looking Ahead.  New York:  Basic Books, 1983.  336pp.

Kristol is another former radical who has become a conservative.  This collection of essays reflects this political pilgrimage.  An interesting study in political autobiography, as well as a vigorous and entertaining display of a keen mind.  Kristol is always good reading, as this volume clearly demonstrates.  Kristol may well be neoconservatism's leading spokesman.

Kuehnelt-Leddihn, Erik von, Liberty Or Equality:  The Challenge of Our Time.  Caldwell, Idaho:  The Caxton Printers, 1952.  395pp.

The writings of Kuehnelt-Leddihn are wide-ranging, original and creative.  As a European conservative -- and Catholic monarchist -- his views are not always palatable to American conservatives.  Some would not accept his association of democracy with totalitarianism;  many more would not accept his association of Lutheranism with Nazism.  But he does, nonetheless, have many important things to say, and his critiques of collectivism and egalitarianism are insightful.  Enjoyable reading, if one can eat the meat without the bones.

Lind, William S. and William H. Marshner, Cultural Conservatism:  Toward a New National Agenda.  Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, 1987.  146pp.

"Cultural conservatism is the belief that there is a necessary, unbreakable, and causal relationship between traditional values ... and the secular successes of Western societies:  their prosperity, their liberties, and the opportunities they offer their citizens to lead fulfilling, rewarding lives."  The authors examine such areas as the family, education, economics, the environment, crime and punishment, and military reform;  state desired goals for these areas;  and provide means and experiments for their fulfilment.  An important if controversial contribution to a much-debated subject.

Lively, Jack, ed., The Works of Joseph de Maistre.  New York:  Schocken Books, 1965, 1971.  303pp.

While Edmund Burke has rightly been hailed as the cornerstone of modern conservative thought, other thinkers deserve to be included in the intellectual heritage of contemporary conservatism.  One such figure is Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821), a French Catholic, essayist and political thinker.  An ardent defender of authority and tradition, he was especially opposed to the philosophy of the Enlightenment and its political manifestation, the French Revolution.  This volume contains his most important writings.

Locke, John, Second Treatise of Government.  Indianapolis:  Hackett Publishing Company, 1980.  124pp.

This classic in political theory was written in 1690.  It is an important component in the intellectual and philosophical underpinning of Western liberal constitutional states.  His defence of men's natural rights, private property, limited government, and right to revolution are important cornerstones to the philosophies of classical liberalism, capitalism, conservatism, and libertarianism.  Locke, an English philosopher, was born in 1632 and died in 1704.

McAuley, James, End To Modernity:  Essays on Literature, Art and Culture.  Sydney:  Angus and Robertson, 1959.  179pp.

This is a collection of essays, most of which were delivered as lectures or journal articles.  The main theme is the decline of Western culture as expressed in the arts and literature.  This decline, argues McAuley, an Australian Catholic social conservative, is due in large measure to the repudiation of traditional religion, and its replacement by the "inanities and vulgarities of modern secularist humanism."

Machan, Tibor R., ed., The Libertarian Reader.  Totowa, New Jersey:  Rowman and Littlefield, 1982.  287pp.

In this volume 21 authors explain and defend libertarianism.  How it applies to the fields of economics, morals, law, society and other areas is discussed by such thinkers as Machan, Rothbard, Nozick, von Mises, Friedman and Hayek.  While some differences can be found among them, they all agree that liberty is the highest value.  A good collection of libertarian apologetics.  Machan has taught philosophy for a number of years.

Manne, Robert, ed., The New Conservatism in Australia.  Melbourne:  Oxford University Press, 1982.  290pp.

This is a fine collection of articles written by some leading conservatives in Australia.  Santamaria, Barnard, Chipman, Carroll, Knopfelmacher, O'Brien and six other authors are featured.  Economics, politics, history, society and culture are among the topics covered.  An excellent sampling of Australian conservatism.

Marlin, George S., Richard P. Rabatin and John L. Swan, eds., The Quotable Chesterton:  A Compilation of the Wit, Wisdom and Satire of G.K. Chesterton.  San Francisco:  Ignatius Press, 1986.  391pp.

Chesterton (1874-1936) is one of the twentieth century's most quotable authors.  His colourful, witty and provocative writing on so many subjects -- theology, history, philosophy, culture and the arts -- are a constant source of insight and wisdom to modern readers.  In this book 1,200 passages from about 70 of Chesterton's books are arranged topically.  A treasure trove of humour, intelligence and moral insight.

Marlin, George, Richard Rabatin and John Swan, eds., More Quotable Chesterton.  San Francisco:  Ignatius Press, 1988.  549pp.

This is the second volume of Chesterton quotations, arranged alphabetically by topic.  The quotations presented here are not from Chesterton's more familiar corpus, as in the first volume.  Instead they are taken from columns written by GKC for the Illustrated London News between 1905 and 1936.  Rich and rewarding reading.

