christmas giftWhen The Imaginative Conservative asked ISI for Christmas gift suggestions, we were delighted to oblige.

As Thomas Sowell has written, books make great Christmas presents. With a book you are “giving the gift of wisdom,” and besides, “you do not have to know someone’s measurements to buy a book.”

By popular demand, ISI Books has brought back its Christmas sale: 50% off every book from the press Rod Dreher calls “without question one of the most important publishers in America.” You can choose from well over 200 great conservative titles. But here is a quick look at ten top gift options this Christmas:

kirkpic_11) The Russell Kirk collection: Looking for something from the godfather of imaginative conservatism? Look no further. You can choose from The Roots of American Order, The Essential Russell Kirk, The Sword of Imagination, The American Cause, The Politics of Prudence, and others.

2) How the West Won: In this “lively, erudite history” (Smoky Mountain News), acclaimed author Rodney Stark busts politically correct myths about Western civilization. The Wall Street Journal cheers Stark for being one of the “few unapologetic defenders of Western civilization [who] can still be found.”

486_33) Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child: With this brave look at treacherous trends in parenting and education, Anthony Esolen “signals his presence in the top rank of authors of cultural criticism, following in the footsteps of Richard Weaver, Walker Percy, Russell Kirk, John Senior, Christopher Lasch, and Roger Scruton” (American Spectator).

4) American Cicero: From The Imaginative Conservative cofounder Bradley J. Birzer comes this fascinating biography of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence. In the words of Joseph Pearce, Dr. Birzer “places Mr. Carroll back on the pedestal from which previous generations of neglectful historians had unceremoniously removed him.”

562_55) Conscience and Its Enemies: Princeton’s Robert P. George brilliantly counters the escalating assaults on religious liberty and traditional morality. This book “should be required reading,” declares Commentary.

6) Living on Fire: The American Conservative hails this “beautifully written account of one of the conservative movement’s most brilliant and troubled, and sadly neglected, founders,” L. Brent Bozell Jr. National Review calls Living on Fire “a triumph” and “a moving, beautifully written biography.”

7) The Cost of Liberty: In the first biography of John Dickinson in fifty years, William Murchison “employ[s] his incomparable pen and vivid historical imagination in the cause of bringing back to life one of the most underrated and misunderstood of the Founders” (The American Conservative).

417_38) The Great Tradition: Classic readings on what it means to be a truly educated human being. From Plato and Aristotle to C. S. Lewis and Eric Voegelin, some of the greatest minds of the Western tradition are represented here.

9) What So Proudly We Hail: From editors Leon Kass, Amy Kass, and Diana Schaub comes this extraordinary anthology on what it means to be an American. Featuring selections by everyone from Mark Twain to John Updike, George Washington to Theodore Roosevelt, and Willa Cather to Flannery O’Connor, What So Proudly We Hail is “magnificent…a civic education in one volume” (George F. Will).

10) Kindle Liberty: ISI has assembled fifty conservative classics—from Plato and Cicero to Russell Kirk and Whittaker Chambers—on a new Kindle Paperwhite-book reader with a special, custom-designed protective cover. This is a library of liberty that fits in your hand, and the perfect gift for anyone who wants to understand imaginative conservatism.

As Thomas Sowell also wrote, “There is a right book for everybody.” So I encourage you to browse the ISI store and take advantage of this 50% discount, which is good only for the holidays. You might also be interested in gift subscriptions to Modern Age, which has been America’s leading conservative quarterly since Russell Kirk founded the journal in 1957. The historian Wilfred McClay calls Modern Age “required reading for those who want to engage conservative thought at a high level.”

Happy reading!

All comments are moderated and must be civil, concise, and constructive to the conversation. Comments that are critical of an essay may be approved, but comments containing ad hominem criticism of the author will not be published. Also, comments containing web links or block quotations are unlikely to be approved. Keep in mind that essays represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Imaginative Conservative or its editor or publisher.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email