Podcasts: Jennifer Burns talks Milton Friedman with Lex Fridman
Posted By RichC on January 29, 2025
As mentioned Saturday, Brenda and I are focused on better health and walking (relatively fast-paced walk and 6-7 miles). While doing this, my new Apple Watch has a podcast app which connects to my bone-conduction Aeropex headset (also work well for phone calls). Also trying the “screenshot” feature on the watch — image right.
Anyway, I rarely get through podcasts by Lex Fridman as his interviews are “long form” 
and regularly go three or more hours. While I learn a lot from them, they are often longer than my time and patience allows. An example is an interview with Professor Jennifer Burns who has written extensively on the Nobel Prize winning economst Milton Friedman. I’ve been a fan of his wisdom for my entire life. I’ve read a few books and studied those who he has influenced and befriended — people like William F. Buckley and Ronald Reagan.
Thanks to the enjoyable and informative interview I’ve downloaded another book to put in my “want to read” list — “Milton Friedman: The Last Conservative” — the list is currently longer than I can get through this year. Just like long podcasts, getting to the end of books is another one of my problems.
Milton Friedman: The Last Conservative
“Milton Friedman: The Last Conservative” is a biography written by Jennifer Burns, an associate professor of history at Stanford University. The book, published in November 2023, is described as the first full-length biography of Milton Friedman, one of the 20th century’s most influential economists. It not only provides a comprehensive account of Friedman’s life but also delves into the broader intellectual and political landscape of the era.
The biography covers Friedman’s upbringing as the son of Jewish immigrants in New Jersey, his academic career at the University of Chicago, and his work on economic policy during the New Deal era. It explores his contributions to economic theory, including monetarism, price theory, and free-market capitalism. Friedman’s role in shaping modern American conservatism and his influence on public policy are also central themes.
Burns examines Friedman’s collaborations with other economists, such as Anna Schwartz, and his complex relationships with influential figures like Federal Reserve Chairman Arthur Burns and Treasury Secretary George Shultz. The book highlights Friedman’s key role in creating a new economic vision and modern American conservatism, positioning him as America’s first neoliberal and perhaps its last great conservative.
Critics have praised the book for its thorough research and accessible writing style, making complex economic theories understandable to a general audience. It is seen as a significant contribution to the understanding of 20th-century economic thought and its impact on current policy debates.
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