Menzies, Sir Robert, Afternoon Light.  Ringwood, Victoria:  Penguin Books, 1967, 1969.  384pp.

This volume, writes Menzies, is not a history, but a set of "first-hand impressions" of world leaders and world events.  As Founder of the Liberal Party in 1944 and Prime Minister from 1939 to 1941, and 1949 to 1963, Menzies has much to share on such subjects.  Some of the personalities discussed include:  Kennedy, Churchill, Attlee, Nasser, de Gaulle, and Roosevelt.  A readable and informative collection of personal reflections on some of the major events and personalities of the 20th century.

Meyer, Frank S., The Conservative Mainstream.  New Rochelle, New York:  Arlington House, 1969.  488pp.

This volume is a collection of writings by Meyer, mainly taken from his column in National Review.  The first section defines and assesses conservatism and liberalism.  The second section covers foreign and domestic affairs.  Section three deals with events and personalities.  Taken together these articles convey a clear conservative philosophy and posture.  An important but dated volume.  Meyer died in 1972.

Meyer, Frank S., In Defense of Freedom:  A Conservative Credo.  Chicago:  Henry Regnery, 1962.  179pp.

Frank Meyer here attempts to strike a mediating position between conservative and libertarian philosophies.  This effort, known as fusionism, seeks to reconcile these similar yet diverse positions.  Although many feel such an attempt is ideologically impossible, the volume itself is nonetheless a major defence of freedom and individual choice.  An intriguing and important work.

Meyer, Frank S., ed., What Is Conservatism?  New York:  Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1964.  242pp.

Frank Meyer, Russell Kirk, William F. Buckley, F.A. Hayek, and seven other conservatives each describe their view of conservatism in this helpful volume.  Topics covered include:  tradition, authority, freedom, morality, the state, economics, and ideology.  A fine collection of essays.

Mill, John Stuart, On Liberty.  Chicago:  Henry Regnery Company, 1955.  171pp.

Written in 1859, this classic work has been one of the most influential treatises on individual liberty ever written.  Its theme is that "the sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number is self protection."  While traditional conservatives may feel that Mill suffered from a weak view of human nature, all conservatives -- especially libertarians -- look to Mill and this volume as an important and comprehensive apologetic for individual liberty.  Mill (1806-1873) was an empiricist philosopher and one of Britain's finest political writers.

Minogue, Kenneth R., Alien Powers:  The Pure Theory of Ideology.  London:  Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1985.  255pp.

Minogue himself best sums up this important book:  "Ideology is the propensity to construct structural explanations of the human world ... The idea is so abstract that it is less a doctrine than a machine for generating doctrines, and its simplest formulation is that all evils are caused by an oppressive system.  One of its more important corollaries is that truth is a weapon.  This is the pure theory of ideology, and my aim is to explore its logical and rhetorical character."

Minogue, Kenneth R., The Liberal Mind.  London:  Methuen, 1963.  206pp.

"The aim of this book is to analyse the long tradition of liberalism.  It regards the current fluidity of political boundaries as due to the fact that an enlarged and somewhat refurbished liberalism has now succeeded the ideologies of the past.  It maintains that this liberalism provides a moral and political consensus which unites virtually all of us ..."  An excellent exposition of liberalism and its manifestations in ethics, society, politics and culture.  Minogue was born in New Zealand, educated in Australia and England, and currently teaches at the London School of Economics.

Nash, George H., The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America:  Since 1945.  New York:  Basic Books, 1976.  463pp.

This is a very valuable work describing the men, movements and ideas of conservatism during the past several decades.  It describes the different types of conservatism and how they have fared in American life.  An extremely helpful and informative book.  Invaluable for understanding today's conservative revival.

Neuhaus, Richard John, Dispensations:  The Future of South Africa as South Africans See It.  Grand Rapids:  William B. Eerdmans, 1986.

This is a very fine book on the complex and multi-levelled subjects of South Africa, apartheid, and reform.  This book is a collection of interviews with, and commentary on, a number of South Africans.  They come from all walks of life, different races, various political leanings, and diverse creeds.  By allowing so many different South Africans a platform to speak, the reader has the unique opportunity of hearing not just one side, or two sides, of the story, but a multilateral perspective on this complicated and troubled land.  A very valuable contribution to a heated subject.

Nisbet, Robert, Conservatism:  Dream and Reality.  Minneapolis:  University of Minnesota Press, 1986.  118pp.

In this concise and lucid essay, Nisbet discusses the major themes of conservatism:  history, tradition, authority, religion, liberty, and property.  Earlier conservatives such as Burke and Savigny are discussed, as are more recent thinkers such as T.S. Eliot, Christopher Dawson, Russell Kirk and Michael Oakeshott.  A brief but perceptive treatment of the roots, tenets, consequences and prospects of conservatism.

