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Cover of Free to Choose: A Personal Statement by Milton and Rose FriedmanFree to Choose: A Personal Statement
Classic · Nonfiction, Classics

Free to Choose: A Personal Statement

by Milton and Rose Friedman
1980 · 352 pages · Nonfiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 9 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Economists Milton and Rose Friedman explain economics for ordinary readers and argue that freedom and prosperity have been undermined by the growth of laws, regulations, agencies and government spending, and that good intentions often produce bad results when government is the middleman.

Why it's worth reading

It spent 6 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's one of the most influential defenses of free markets ever written.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It accompanied a 1980 PBS television series. It's strongly argued, from one point of view.

By the numbers

66.8Must-Read Score
  • Readers56 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller39 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (6 weeks at #1)

Reads as

Thought-provoking

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is Free to Choose: A Personal Statement worth reading?

Yes. It spent 6 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,672 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.8 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Free to Choose: A Personal Statement about?

Economists Milton and Rose Friedman explain economics for ordinary readers and argue that freedom and prosperity have been undermined by the growth of laws, regulations, agencies and government spending, and that good intentions often produce bad results when government is the middleman.

How long does it take to read Free to Choose: A Personal Statement?

About 9 hours (352 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Free to Choose: A Personal Statement?

If you liked it, try Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman, Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner or The Price of Peace by Zachary D. Carter.