This memorial issue of The Freeman honors Leonard E. Read, founder of FEE, presenting a selection of his most influential essays on the moral and spiritual foundations of liberty. It revisits his defense of private property, his critique of inflation and government monetary manipulation, and his insistence that freedom depends on self-improvement rather than political force. Read’s classic writings—such as I, Pencil, The Essence of Americanism, and Looking Out for Yourself—illustrate how creativity, voluntary exchange, integrity, and personal responsibility form the core of a free society. The issue concludes with a reflection on his legacy and a review of Essays on Liberty.
