Before embarking on a long self-education journey it’s important to know whether you’re going to enjoy the scenery — the ideas, concepts, and theories you encounter along the way. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started studying a subject, gung ho on pursuing it for months, then realizing after the first book that I was interested more in the romantic idea of studying the subject than the subject itself (moral philosophy, cough cough). The best way to make sure your curiosity is serious is by reading a few books in the field and seeing if they make you feel strongly. I’ve chosen some popular and relatively recent classics in political science/history that require little background knowledge and are written for the layperson, not academics.
