Helen Plum Library

The most famous book on politics ever written, The Prince remains as lively and shocking today as when it was written almost five hundred years ago. Initially denounced as a collection of sinister maxims and a recommendation of tyranny, it has more recently been defended as the first scientific treatment of politics as it is practiced rather than as it ought to be practiced. Harvey C. Mansfield's brilliant translation of this classic work, along with...

Written by one of the founders of modern political philosophy, Thomas Hobbes, during the English civil war, Leviathan is an influential work of nonfiction. Regarded as one of the earliest examples of the social contract theory, Leviathan has both historical and philosophical importance. Social contract theory prioritizes the state over the individual, claiming that individuals have consented to the surrender of some of their freedoms by participating...

Senator Cruz argues that the high court decisions that affect your life have been decided by just one vote. Case studies illustrate his point that one vote preserves your right to speak freely, to bear arms, and to exercise your faith "In One vote away, you will discover how often the high court decisions that affect your life have been decided by just one vote. One vote preserves your right to speak freely, to bear arms, and to exercise your faith....

"On Liberty and Other Essays" brings together the most important works of philosopher and political economist John Stuart Mill. In "On Liberty" Mill eloquently ponders the question of where the line should be drawn between the freedom of individuals and the authority of the state. As he puts it, "The struggle between liberty and authority is the most conspicuous feature in the portions of history with which we are earliest familiar..." Second in this...

Collects more than thirty previously published essays on a diverse range of topics, including food habits, art, politics, history, and travel

"How should we respond to our converging crises of violent conflict, political corruption, and global ecological devastation? In this sweeping, big-picture synthesis, Louis G. Herman argues that for us to create a sustainable, fulfilling future, we need to first look back into our deepest past to recover our core humanity. Important clues for recovery can be found in the lives of traditional San Bushman hunter-gatherers of South Africa, the closest...

Ten years after sparks first flew between them in a passionate kiss, a recently divorced woman and a college professor meet in another classroom — but is it too late to explore what could have been?
After leaving her disastrous marriage behind, Shelley Browning goes back to college to get her degree and comes face to face with an unforgettable man from her past. Ten years ago, when she was Grant Chapman's student, they shared a single,...

First published anonymously in December 1689, John Locke's "Two Treatises of Government" are considered to be some of the most important works of political philosophy ever written. In the first treatise, Locke disputes the divine right of monarchial rule principle that is put forth in the book "Patriarcha" by Sir Robert Filmer. The first treatise is in fact a sentence by sentence refutation of "Patriarcha." Filmer asserts the idea that absolute authority...