Few figures in conservativism are more revered than Thomas Sowell. A free-market economist, social theorist and philosopher, Sowell’s work has spanned decades and influenced generations.
Sowell wrote a nationally syndicated column, authored dozens of books and dazzled television audiences time and time again with his common sense, anti-intellectual approach to political and cultural issues.
The following story is part of The Western Journal’s exclusive series “The Sowell Digest.” Each issue will break down and summarize one of Sowell’s many influential works.
Thomas Sowell is not a big fan of Christmas shopping, to say the least.
During his decades-long career as a columnist, Sowell wrote several articles lamenting Christmas shopping sprees during the holiday season.
In multiple articles, he even made this same joke about shopping malls: “During the holidays, a shopping mall can be more like a shopping maul,” the economist wrote in 2012.
According to Sowell, rather than wasting time looking for last-minute gifts at the mall, many Americans would be better off ordering books and movies online.
In at least three different articles, Sowell set aside discussions of economics and politics to give his recommendations for both.
In 2009, Sowell began an article by recommending the then-recently-released book “Catastrophe” by Dick Morris.
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“Dick Morris’ new book — ‘Catastrophe’ — is an education in itself, on politics, on economics and on foreign policy. It is a strong antidote to the pious rhetoric and spin that come out of Washington and the media,” Sowell wrote.
“Partly this is because Dick Morris was once a Beltway insider — an adviser to President Bill Clinton — who knows first-hand the ugly realities behind the pretty words that politicians use and that much of the media repeat.”
Later in the 2009 article, Sowell also recommended gifting copies of Angelo Codevilla’s classic “The Character of Nations,” which highlights how the differences in cultures and values explain the differences in outcomes between different countries; “Choosing the Right College,” a 1,000-plus page book which he describes as “by far the best college guide in America;” and two of Sowell’s own books — “The Housing Boom and Bust” and “Applied Economics.”
Having already read a copy, this writer strongly recommends Sowell’s “The Housing Boom and Bust,” which is the definitive, easy-to-read explanation for how a perfect storm of bad government policies caused the 2008 financial collapse.
In another 2012 article, Sowell offered even more recommendations, including John Stossel’s “No, They Can’t!” The title is a snarky retort to Barack Obama’s famous campaign slogan, “Yes, we can!”
According to Sowell, Stossel uses common-sense analysis to break down the error in many of the progressive left’s most tired talking points, such as their views on health care and education.
The beloved economist also recommended “Mismatch,” a book about how racial preferences hurt minority communities, “Mugged: Racial Demagoguery from the Seventies to Obama” by Ann Coulter; and a revised book of Sowell’s own classic, “Intellectuals and Society.”
If you want to know why “Intellectuals and Society” is worth reading, go check out this past installment of The Sowell Digest. The article explains how “Intellectuals and Society” accurately explains how “experts” bungled the U.S. response to the COVID pandemic.
In 2015, Sowell’s gift recommendations included both books and classic movies.
These book recommendations didn’t just include conservative works.
Sowell also named a few of his preferred coffee table books — namely, Ansel Adams’ scenic photographs and the “Calvin and Hobbes” comics.
“People who already seem to have everything may not have DVDs of the latest movies or perhaps of some old movie classics like ‘Citizen Kane’ or ‘The Hunt For Red October,’” Sowell wrote.
“Among the rare movies that children and adults can watch and enjoy together is the perennial favorite, ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Other good choices, however, would include ‘The Great Muppet Caper,’ which I have watched a number of times and enjoyed each time.”
(Though they are becoming scarce these days, and there are even internet memes of children innocently inquiring, “What’s a DVD?” it is still possible to find films in that format — or on Blu-ray or even as digital downloads — online.)
Apparently, Sowell is a big Sherlock Holmes fan, as well. The economist went on to recommend both the large book “The Complete Sherlock Holmes” as well as a “boxed set of DVDs of many of the best Sherlock Holmes stories, starring Jeremy Brett as the best of a number of actors who have played the Holmes role over the years.”
Of course, Sowell still had to give out some political book recommendations.
He suggested gifting his good friend Walter E. Williams’ book, “American Contempt for Liberty,” a collection of Williams’ columns; Theodore Dalrymple’s “Life at the Bottom,” which details how the English welfare state set back lower-income white English communities; and “Please Stop Helping Us,” the Wall Street Journal’s Jason Riley’s deep dive into black Americans’ biggest problems.
In summary, if you’d like to take Sowell’s advice, skip the “shopping mauls” this year.
Instead, go buy some books and classic movies for your loved ones.