Nisbet, Robert, History of the Idea of Progress.  New York:  Basic Books, 1980.  370pp.

The Western idea of progress is not basically modern, but can be traced back to the Classical world.  This study examines the development of the idea from the early Greeks down to the present.  It is an attempt to "identify and put in proper perspective the major personages, texts, presuppositions, intellectual climates, and philosophical and ideological uses of the idea during the past twenty-five hundred years."  No small task, but Nisbet pulls it off with brilliance and insight.  A very fine book by a very fine mind.

Nisbet, Robert, Prejudices:  A Philosophical Dictionary.  Cambridge, Massachusetts:  Harvard University Press, 1982.  318pp.

On about 70 topics Nisbet offers his prejudices -- topics such as:  fanatacism;  bureaucracy;  envy;  alienation;  community;  racism;  war;  progress;  feudalism;  and ideology.  Some of the essays are outstanding, as the ones on:  social revolution;  liberalism;  inquisitions;  authoritarianism;  and conservatism.  Some, such as abortion, and Christianity, will not be as well received by traditional and religious conservatives.  But all in all this is an informative, witty, learned and perceptive set of essays.

Nisbet, Robert, Twilight of Authority.  New York:  Oxford University Press, 1975, 1977.  287pp.

In this important work, Nisbet describes the growing disintegration of Western societies, and the rise of the welfare state.  Both a critique of growing statism, and a call for a renewal of the social order, this book is penetrating and illuminating.  A major work in social philosophy.  Nisbet is Professor of the Humanities, Emeritus, at Columbia University.

Nock, Jay Albert, Our Enemy, the State.  Delavan, Wisconsin:  Hallberg Publishing Corporation, 1983.  109pp.

Originally written in 1935, this book has become a minor classic.  Conservatives and libertarians alike appeal to this volume in their criticism of Statism.  Nock explains the distinction between government and the State, and traces the origin and development of the State.  He shows how the progressive conversion of social power into State power occurs, and details the deleterious effects of such processes.  Nock died in 1945.

Novak, Michael, Free Persons and the Common Good.  Lanham, Maryland:  Madison Books, 1989.  233pp.

In 1946 the Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain wrote The Person and the Common Good, in which he sought to reconcile the public interest with personal liberty.  Novak elaborates upon this theme, demonstrating that the liberal tradition -- long accused of "excessive individualism" -- has in fact its own doctrine of the common good.  Moreover, the Catholic tradition, argues Novak, also has a similar interest in and respect for the individual and the public good.  Novak offers exploratory probes into how these related concepts affect the social, political and economic realms.  A fine blend of religious, philosophical and social thinking.

Nozick, Robert, Anarchy, State and Utopia.  New York:  Basic Books, 1974.  367pp.

This is a major treatise on the nature and role of the state, treated philosophically, politically, economically and morally.  It is also a detailed examination of theories of justice.  Nozick argues that the minimal state, and no more, is morally justifiable.  Justice can be attained without maximizing the role of the state, and individual liberties are best protected when the state is kept in check.  An important contribution to political philosophy.  Nozick is Professor of Philosophy at Harvard University.

Oakeshott, Michael, On History:  And Other Essays.  Oxford:  Basil Blackwell, 1983.  198pp.

The five essays in this volume restate some of the major themes of Oakeshott's work.  The three essays on historical understanding complement the theory of knowledge put forward in Experience and its Modes and subsequently elaborated in Rationalism in Politics and On Human Conduct.  The fourth essay, "The Rule of Law", constitutes a marvellous introduction to the theory of civil association contained in On Human Conduct.  The final essay, "The Tower of Babel", reveals Oakeshott's unswerving anti-utopianism.

Oakeshott, Michael, Rationalism In Politics:  And Other Essays.  London:  Methuen, 1962.  333pp.

This is a collection of ten essays written by Oakeshott, a British philosopher and conservative, in the years after the Second World War.  Some of the topics covered (as described by chapter titles) are:  The Political Economy of Freedom;  The Moral Life in the Writings of Thomas Hobbes;  Political Education;  and Rationalism in Politics.  One essay, "On Being Conservative", is especially fine.  It is one of the most lucid and elegant summaries of the "conservative disposition" yet written.

Ortega y Gasset, Jose, The Revolt of the Masses.  Notre Dame, Indiana:  University of Notre Dame Press, 1985.  192pp.

Modern mass man, found on all levels of society, is characteristically commonplace, mundane and barbaric.  Ortega y Gasset bemoans the drift toward totalitarian democracy wherein excellence and superiority are rejected, and stultifying conformity and philistine mediocrity are the norm.  Totalitarian "mass" movements such as communism are a special threat to liberal democracies.  Written in 1932, this is one of many important books written by the Spanish philosopher, essayist and member of parliament.  His dates are 1883-1955.

O'Sullivan, Noel, Conservatism.  London:  J.M. Dent & Sons, 1976, 1983.  173pp.

O'Sullivan defines conservatism as a "philosophy of imperfection, committed to the idea of limits, and directed towards the defence of a limited style of politics."  He then goes on to chart the growth of three national variants of this conservatism -- the French, German and British -- during the nineteenth century.  In the final chapter, he considers twentieth century conservatives, including Americans, and finds conservative ideology to be in a state of crisis.

Panichas, George A., Modern Age:  The First Twenty-Five Years -- A Selection.  Indianapolis:  Liberty Press, 1988.  893pp.

Reading like a Who's Who of conservatism, this is a collection of more than 75 articles which have appeared in the conservative journal, Modern Age, founded by Russell Kirk in 1957.  Topics like conservatism, law and liberty, Christianity, education, art and culture are treated by this all-star cast;  men such as Kirk, Voegelin, Burnham, Kendall, Nisbet, von Mises, Weaver, Molnar, Niemeyer, Ropke, Jaffa, Rothbard, van den Haag and a host of others.  A wonderful selection of some of conservatism's best minds.

Pines, Burton Yale, Back To Basics:  The Traditionalist Movement That Is Sweeping Grass-Roots America.  New York:  William Morrow and Company, 1982.  348pp.

Liberalism is being challenged as Americans are mobilizing in support of traditional values and conservative causes.  This movement, politically focused and harnessed by the Reagan Administration, consists of a myriad of currents:  pro-lifers, Moral Majoritarians, conservative think tanks, free-marketeers, neo-conservatives, New Righters, and people like Irving Kristol, Jerry Falwell, Phyllis Schlafly, Paul Weyrich, Pat Robertson and others.  An illuminating look at the conservative traditionalist movement of the 1980s.  Pines is vice president of the Heritage Foundation.

Podhoretz, Norman, The Bloody Crossroads:  Where Literature and Politics Meet.  New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1986.  221pp.

This is an interesting and penetrating set of essays about contemporary authors who have written on political themes in general, and totalitarianism in particular.  These authors include Orwell, Solzhenitsyn, Camus and the contributors to The God That Failed.  Also, there is an essay on Henry Kissinger, as well as a piece on intellectuals and the "adversary culture".

Popper, Karl R., The Open Society and its Enemies.  2 volumes.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1945, 1962.  Vol. 1, 351pp;  vol. 2, 420pp.

In this important work Popper argues against all types of "historicism" which claim that human society is predetermined, and he protests the totalitarianism which results from such theories.  Plato, Hegel and Marx are therefore subjected to severe criticism.  Popper was an Austrian philosopher of natural and social science.

Quinton, Anthony, The Politics of Imperfection:  The Religious and Secular Traditions of Conservative Thought in England from Hooker to Oakeshott.  London:  Faber and Faber, 1978.  105pp.

In this brief but useful volume most of the major English conservatives are discussed;  Burke, Richard Hooker, Hobbes, Hume, Johnson, Coleridge, Newman, Disraeli among them.  All these thinkers, argues Quinton, whether religious or secular, share a common belief:  the imperfection of human nature.  From this core thesis, Quinton sets out three principles of conservatism -- traditionalism, organicism and political scepticism.  An excellent work.

Rand, Ayn, The Virtue of Selfishness:  A New Concept of Egoism.  New York:  Signet Books, 1961.  151pp.

Along with For the New Intellectual (1961), this is one of Rand's most important works of non-fiction.  It is a collection of articles which first appeared in The Objectivist Newsletter.  Her advocacy of a new morality, based upon rational self-interest, or selfishness, is the major element of her Objectivist philosophy, a philosophy which has influenced many, while alienating not a few traditional conservatives.  Challenging and controversial reading.

Ray, John J., Conservatism as Heresy:  An Australian Reader.  Sydney:  Australian and New Zealand Book Company, 1974.  402pp.

In this volume over twenty conservatives write on topics such as:  the environment, Aborigines and land rights, uranium policies, defence, health, education, and so on.  A good but dated collection of articles on Australian politics, economics, culture and society.

Roche, George, A World Without Heroes:  The Modern Tragedy.  Hillsdale, Michigan:  Hillsdale College Press, 1987.  368pp.

In this broad-ranging treatment of modern intellectual trends, Roche laments the loss of heroism, of will, of purpose in the West.  Our heroes are disappearing chiefly because traditional moral and religious values have been replaced by scientism, moral relativism and secular humanism.  Such trends have produced a society with nothing worth fighting and dying for, and thus nothing worth living for.  A stirring defence of Christianity and Western civilization, and a vigorous assault on those forces inimical to them.

Roche, George Charles, Legacy of Freedom.  New Rochelle, New York:  Arlington House, 1969.  356pp.

