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5 Books Every Conservative Should Read

I have never been very much of a reader.  In high school, I was the type of person who wouldn’t read any of the books assigned in English class but instead made sure to open my bookmarked link to Sparknotes, and freshen up on the chapter I was supposed to read that day. It wasn’t until I started reading the Twilight Saga that I had actually finished a “grown-up” book.  I couldn’t read anything other than books about vampires and romance novels.  No matter how hard I tried, I would stop reading and lose interest in books on topics other than those two genres.  Then I attended my first Turning Point USA conference in Dallas, Texas and I was, simply put, amazed.  Everyone around me was so smart and had so much to say about a whole range of topics.  I asked how they knew all this stuff and how I could learn more.  The answer I kept receiving was that they read books!  I couldn’t believe the answer was so simple until one of the constant themes of the conference became about all these different books that open minds to different types of ideas.  Ever since then, I now have a new genre that I am able to read and that is, broadly states, books about conservative ideas.  So for those of you who aren’t big readers, or those of you who like to read but have trouble finding books that interest you, I offer you the following list of books that, even I, was able to LOVE and finish!

Time for a Turning Point by Charlie Kirk

This suggestion may seem super cheesy and unauthentic, but I swear Turning Point USA and Charlie are not paying me to say this.  It was one of the first non-fiction books that I finished and absolutely enjoyed that wasn’t about vampires or romance.  It is a great place to start for those of you who don’t really like to read.  Kirk does a great job explaining conservative/libertarian ideals in a way that makes it understandable and relatable.  He talks about some of his personal experiences when he started the TPUSA organization but also provides all the ammo you need to become a freedom activist on your campus.  That is what also makes it relatable to the college student reader.  I still refer to it when I am forming arguments and shaped the kind of activist that I am today.  It’s great for people who are new to the political scene and want to learn what we stand for.

Brainwashed by Ben Shapiro

Before I get into this book, I have to admit, this one took me a while to finish and is a little wordy.  Then again it is written by Ben Shapiro so I could just imagine him saying everything he wrote in the book super fast in a 50-minute speech anyway.  But honestly, it isn’t that long.  It made it on my list because Shapiro’s humor and sarcasm are expressed on almost every page of the book and make you laugh to yourself as you are reading.  It’s Ben Shapiro after all and the experiences he writes about in the book feel like he sits with me in class every day at our liberal Chicago public university. 

Free to Choose: A Personal Statement by Milton Friedman

I know this book is an old one, especially since it was published in 1980, but it does a great job explaining and advocating for capitalism, free markets, and taking government out of our life. It uses real-life examples about the problems with gas and tobacco taxes, public education, the Federal Reserve, welfare, the FDA, and labor unions.  This one is a classic and must read.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Warning! This is a long book!  It took me a while to finish this book but it was worth it.  What I loved about this book was the fact that it was told like a story instead of all these other books where the author lays out facts to prove her point.  If you’re looking to read a book with conservative principles but explained through a narrative than this is for you.  The book is centered around a “dystopian America” where the government is oppressing its people be intervening in their lives.  Then most of the productive population disappears, John Galt (the main character) helps input our values into society.

The American Will by Bobby Jindal

This is my favorite book of all time! (For now at least) This book touches on everything from faith, freedom, and fiscal responsibility.  I learned so much, not only about these principles but also about our own history that they don’t teach us in schools.  Get ready to shed some tears too!  It may just be because I am a very emotional person, but for anyone who has parents who immigrated to this country, this book will reach into your soul and say things on paper that you have always thought but never had the right words to say.  I may be slightly dramatic but if you only have time to read one book on this list, let this be the one!

Dianna Bosak is Junior at the University of Illinois at Chicago studying Psychology and Political Science. She is the President of the Turning Point Chapter at UIC.