I, Pencil: My Family Tree as Told to Leonard E. Read

Why did Read chose to write his essay from the first-person point of view of a pencil, and how does this unusual perspective impact the essay’s thematic effect?

Read’s argument centers on the notion of “the Invisible Hand,” but he never actually defines the term. What are the origins of this term, and how has its meaning been analyzed and debated by modern economists? Which interpretation does Read employ?

Read repeatedly refers to “freedom” and “free people.” What do these terms mean to him, and why are they so important? Are there other ways of understanding “freedom” that might call into question Read’s absolute faith in the societal benefits of laissez-faire capitalism?