The University Bookman

Reviewing Books that Build Culture

Defending the Christian Faith

“In 100 Tough Questions For Catholics: Common Obstacles To Faith Today… David G. Bonagura, Jr. gives bite-sized answers to dozens of big questions about the faith.”

Political Economy Before Adam Smith

“…[the book] is a compilation of various tracts on the intersection of commerce and statecraft—many of which are snapshots of McCulloch’s own free-market beliefs—that serve as a compelling precursor of Smithian political economy.”

Science and Meaning: Parallel Tracks?

“Science is not the sort of activity that can answer the question, ‘Does life have meaning?’ To expect science to answer that question is like expecting your plumber to tell you whether installing fancier bathroom fixtures will make you happier.

Geopolitics and the Making of the Modern World

“Brands’s book should find a ready audience among those interested in developments in the international scene over the last century. It is particularly effective in dealing with the threat that China’s emerging power and influence pose to the West today…”

The Travels of the Ever Sesquipedalian William F. Buckley, Jr.

by Mark G. Brennan | Aug 13, 2023

“Before technology turbocharged our lives, Buckley noted in 1995 that ‘everyday life moves fast.’ However, he learned that ‘a sailboat forces you to slow down…'”

Non-Western Conservatism

by Matthew Slaboch | Aug 13, 2023

“…Robinson manages to trace the genesis and development of conservatism in Russia across three very different epochs.”

The Personal Foundation of Reality

by David Weinberger | Aug 13, 2023

“…the source of reality itself must be personal in some way. As Rasmussen puts it: ‘A big thesis, then, that emerges from my inquiry is this: reality is deeply personal…”

Our Republic and How We Lost It: Philip Hamburger on the Structure of Self-Government

by Bruce P. Frohnen | Aug 6, 2023

“For decades, Philip Hamburger has been writing penetrating analyses of Americans’ descent from citizens of a constitutional republic to subjects, not of a soft, but of a ‘sinister’ despotism.”

A Cure For Boredom

by Henry T. Edmondson III | Aug 6, 2023

“Kevin Hood Gary’s book… is an important contribution to the Aristotelian tradition, which emphasizes the importance of how human beings use their free time.”

Communism: Product of the Fallen West

by Joseph Tuttle | Jul 30, 2023

“The reason the Western world should fear Communism, according to Sheen, is not because it is a strong force but rather because the West is weak due to the fact that it has turned away from God and morality.”

Institutionally Preaching the Gospel: The Right Words Are Necessary

by Jennie Bradley Lichter | Jul 30, 2023

“…[Alvaré] offer[s] a detailed road map for conveying more compellingly the truth of Church teaching about difficult matters of human sexuality and why it requires Church institutions to behave differently.”

Choosing a Currency

by David Weinberger | Jul 30, 2023

“…White succeeds in presenting the complexity of money and its purpose in a way that is both informative and friendly to the general reader.”

“To Help Man Endure by Lifting His Heart”: Earl Hamner at 100

by James E. Person Jr | Jul 23, 2023

“Through his work, Earl Hamner not only became one of America’s favorite storytellers; he also became a conservator of the truth that though the modern world disdains the past and elevates immediacy, wealth, and power, the true measure of life’s meaning lies in love, grace, gentleness, forgiveness, and joy.”