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Reading list
ongoing
Prelude or why
Growing up I received what I would call a conservative education. That’s to say: it was a liberal education, handicapped so that it pushed American conservative ideas. There was very little discussion to be had in either of the two educational realms I received. So I seek to deepen my knowledge of various subjects that I’ve had on the back of my mind, and to not be a bitch in doing so.
What follows in several books I’m planning on reading over the course of however long it takes. If you think some would be good for me to read, If by chance someone is reading this send them to me.
Orthodoxy
In a few weeks, God willing, I will be baptized into the Orthodox Church. My Priest had said, though he might have been quoting someone else, that it takes about 20 years to become fully Orthodox. So even after all the learning I did in the Liturgy, in the Catechumenate classes, in the reading I’ve done, I still haven’t completed all of it. So these books I am planning to read are about Orthodoxy.
- On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius: This was recommended to me by one of my friends from church, who I told that I’d look into at as I was closer to baptism. As of writing I’ve started reading this too and so far its very good. Some great insights into why God has to become incarnate to save man.
- On the Holy Spirit by St. Basil the Great: This book will be read for the same reason as On the Incarnation.
- Against Heresies by St. Irenaeus: This was recommended to me by several people.
- My Elder Joseph the Hesychast by St. Elder Ephraim of Arizona: I really like what I know about both St. Joseph the Hesychast and Elder Ephraim, so I will read this when I get the chance to, though its not the highest priority on the list now.
- On Acquisition of the Holy Spirit by St. Seraphim of Sarov: famous quote from Seraphim of Sarov “Acquire the spirit of Peace and thousands around you will be saved” also recommended to me by a friend, though a different friend than On the Incarnation.
- The Way of a Pilgrim by Anonymous: Recommended by my Priest as well as a Sub-deacon at my church.
- The Writings of St. John of Damascus
- Genesis Creation and Early Man by Fr. Seraphim: recommended by several people at church and online.
- On the Cosmic Mystery of Christ by St. Maximus the Confessor recommended to me by someone.
- Triads For The Defense of Those Who Practice Sacred Quietude by St. Gregory Palamas: recommended to me by the same friend who recommended me On the Incarnation.
- Dialogue Between an Orthodox and a Barlaamite by St. Gregory Palamas: on the list for a while, but now because I want to understand my faith more than I do. There is so much to dive into, yet its not Scholastic where in we’re assuming that we can indeed know everything.
- Unseen Warfare by Lorenzo Scupoli: I’ve already read this book, however it was the fourth book I read on orthodoxy (I’ve read about 9 or 10) and it was when I first started going to an Orthodox Church too. So re-reading it would probably benefit me greatly.
- For the Life of the World by Alexander Schmemann: Recommended by my priest.
- Wounded by love by Elder Porphyrios: Recommended by several people.
- Art of Salvation by St. Elder Ephraim of Arizona: Recommended by the same friend who recommended me On the Acquisition of the Holy Spirit.
Philosophy
I do not think anyone getting a degree unrelated to philosophy learns philosophy. As such these books I’ve put here are things I’ve put here are books I’m going to check out to learn
- The Contours of Christian Philosophy (Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Science and its limits): This was recommended to me to look into it for this process.
- Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction by Samir Okasha: Same thing as the contours.
- The Bell Curve by Richard J. Herrnstein & Charles Murray: I don’t know where else to put this. Its not an outlier but I’ve heard good things about it from friends.
- The Art of War by Sun Tzu: Everyone talks about it, why not actually read it.
Economics
I have now taken five economics classes (two in college [though one was mostly a history class] and three in highschool) that I believe did not actually teach me anything. The high school classes mostly pushed a narrative that a mixed market system is the best option, and that more regulatory options weren’t good. Though I believe many of their arguments would be good for Austrian economics. The college classes were very swayed in favor of Keynesian economics. I want to actually learn about economics. From the prospective I’ve both barely seen and that I was discouraged from looking into by both of these educations.
- Economics in one Lesson: One highschool class recommended this as an optional book but I most definitely should have read it. I got an A in the class because of the quizes were just based on common sense.
- Principles of Economics by Carl Menger: founding book of the Austrian school.
- The Theory of Money and Credit by Ludwig von Mises: All the below were recommended to me by various people.
- Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis by Ludwig von Mises
- Human Action: A Treatise on Economics by Ludwig von Mises
- The Use of Knowledge in Society by Friedrich A. Hayek
Politics
I want to actually understand my politics. So I will go through a few works that I say I agree with, and few works that I want to view to understand
Fascism
Everyone claims to understand fascism, they don’t, I don’t. So I figure what better way to understand what these people believe than to go through read their works as well as a few other things I’ve heard that deal with their beliefs.
- In His Own Words: The Essential Speeches of Adolf Hitler
- The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek
- Revolt Against the Modern World by Julius Evola
- Neither Right nor Left by Zeev Sternhell
- The Doctrine Of Fascism by Benito Mussolini
Classical Liberalism
- The Federalist Papers: a work I skimmed through in highschool. It was interesting but I didn’t get to focus on it really hard. I’ve heard good things about it, I hope to look further into it.
Federal Reserve
There are four things I believe are the greatest evils in the united states in this order precisely 1) Abortion 2) Pornography 3) what I’m going to call multiculturalism but is likely something else 4) the federal reserve. I want to learn more about it.
- End The Fed by Ron Paul
- Creature from Jekyll Island by Edward G Griffin
- The Origins of the Federal Reserve by Murray N Rothbard
Anti-Democracy
I’m torn on democracy. Everywhere advocates for it, and I have done so too. But I’ve also haphazardly argued against it. I want to know more because I think that there are serious problems with democracy that cannot be addressed by it. Most ANCAPs and Lolberts tend to be pro-democracy if they reject Hoppe. I want to look into this man and his works to understand some arguments against it form a prospective I”m already familiar with.
- Democracy – The God That Failed: The Economics and Politics of Monarchy, Democracy and Natural Order (Perspectives on Democratic Practice) by Hans-Hermann Hoppe
- From Aristocracy to Monarchy to Democracy: A Tale of Moral and Economic Folly and Decay by Hans-Hermann Hoppe
Waste
- What Has Government Done to Our Money? by Murray N. Rothbard
- Anatomy of the State by Murray Rothbard
Transgenderism
I want to be able to present more arguments against this crap
- Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters: heard good things look into it.
- Trans: When Ideology Meets Reality: heard good things look into it.
- The Transsexual Empire: The Making of the She-Male: heard a split of things, some saying its a horrible book written by a crazy feminist. Other’s saying its a decent view of this situation.
Misc
These books I put some political value on but don’t entirely match with the categories I have so they’re off to the side.
- Esoteric Hollywood:: Sex, Cults and Symbols in Film by Jay Dyre: I like Jay Dyre and what he does, he’s like Alex Jones but less Schitzo so this is something I’ve been meaning to check out for a while.
- The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt: recommended to me by some people
- The Death of the West: How Dying Populations and Immigrant Invasions Imperil Our Country and Civilization by Patrick J. Buchanan: recommended to me by some people
Jews
I am Genetically Ashkenazi, but I am an Orthodox Christian. During when I was looking into religions I took a peek into Judaism only to find one of my least favorite books, the Zohar, included in with its holy texts. I’ve learned snippets from then that have caused me to be against the religion of Judaism, though superficially. I want to now look into Judaism more closely to argue against it. My goal is to argue against Judaism and Zionism and also against Antisemitism.
- You Gentiles by Maurice Samuel: from how this book was described it sounds like the types of discourse you hear out of NYC, LA, Dallas and Israeli Orthodox Jews. So I figured I’d look into it.
- Jesus in the Talmud by Peter Schäfer: recommend to me, will likely be some things I already know layed out
- Judaism’s Strange gods by Michael Hoffman: recommended to me from my time in online rightwing places.
- The Thirteenth Tribe by Arthur Koestler: Same as Judaism’s Strange gods.
History
These are presented without reason. The Mainstream and the communist view is everywhere and was taught to me before. I want to look at the other side and review it with a critical eye or just, actually look at these wars and what’s behind them and their outcome.
- WW1
- The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 by Christopher Clark
- July, 1914 by Sean McMeekin
- Hidden History: The Secret Origins of the First World War by Gerry Docherty
- The Pity of War by Niall Ferguson
- ww2
- Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War": How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World by Patrick J. Buchanan
- Hitler’s War by David Irving
- Adolf Hitler: Enemy of the German People by Michael Hoffman
- The Origins of the Second World War by A.J.P. Taylor
- Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization by Nicholson Baker
- The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering by Norman G. Finkelstein
- Stalin’s War: A New History of World War II by Sean McMeekin
- The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War by Andrew Roberts
- Civil War
- When in the Course of Human Events: Arguing the Case for Southern Secession by Charles Adams
- A Short History of the Confederate States of America by Jefferson Davis