Radicals for Capitalism by Brian Doherty

And what was the motive? Why, this very interesting and thoughtful review of Radicals for Capitalism, in their March 12, 2007, issue. The review is written by Daniel McCarthy. Here are a couple blurbable bits of praise, though it makes for fascinating reading throughout, on both McCarthy’s own analysis and his skillful summation of the book’s narrative:

Doherty’s book, a massive, fact-packed history of more than five decades of libertarian thought and activism, serves as a reminder that this seemingly future-oriented philosophy has a rich and fascinating past. And what’s more, the libertarians of 30 or more years ago were not always optimists; nor were they progressive even when they were forward-looking….

…..There is much more to Doherty’s book, too much in fact for this review to cover. The author capably limns the differences between the Austrian and Chicago schools of economics, for example. A passing remark on Rand, applying to her the Burkean idea of the “moral imagination”—that is, literature’s ability to shape human ideals and character—is equal parts tantalizing and provocative. And there are dozens, even hundreds, of other threads within Radicals for Capitalism, all of them derived from meticulous research. Despite its flaws, this book is a stunning achievement.

The New York trip was a delight. Thanks for all who showed up, whether at Lolita Bar on Wednesday or at Barnes and Noble on Thursday. (I also did an unadvertised, since invite-only, appearance at the Manhattan Institute’s Young Leaders Circle, right before the Lolita Bar event, and thanks to all who were there as well.) I bopped around Manhattan for another couple of days, with hospitality from my current Banned Rehearsal bandmate George and old Jeffersons bandmate Kevin.

Latest review, from this Sunday’s Washington Times, from Doug Bandow, who interviewed me last month on C-SPAN Book TV. Most of the review actually summarizes and shows what the book had to say, but my favorite judgemental excerpt:

Mr. Doherty, an able researcher and writer, has produced a book that is not just readable but enjoyable. Mr. Doherty’s evident passion for his subject makes the book sparkle.

Goal for this week: get some permalinks to all the reviews up. In the meantime, this old entry summarizes, quotes from, and links to many previous reviews.

Tonight is the last chance for Manhattanites this week to see me do the talk/read/questions/sign thing about Rads. Tonight being Thursday March 8, when I’m appearing at at 7 pm at the Manhattan Barnes and Noble at Astor Place, on 8th Street between Broadway and Lafayette. Last night’s Lolita Bar event was a huge hoot and huge success, even when the ugly topic of beating dogs to death began dominating the discussion. Thanks for all of you who filled the room and asked the questions and laughed at the laugh lines—I couldn’t have been more pleased with it.

Or with two big, big new media hits for the book this week: Today I am front-page featured at Radar Online, with a fun interview with their ace Shana Ting Lipton. Here’s the story.

In addition, an essay on libertarianism’s past and future derived largely from Rads is the lead essay this month at the Cato Institute’s Cato Unbound web mag; followup essays and debate are a-comin’, and I’ll let you all know about them as soon as they appear.

Los Angeles based news, entertainment, and general fun chatter regarding local goings-on site LAist (edited by local superblogger Tony Pierce) interviews me on the day of my L.A. book store appearance about my new book Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement. Now the results are up, and I think it turned out nicely enough. (That link is the “more” link so you’ll have to scroll up to get the first part from the front page; I couldn’t find a link that would have the whole thing.) The accompanying picture up top was taken at, yes, Burning Man.

The folks at the trade mag Library Journal had some nice things to say about Radicals. I can’t find the full review online for public access, but here are my favorite excerpts:

[a] serious, comprehensive history of libertarianism, a political philosophy of minimal government intrusion into private lives. With their opposition to government, regulations, and taxes, libertarians may sound like modern conservatives, but they are a different breed: conservatives often hope to legislate morality, an intervention that libertarians despise….The familiar names-Milton Friedman, F.A. von Hayek, Ayn Rand-are here, along with the less well known, such as Laura Ingalls Wilder’s daughter Rose. Libertarians as an organized party have barely made a dent in U.S. elections, but their ideas have strongly influenced successful politicians. Thus, this scholarly and far-reaching account is necessary for collections of modern American history and politics.

The bookstore (and other) events begin next week with a madcap cross-continent tour.

It begins on Tuesdday night, March 6, in my own hometown–I’ll be walking down to the event–of fabulous West Hollywood, California, at the beloved Book Soup on the Sunset Strip. This will be my 4th or 5th Book Soup appearance for various books, and it’s always a favorite. I’ll be talking about the book, reading from it a bit (taking probably about 45 min. or so), and signing copies for as many people as are there to buy them.

