The Rand Corporation

I've always had a tremendous amount of respect for the work that Rand's scholars produce and I think it would be an amazing place to work. When I was looking at graduate programs I seriously thought about doing a PhD in their public policy program. While I am mostly interested in the economic projects, the early history and focus of the organization is fascinating. When I was in college I read Wizards of Armageddon by Fred Kaplan. It covers the institution as well as the post-WWII era in good detail and I thought it was an excellent book. For anyone interested in learning more about Rand I would recommend it.

I thought about Kaplan's book recently when I saw Soldiers of Reason: The Rand Corporation and the Rise of American Empire by Alex Abella. The book is being billed as the first popular study of the Rand Corporation, which obviously it isn't. Perhaps it is very good, but I have not read it. If you have an interest in Rand you might take a look.