But Sowell did something else for me. He literally changed my life, which is often used hyperbolically but rarely honestly. Yet, for me, it's totally true. I was in graduate school, working on my degrees in Literature, when I happened upon his latest book at the time at a Barnes & Noble, Economic Facts and Fallacies. I skimmed a few pages, and purchased it immediately. I read it in two nights.
While reading Sowell's insightful explanations, I not only learned more about the function of the world than I ever had before, I also figured out what my emphasis would be in my literary studies as I prepared to write my dissertation. Sowell introduced my brain to how economics can be related to the field of English. I more clearly realized the real-world application of literature and began my research of economic theory as a foundation for literary criticism. I've been working on connecting those academic disciplines ever since.
If anyone is interested in discovering Sowell's work, his Amazon page goes on for days, but here is my collection on my bookshelf. These are a good place to start: