Leonard E. Read

Articles

08/31/2010 Articles of Interest Leonard E. Read

I am a lead pencil — the ordinary wooden pencil familiar to all boys and girls and adults who can read and write. Writing is both my vocation and my avocation; that’s all I do. You may wonder why I...

I Don’t Know

11/02/2011 Mises Daily Leonard E. Read

These students of liberty have not yet learned to answer honestly, “I don’t know; I never will know; no one will ever know.”

The Rap against Unearned Riches

11/10/2011 Mises Daily Leonard E. Read

Only if one understands the subjective theory of value may he proceed logically to a belief in private ownership and control of property.

Publications

Vision

03/15/1978 Leonard E. Read

Vision is the blessing of foresight, but it has no chance of realization without its companion blessing, insight. In the absence of these twin attainments—each within our reach—the people perish, that is, they vegetate rather than germinate, stagnate

Instead of Violence

06/22/1951 Leonard E. Read

Written in 1951, this is one of Leonard Read’s earliest pamphlets on what he called “the philosophy of freedom.” As was often the case in Read’s essays on spreading the message of liberty, he notes that the first step is evaluating one’s own thinking

The Love of Liberty

10/15/1975 Leonard E. Read

The love of liberty and the love of knowledge go hand-in-hand. As people can be free only when self-responsible and self-responsible only when free, so there can be no liberty without knowledge and no knowledge without liberty. These virtues are but

Media

The Miraculous Market

03/26/2009 Leonard E. Read

Think of it! The finest orchestrations ever known to man, the most beautiful music any individual on earth has heard — all mine, and done for me privately when I want it, and where I want it, and for no more than the flick of a switch. Staggering

I, Pencil

04/01/2009 Leonard E. Read

The audio version of Leonard Read’s classic essay. Narrated by Floy Lilley.

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