This volume surveys the intellectual and historical development of liberty in particular and Western civilization in general.  Roche looks at the men, movements and ideas which have contributed to the rise of the West and the freedoms it enjoys.  Judaism, Christianity, Augustine, Aquinas, the Renaissance, the Reformation, Burke, Locke, and Adam Smith are among the figures and movements examined.  A good overview of the philosophical and historical development of the ideas of liberty and freedom.

Rossiter, Clinton, Conservatism in America:  The Thankless Persuasion.  New York:  Vintage Books, 1955, 1962.  306pp.

This is a history of conservatism, especially as it has developed in America.  Rossiter gives an exposition of the uphill battle conservatism has faced in America, and calls for a more constructive and mature conservatism in the future.  A helpful analysis of the philosophy and development of conservatism.

Rothbard, Murray N., For a New Liberty:  The Libertarian Manifesto.  New York:  Collier Books, 1973, 1978.  338pp.

Like John Hospers' work, this is a comprehensive elaboration of the libertarian philosophy.  Murray applies libertarianism to education;  the welfare state;  laws and the courts;  war and foreign policy;  business;  and morality and society.  A clearly argued case for economic, social, political and cultural liberty.

Rusher, William A., The Rise of the Right.  New York:  William Morrow and Company, 1984.  336pp.

This volume traces the small conservative stirrings of the fifties through to the burgeoning conservative movement of the eighties.  Himself a key figure in the rise of conservatism, Rusher provides a first-hand account of the personalities, issues, ideas and organizations involved in the Right's rise.  Buckley, Goldwater, Reagan, Nixon and Wallace are but a few of the many figures covered in this readable and fascinating history/autobiography.

Santamaria, B.A., Australia at the Crossroads:  Reflections of an Outsider.  Melbourne:  Melbourne University Press, 1987.  262pp.

Perhaps no other conservative has done so much by way of a philosophical/intellectual/moral critique of Australian politics, economics, culture and society as B.A. Santamaria.  In this, his most recent volume, Santamaria analyses and assesses a wide range of men, movements and ideas.  Some of the issues covered include:  ANZUS, liberation theology, test tube babies, social engineering, the Labor and Liberal Parties, and the decline of the West.  Most of these essays were previously published as articles between 1982 and 1987.  Santamaria is President of the National Civic Council.

Santamaria, B.A., Against the Tide.  Melbourne:  Oxford University Press, 1981.  382pp.

This is the autobiography of one of Australia's most important conservative thinkers.  Covering the early years in resisting communist penetration of the trade unions, through the split of the ALP and formation of the DLP, up to the Fraser years, this volume covers some of the important events and personalities of modern Australian history.  A fascinating look at a very prominent figure in Australian political and intellectual life.

Sartori, Giovanni, The Theory of Democracy Revisited.  Chatham, New Jersey:  Chatham House Publishers, 1987.  542pp.

This is a comprehensive and detailed study of democratic theory.  Here are just a few of the subjects covered:  varieties of democracy;  liberty and law;  capitalism, socialism and democracy;  equality and justice;  perfectionism and utopia;  Marx, Rousseau and the good society;  and the poverty of ideology.  A wide-ranging and scholarly work.  Sartori, a professor at Columbia University, is a Fellow of the Hoover Institution.

Schama, Simon, Citizens:  A Chronicle of the French Revolution.  New York:  Alfred A. Knopf, 1989.  948pp.

It is appropriate that at the bicentennial of the French Revolution this revisionist history should appear.  Not a mere eulogy as so many previous histories have been, this massive narrative account expertly traces the problems of revolutionary violence which prevailed during the period.  Indeed, says Schama, "violence was the Revolution itself".  A masterful study of revolutionary France, rich in detail and insight.  Schama, an Englishman, currently teaches history at Harvard University.

Schoeck, Helmut, Envy:  A Theory of Social Behaviour.  Indianapolis:  Liberty Press, 1987.  452pp.

First published in Germany in 1966, this innovative and ground-breaking work analyses a major psychological and social phenomenon.  Envy is a major component of socialism and other isms which war against the development of civilization.  Indeed, a "society's civilizing power of achievement is dependent on that society's skill in domesticating and canalizing envy."  A fascinating study, not just of the politics of envy, but all aspects of it:  social, psychological, philosophical and historical.  A landmark study.  Schoeck was born in Austria, studied in Germany, and taught in America and Germany.

Scruton, Roger, A Dictionary of Political Thought.  New York:  Hill and Wang, 1982, 1984.  499pp.

In some 1,500 entries, this dictionary covers all the major ideas, ideologies, thinkers and parties of the political realm.  Besides offering clear, concise and informative definitions, this dictionary features a cross-reference system linking together connected concepts.  A very helpful and readable resource tool.

Scruton, Roger, The Meaning of Conservatism.  Totowa, New Jersey:  Barnes and Noble Books, 1980.  205pp.

