I’ve written various versions of this same email and/or blog post many times. Here’s the latest version, in the context of a note to a recently homeschooled student who wanted to join MisesAcademy under the misimpression that it was a place to learn Austrian economics and libertarian philosophy:

Charlie,

You’re welcome to participate as a former homeschool student yourself, but (1) you won’t really learn about economics or libertarianism from this group, and (2) we’re going to build slowly, which means it’s quiet at the moment. Your mother is welcome to join, too, with the same caveats.

As for learning about Austrian economics, there are books recommended for beginners in the Mises Store, but I think I had my most grounding education, believe it or not, from Mises: The Last Knight of Liberty, which I edited.

I also read The Concise Guide to Economics (which you can read for free at www.ConciseGuideToEconomics.com), Economics for Real People, and What Has Government Done to Our Money? in that order. (All of these are also available in free etext versions, PDF and/or HTML. You just have to poke around Mises.org. And WHGDtOM? is available as an audiobook if you’re an iPod person, as I am.)

There’s a ton of history material on Mises.org as well: audio lectures, articles, books. Look for Rothbard, Raico, Stromberg, and Woods. Also check out Tom DiLorenzo’s books on Lincoln, Hamilton, and the history of American capitalism.

For philosophy, definitely start with For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto, by Rothbard. That one is available as an audiobook, too.

If you’d still like to join MisesAcademy, please let me know. If you do join, I’ll just ask you to start by introducing yourself in the forum, describing your own homeschooling, and giving us a sense of what did and didn’t work in your education.

Good luck in your continuing self-education. It’s a lifelong pursuit, as you know.

BK

I guess “Mises Academy” sounds too much like “Mises University.” I meant it as a tribute, not as a source of confusion. And speaking of Mises U., I forgot to mention that as a great place to start!

Update: Tom Woods addresses this question much more seriously:

“How Do I Get Started with Austrian Economics?”

(If you’d like to put this on your own blog, see the instructions here.)