The event starts at 7 p.m. at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., W. Hollywood CA. The author’s actually appear in the annex next door to the main store–the main store is so full of wonderful books there just isn’t room for authors and their crowds.

To sum up: talking about, reading from, and signing the book at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd.
W. Hollywood CA, on Tuesday March 6, 7 p.m. Totally free.

And that’s just the beginning…the very next day I’m flying off to New York City. On the evening of Wednesday, March 7, I’m participating in a lovely public intellectual salon talking about and defending Radicals from an angry crowd of drunken New Yorkers. It begins at 8 p.m. in the basement level of the Lolita Bar, 266 Broome St. at the
corner of Allen St. on Manhattan’s Lower East Side (one block south and three west of the Delancey St. F, J, M, Z subway stop).  Free admission, cash bar. Should be very lively.

To sum up: talking about and reading from the book with ample audience interaction in a bar,  the Lolita Bar, 266 Broome St. at the corner of Allen St. on Manhattan’s Lower East Side (one block south and three west of the Delancey St. F, J, M, Z subway stop), starting at 8 pm on Wednesday, March 7.

And then  the very next night, March 8, at 7 p.m., a triumphant return to a great Barnes and Noble, at Aston Place in Manhattan on 8th Street between Broadway and Lafayette. Usual book store stuff, I’ll talk, I’ll read, I’ll sign, I’ll answer questions, it’s a great place and a great vibe. 

Please follow me around the country and show up at all three.

…I’ve heard a fair amount of complaint or concern, some direct and some indirect, about how certain favored or important figures did not get the attention they were thought to deserve. In many cases, I might have to agree and wish I’d had 900 pages to deal with everyone’s story and contribution. (In some cases, I might argue with you.) Many judgements both of contribution and of how certain people fit into what had to be a compelling narrative as opposed to just a collection of names and descriptions played into it as well. HOWEVER….if you are basing any judgement about my book’s lacks merely on looking for people’s names in the index, I beg you to read the book before condemning. For various reasons having to do with the production process of this book as a physicial item, and custom in the industry, I did NOT personally compile the index; and furthermore had only 16 hours in which to both make sure certain earlier changes in the galleys had been made in the final-final pages, AND go over the index (for the first and only time), and do a normal day of work at Reason besides, and try to sleep (since sleep-deprived is now way to do final corrections). While I fixed some omissions and errors in the index, others remain. Just because you don’t see someone’s name in the index, don’t assume they are never mentioned in the book.

I’ll be appearing on the Jerry Hughes show, syndicated through Accent Radio Network, in, uh, about 15 min from now: starting at 3 pm eastern today. List of stations that might carry it. His own website.

Also, tomorrow (March 1) at 3 pm eastern, I’m doing Todd Andrew Barnett on BlogTalkLive Radio. Here’s his page.

Bill Steigerwald at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review interviews me in Sunday’s paper; full transcript on his syndication site.

Gene Healy of the Cato Institute reads me in the airport, and likes what he reads.

And in a moment of particular pride for me, Jerome Tuccille, author of his own wonderful comic history of the American libertarian movement from 1971, It Usually Begins With Ayn Rand, says this unsolicitied on my Amazon page:

A Comprehensice History of Modern Libertarianism, February 26, 2007

Brian Doherty has done for twentieth century libertarianism what Tacitus did for first century Rome. He has captured the spirit and the personalities of the major libertarian thinkers of recent times (among them Ayn Rand, Murray Rothbard, Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, and Ludwig von Mises) and dramatized their lives and ideas in a comprehensive, informative, and entertaining volume of history. Doherty’s book covers the philosophy of liberty and individualism as it developed throughout the broad sweep of the last century. For anyone who is interested in learning about the tradition of classical liberalism (free market capitalism and minimal government), RADICALS FOR CAPITALISM is invaluable. Doherty has done an outstanding job of tying together an incredible amount of material in a single volume.

Jerome Tuccille, author, TRUMP, IT USUALLY BEGINS WITH AYN RAND, and other books

Reason magazine, where I work, ran a biographical feature on Milton Friedman derived from Radicals for Capitalism in its March issue; that article is now online.

A couple of radio appearances on Wednesday, Feb. 28: First, from 8:10 to 8:30 am pacific time on KION-AM, 1460 on the AM dial, in Monterey, California, the “Wake Up Monterey with Mark Carbonnaro” Show.

Then, starting at 8:33 am pacific time, I’ll be on “The Right Balance with Greg Allen,” broadcast on the Accent Radio Network–check the show’s website for possible airings in your area or to listen online.