Maverick: A Biography of Thomas Sowell

This book is, as the author Jason Riley puts it, an intellectual biography; meaning it is focused more on explaining Thomas Sowell's ideas and writings than it is on telling his entire life story. Riley aims to introduce the reader to some of the most important things that Sowell has written, while giving just enough personal history about Sowell's life to help explain what might have led him to propose such often controversial ideas.There are a few paragraphs about Sowell's early childhood in the Introduction, and then the first chapter begins by describing Sowell's education at Howard, Harvard, Columbia, and finally the University of Chicago. Riley explains what factors led Sowell to go from identifying with Marxist ideologies in his 20s, to eventually rejecting Marxism and supporting a free market economic system. Riley details the influence of scholars like George Stigler, Milton Friedman, Gary Becker, and Friedrich Hayek, and how a young Sowell responded to some of their ideas.Throughout the nine chapters of the book, Riley often addresses the criticisms of Sowell's work, and explains how critics have misrepresented or misunderstood Sowell's points. Riley includes many direct quotes from Sowell, while also giving more context for the quotes by describing the intellectual environment of the time, and Sowell's personal journey.I learned quite a bit about Thomas Sowell by reading this book, and have a new found appreciation for his devotion to logical arguments and rational thought; often in face of conflict due to unpopular opinions. He strikes me as someone who is more interested in the truth than what people think about him, and to some extent I get the same impression of the author Jason Riley. I would recommend this book to anyone remotely interested Sowell, whether or not you think you agree with his opinions.

If you have watched videos of Thomas Sowell's speeches or interviews, you probably have an impression of a humble and ingratiating man. So he seems, but don't be misled. Gaze at the intimidating photo on the dust jacket. That is the real Thomas Sowell: steel-hard and surpassingly self-assured. From an early age, he took no guff, from condescending teachers, Marine Corps sergeants, Ivy League deans, pedantic editors, or even heavyweight mentors like George Stigler and Milton Friedman, whom he revered, but never bowed before. At the same time, he appears to carry no measure of anger or malice.Jason Riley's fine book is more an intellectual profile than a true biography. It does recount enough of Sowell's life to help us understand this singular man. Born into poverty in Jim Crow North Carolina, where he lived until age eight. Then Harlem, where he attended an outstanding black high school but dropped out, drifted from menial job to job, had a stint in the Marine Corps during the Korean War, and finally got his GED, qualifying him to enter all-black Howard University. His innate brilliance (NOT affirmative action) got him transferred to Harvard (BA Magna Cum Laude) . Then a Master's at Columbia, Ph.D. at Chicago. A Marxist until his thirties--even while taking Friedman's legendary Price Theory course. Asked why he changed, he answered with one word: "facts." At every stage, he was his own free-standing and determined self. Almost every mainstream reference to Sowell puts "controversial" next to his name, signaling to certain quarters that his works should be deemed not quite respectable. The truth is the opposite. Discourse founded on evidence and rigor is the essence of respectability.Why can't we have more like him?

Not really a biography per se of his life but more capturing the main themes of his prolific thinking and writing. What I love about Thomas Sowell is his hard work, his analytical ability and his unconcern for being popular. In today's world of talking heads who claim things are right just because they are, Sowell has the audacity to use data to support his arguments and talks about the difference between correlation and causality. I love that he tries to get to the truth as opposed to just supporting a narrative. His writing has foreshadowed many of the things we are seeing today. I hope more people will read. I also appreciate how he focuses on identity politics and the concerns it generates. I think identity with a group is important but so is individual accountability and responsibility. Those should never be overlooked and are a big focus for Sowell.

I pre-ordered this book right after I learned that Jason Riley had written it, and I am thankful that I did. This well written book was extremely well researched which Dr. Sowell would, no doubt, appreciate.This book was more a biography of how Sowell evolved in his thinking and beliefs and others' reaction to his conclusions. It was less of a personal biography. That is praise, not criticism.In case Mr. Riley reads these reviews . . . God bless you, sir, for writing this book.

Much too wise to be president.

A great read to understand the intellectual history of not only Thomas Sowell, but many who share, in part, his independence and belief in empiricism. I devoured this incredibly clear and easy to read biography. Not nearly as personal as Sowell's letters or Personal Odyssey, but nonetheless wonderful to read.- Thomas

I read this excellent biography upon completing two of Sowell's earlier works: Black Rednecks and White Liberals, and Wealth, Poverty and Politics. I was led to these by an interview I saw with Sowell on Uncommon Knowledge (You Tube). I was particularly struck by his response to a question about shifting his ideological position - because of a growing acquaintance with the facts. This, I thought, is a man I must read. He did not disappoint. These are substantial works that cannot be summarised in a few sentences, so I'll just offer one example from Sowell's work and one from Riley's biography. By way of preface, I am an Englishman who lives in England and am, therefore, somewhat detached from the controversial elements in Sowell's work that pertain to the USA. Nevertheless, I do get a sense of sadness coming through his writing.One of the many facts to which he draws readers' attention is that many American black people seem to have adopted as their own, spurred on by black 'leaders', a cultural attitude derived from the redneck or cracker culture of certain white communities who settled in the antebellum south. Those communities came from particular areas in Britain. It was a hothead culture that eschewed educational and business achievement and it contributed significantly to the lack of economic advancement experienced by those communities. By contrast, Sowell reports on the economic successes of other groups who suffered considerable levels of discrimination in various parts of the world, e.g. diaspora Chinese in SE Asia, Lebanese in Africa, Japanese in Peru and the USA, Jews in the USA, and others. He identifies common denominators in those successes - mainly connected with a culture of hard work, enterprise and educational achievement. There is the formula that black Americans could adopt, and I sense Sowell's sadness in the fact that, by and large, they have not done so.Amongst the many insightful gems in Riley's biography I will mention just his simple observation that despite many assertions in the media that Sowell was a Republican conservative '... the reality is that Sowell was a registered Democrat until 1972 and has never been a registered Republican.' So I will conclude with another quotation from Riley that, for me, makes Sowell an important contributor to modern social debates: 'Sowell has shown time and again over the decades that he is his own man, even when it meant ruffling the feathers of ideologial allies.' If you seek exposure to courageous independent thinking then read Riley and Sowell.

Some years ago, I had an online conversation with an apparently well-educated American woman who had questioned my admiration of Thomas Sowell's opinion on some aspect of American society. She wondered why I, an Australian, would refer to him as a credible authority. Did I not understand that he was not well known in the United States? Nobody there had heard of him, she claimed.I hope this excellent book will redress that obvious ignorance.

Great read for people who need deprogramming as an introduction to Sowell’s genius.

Thomas Sowell, maybe the greatest live free thinker, pictured by an excellent biographer. Highly recommended.

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