"I have tried to present clearly and simply the fundamental conceptions which I believe to underlie the conservative view in politics, and in the course of doing so to show the possibility of subscribing to them.  This is not a work of philosophy, but of dogmatics:  it attempts to describe and defend a system of beliefs ..."  And it is a very fine description and defence indeed, with meaty chapters on the conservative attitude;  law and liberty;  constitution and state;  and more.  An excellent work.  Scruton, an English philosopher, is editor of the conservative quarterly, The Salisbury Review.

Scruton, Roger, Untimely Tracts.  New York:  St. Martin's Press, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987.  272pp.

One hundred and twenty articles penned by Scruton for the London Times are featured here.  Subjects range from capitalism to capital punishment;  from Cuba to cubism;  from wine to whining feminists;  from John Stuart Mill to Jean-Paul Sartre.  A wide-ranging, witty and biting collection of articles.  Scruton, the author of over a dozen books, is Professor of Aesthetics at Birkbeck College, London.

Scruton, Roger, ed., Conservative Thinkers:  Essays from The Salisbury Review, London:  The Claridge Press, 1988.  323pp.

Founded in 1982, The Salisbury Review is one of Britain's most important conservative journals.  In this volume Scruton, R.A.D. Grant, Ian Crowther, John Gray and eight other authors present essays on important conservative thinkers, including Hooker, Johnson, Hume, Burke, Newman, Santayana, Hayek and Voegelin.

Scruton, Roger, ed., Conservative Thoughts:  Essays from the Salisbury Review.  London:  The Claridge Press, 1988.  339pp.

In this companion volume, Scruton assembles some of the better articles to have appeared in the Review.  John Carroll, David Levy, F.A. Hayek, Scruton and others write on a wide variety of subjects:  feminism, welfarism, political economy, Marxism, criminology, East-West relations, and philosophy.  These two volumes provide a good showcase for the leading conservative minds in Britain.

Sowell, Thomas, Compassion Versus Guilt:  and Other Essays.  New York:  William Morrow, 1987.  246pp.

This is the most recent compilation of newspaper columns Sowell has written since 1982.  He tackles a host of topics, including race relations, welfare, the courts, foreign policy, child abuse, South Africa, Nicaragua, social justice, education, school prayer, and Reaganomics.  A good collection of essays and commentary by a leading black free market economist.

Sowell, Thomas, A Conflict of Visions.  New York:  William Morrow and Company, 1987.  273pp.

Sowell's pen has been blazing as of late.  This, one of his latest works, is an historical and philosophical look at two fundamentally different ways of viewing man and reality.  These are the "constrained" and "unconstrained" visions.  The former is characterized by realism and conservatism, and is represented by Burke, A. Smith and Hobbes.  The latter is characterized by idealism and radicalism, and is represented by Godwin, Rousseau and Voltaire.  These visions and their outworkings are the subject of this fine book.  An innovative and creative volume.

Sterling, Claire, The Terror Network:  The Secret War of International Terrorism.  New York:  Berkley Books, 1981, 1982.  351pp.

This is a valuable study on the growing problem of international terrorism.  The Red Brigades, the Irish Republican Army, the PLO, Gadhafi, the Baader-Meinhof Gang, and many other groups and individuals are discussed here.  Sterling concludes that a major source and co-ordinator of much of this terrorism is the Soviet Union and the KGB.  A well documented and detailed study.

Strauss, Leo, Liberalism:  Ancient and Modern.  New York:  Basic Books, 1968.  276pp.

Leo Strauss was a leading conservative political philosopher who had a great influence on many of his students.  In this meaty volume he analyses and discusses liberalism (as distinct from conservatism) in some ten thought-provoking essays.  Subjects covered include:  liberalism in classical political philosophy;  liberal education;  the political philosophy of Marsilius of Padua;  and the relationship between Judaism and liberalism.  An important assessment of the differences between classical and modern political philosophy, and the differences between conservatism and liberalism.  Strauss was professor Emeritus of Political Philosophy at the University of Chicago.  He died in 1973.

Strauss, Leo, The City and Man.  Chicago:  University of Chicago, 1964.  245pp.

One of Leo Strauss's most important books, comprising essays on Aristotle's Politics, Plato's Republic and Thucydides' History of the Peloppesian Wars.  The introduction sets out Strauss's reason for turning to classical political philosophy:  "It is not self-forgetting and pain-loving antiquarianism nor self-forgetting and intoxicating romanticism ... We are impelled [to turn to classical political thought] by the crisis of our time, the crisis of the West."

Strauss, Leo, Natural Right and History.  Chicago:  University of Chicago, 1950.  326pp.

Strauss identifies the idea of "natural right" as a central pillar of political life in America (and, by implication, in countries like America).  His first two chapters refute the objections to "natural right" based on appeals to "history" and to the distinction between facts and values.  Subsequent chapters elaborate the philosophical basis of natural right and chart various historical understandings of the concept.

