It's Black Friday, and if you're anything like me, that means you've got less than one month to scramble up presents for everyone on your Christmas list.
For those of you who are shopping for someone who leans right politically, here are five book suggestions. No, this is not a Top 5 list by any means. Rather, it's a brief collection of 2015 titles that are well written and sure to get any conservative's brain a-churning.
- "The Conservatarian Manifesto" by Charles Cooke
A popular phrase among younger conservatives these days is "I feel like a libertarian when I'm around conservatives, but I feel like a conservative when I'm around libertarians." It's a conundrum for many Gen Xers and millennials who prefer smaller government and increased individual rights, but don't self-identify as Republicans and aren't purist libertarians either.
In "Conservatarian Manifesto," Cooke writes to celebrate the common ground between these two popular strands on the right. He argues that instead of gravitating away from one another, the future of conservatism might indeed be a blend of both.
-"Superpower: Three Choices for America's Role in the World" by Ian Bremmer
Especially pertinent today, Bremmer, a foreign policy expert and columnist for Time, presents three options for the United States' position in world affairs: non-interventionism, selective engagement by leveraging our economic power and a full-on America-to-the-rescue approach.
Bremmer helps readers appreciate the pros and cons of each choice before arguing the case for his preferred route. Above all, he claims, "refusing to choose is the worst choice of all" for our country.
- "Buckley and Mailer: The Difficult Friendship that Shaped the Sixties" by Kevin M. Schultz
I make no attempt at hiding my appreciation for William F. Buckley Jr. and his mid-20th century introduction of conservative "fusionism" - a philosophical tying together of various conservative camps, who for years didn't always focus on shared footing.
Buckley was an intellectual lion on the right, and one of his most popular counterweights was his good friend, Norman Mailer, a highly regarded liberal thinker. Mailer called theirs a "difficult friendship," but it was one that thrived thanks to mutual respect.
- "The Road to Character" by David Brooks
Brooks of the New York Times is one of the most read columnists in the world. Even if you don't agree with all the stances he takes, it's impossible to argue that his compositions aren't well thought out and eloquently presented. His columns are usually works of art.
In this book, Brooks takes a break from political commentary to examine life's more important features. He urges us to reevaluate the emphasis we might put on "resumé virtues" - awards and professional titles - and instead explore ways we can strengthen our "eulogy virtues" - kindness, honesty and friendships.
- "The Case Against Trump" by Kevin D. Williamson
If you've never heard of Encounter Books' Broadsides series, go check it out. Broadsides are a "series of timely pamphlets uniting an 18th century sense of public urgency and rhetorical wit with 21st century technology and channels of distribution." Think Common Sense meets Amazon Prime.
This 39-page book is the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone trying to make sense of the Trump phenomenon. Williamson, a colleague of Charles Cooke at the National Review, makes quick work of the billionaire businessman and reality television star.
So there you have it, five great conservative reads from 2015. Happy shopping, everyone.
Contact David Allen Martin at david allenmartin423@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @DMart423.