Books by Nathaniel Hawthorne

6. Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Blithedale Romance .  I’m surprised this novel doesn’t attract more ongoing attention, even if some of the final plot choices seem a bit strange or forced.  It is a brilliant critique of utopianism, socialism, Romanticism, and also philanthropy.  I kept on thinking Arnold Kling should read it.  In any case it is a marvelous story, a good read, and chock full of social science.  You’ll find one controversial reading of the story here (jstor), a panoply of speculative h...