Strauss, Leo and Joseph Cropsey, eds., History of Political Philosophy.  Second edition.  Chicago:  University of Chicago Press, 1963, 1972.  849pp.

As a textbook for college students, this is not a conservative treatise as such.  But a number of conservatives have articles in this volume, so I have included it in this bibliography.  Thirty-six political philosophers are studied, including:  Plato, Marsilius of Padua, and Machiavelli, by Strauss;  Aristotle, by Harry Jaffa;  John Milton, by Walter Berns;  and Rousseau, by Allan Bloom.

Templeton, Kenneth S., ed., The Politicization of Society.  Indianapolis:  Liberty Press, 1979.  541pp.

The role of the state has increasingly been supplanting that of the church and other private institutions and voluntary associations.  This dangerous trend is discussed in this valuable book by such authors as:  Robert Nisbet, Murray Rothbard, Jacques Ellul, Michael Oakeshott, F.A. Hayek, and John A. Lukacs.  A very fine collection of articles.

Thomas, Cal, Occupied Territory.  Brentwood, Tennessee:  Wolgemuth and Hyatt, 1987.  232pp.

In this latest collection of articles by the syndicated columnist, Thomas treats these and other subjects:  welfare;  AIDS;  capital punishment;  South Africa;  Nicaragua;  pornography;  abortion;  SDI;  euthanasia;  anti-Christian discrimination;  censorship;  animal liberation;  and Planned Parenthood.  These brief, biting and informative columns were written between 1985 and 1987.

Thomas, Cal and Wayne Stayskal, Liberals for Lunch.  Westchester, Illinois:  Crossway Books, 1985.  135pp.

This is a collection of past newspaper columns by Thomas and political cartoons by Stayskal.  Subjects covered include:  abortion;  church/state relationships;  religion and the media;  pornography and the First Amendment;  Soviet imperialism;  morality and nuclear weapons;  and the politicization of the church.  A witty, entertaining and informative book.

Tocqueville, Alexis de, Democracy In America.  New York:  Harper and How, 1966, 1969.  778pp.

This is another classic that could not be excluded.  Written in 1830 when American democracy was nearly half a century old, this volume is an excellent commentary and analysis of American life, society, institutions and destiny.  It clearly reflects his concern for personal freedom, his fear of majority tyranny, his desire for limited government, and his attachment to traditional values.  Tocqueville, a French aristocrat was born in 1805 and died in 1859.

Trilling, Lionel, The Liberal Imagination:  Essays on Literature and Society.  New York:  Doubleday Anchor Books, 1957.  293pp.

In this volume essays written by Trilling over the past decade are brought together under the general theme of liberalism and its relation to culture, especially literature.  The essays pay special attention to the connection between literature and politics, and form, as one critic put it, a "running argument with Stalinism in both its political and cultural forms".  Until his death in 1975, Trilling taught English and literature at Columbia University.

Tyrrell, R. Emmett, The Liberal Crack-up.  New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1984.  256pp.

This book is a frontal assault on modern liberalism.  Assailed are the feminists, no-nukers, environmentalists, peace-mongers, egalitarians, big-spenders, and one-worlders.  Tyrrell is by far the most witty, biting, and devastating gadfly of liberalism writing today.  This is a penetrating and hilarious indictment of the inanity of liberalism.  Guaranteed to inform and amuse.  Tyrrell is the editor of The American Spectator.

Tyrrell, R. Emmett, ed., Orthodoxy:  The American Spectator's 20th Anniversary Anthology.  New York:  Harper and Row, 1987.  511pp.

The American Spectator is one of America's outstanding organs of conservative opinion -- full of wit, bite and insight.  This volume contains some 70 articles written between 1967 and 1987 covering all manner of subjects.  Most of the top names in conservatism are represented here, such as:  Joseph Sobran, Tom Bethell, Walter Berns, Michael Novak, Patrick Buchanan, George Will, Malcolm Muggeridge, and Thomas Sowell.  A delightful compilation of conservatism's brightest and best.

Van den Haag, Ernest and John P. Conrad, The UN:  In or Out?  A Debate Between Ernest van den Haag and John P. Conrad.  New York:  Plenum Press, 1987.  355pp.

In this volume van den Haag and Conrad again draw swords in a lively and informed debate.  Conrad argues that we stay in the United Nations, while van den Haag argues that we get out.  Both sides marshall a host of facts, information, sound reasoning and debating skills.  A helpful volume on a subject even conservatives are divided over.

Viereck, Peter, Conservatism:  From John Adams To Churchill.  Princeton, New Jersey:  D. Van Nostrand Company, 1956.  192pp.

In this slim volume, Viereck briefly traces conservatism's historical and philosophical roots.  This is followed by excerpts from key works of important conservative thinkers, such as Burke, Disraeli, Churchill, Sumner, etc.  Although 30 years-old, this is a valuable book for understanding the "Reagan Revolution."

Viguerie, Richard A., The New Right:  We're Ready To Lead.  Falls Church, Virginia:  The Viguerie Company, 1980.  243pp.

Viguerie, the direct mail activist and New Right leader, discusses the history of this important political movement.  Chapters cover the political involvement of born-again Christians;  the pro-family movement;  the tax revolt;  and the election of Ronald Reagan.  An interesting history and analysis of the New Right and its impact on American politics.

Voegelin, Eric, The New Science of Politics:  An Introduction.  Chicago:  University of Chicago Press, 1952.  193pp.

Voegelin, who died in 1985, was one of the greatest minds of conservatism in this century.  He was the author of many books, including the monumental five-volume Order and History.  In this work Voegelin attempts to reunite political science with philosophical principles.  This retheoretization is necessary to undo the damages wrought by nineteenth century positivism.  A profound and scholarly work, combining philosophy, science, history and political science.  Voegelin is not recommended for the casual reader.

Wattenberg, Ben, The Good News is the Bad News is Wrong.  New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1984, 1985.  431pp.

In this wide-ranging and fact-filled book, Wattenberg looks at gloom and doom headlines which predominate American newspapers.  Economic collapse, environmental destruction, eroding standards of living and other bleak scenarios of the future are closely examined.  Wattenberg shows that things are much better than the media leads one to believe.  An important debunking of myths surrounding the quality of American life and an incisive critique of the media that purveys such myths.  Wattenberg is a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Weaver, Richard M., Ideas Have Consequences.  Chicago:  University of Chicago Press, 1948.  190pp.

This is a penetrating analysis of modern culture written by a leading conservative thinker.  Weaver traces the decline of the West, and explains why this dissolution is taking place.  Weaver discusses politics, culture, education, the arts, and science.  He calls for a return to traditional moral and spiritual values as a means ol checking the disintegration of the Western world.  A brilliant and thought-provoking study.  Weaver died in 1963.

Whitaker, Robert W., ed., The New Right Papers.  New York:  St. Martin's Press, 1982.  236pp.

In this volume Whitaker, William Rusher, Jeffrey Hart, Richard Viguerie, Thomas Reming and seven other New Rightists explain what the New Right is and where it is going.  Property rights, judicial activism, the family, the free market, and Soviet-American relations are some of the subjects covered.  A helpful look at an important component of the Reagan Revolution.

Wiarda, Howard J., ed., Human Rights and US Human Rights Policy:  Theoretical Approaches and Some Perspectives on Latin America.  Washington, DC:  American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 1982.  96pp.

This volume is a collection of essays dealing with Latin America, U.S. foreign policy, and the role of human rights.  The contributors are:  Michael Novak, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Mark Falcoff, Edward Olsen, Richard Schifter, and Wiarda.  A helpful set of essays dealing with a complex and important subject.

Will, George, The Morning After:  American Successes and Excesses 1981-1986.  New York:  Free Press, 1986.  430pp.

This is the latest collection of George Will's syndicated columns.  Subjects covered here range from South Africa, Grenada, Nicaragua, SDI, and the Soviet threat, to AIDS, the ACLU, and baseball.  A witty, perceptive and astute group of essays and commentary.

Will, George, The Pursuit of Happiness, and Other Sobering Thoughts.  New York:  Harper Colophon Books, 1978.  333pp.

George Will is one of America's foremost political commentators.  Traditional conservatives may not agree with all of his views (e.g. his views on the welfare state), but he remains a leading adversary of liberal thinking.  This book is a collection of columns Will wrote for Newsweek and The Washington Post.  A witty and incisive set of essays.

Will, George, The Pursuit of Virtue and Other Tory Notions.  New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1982.  397pp.

This is Will's second collection of newspaper and Newsweek columns.  He discusses:  morality in politics;  sex education;  Solzhenitsyn;  reverse discrimination;  the Mormons;  the Pope;  terrorism;  John Wayne;  presidential elections;  Kissinger;  and dozens of other subjects.  Stimulating, provocative and pleasurable reading.

Will, George, Statecraft As Soulcraft:  What Government Does.  New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1983.  186pp.

In this essay Will analyses the nature and role of government.  Departing from many conservatives, Will states that government should have a more active role in procuring social justice, especially in the form of the welfare state.  Also, proper government will cultivate good character in its citizenry.  Will's unique brand of conservatism is argued, as usual, with wit, eloquence and wide-ranging learning.

Wolfe, Gregory, Right Minds:  A Sourcebook of American Conservative Thought.  Chicago:  Regnery Books, 1987.  245pp.

This volume is a helpful guide to the men, institutions, books and ideas of conservatism.  Part one briefly describes some 400 conservative books;  part two offers some brief lives of past and present conservatives;  and part three lists conservative think tanks, publishers and journals.  The only book of its kind -- except for the one you are reading.