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

Written from the perspective of a pencil, the essay details the intricate global supply chain and the numerous individuals involved in its creation.

It emphasizes that no single person or centralized authority could coordinate the vast array of skills and resources required to produce a pencil.

The essay argues for the efficiency of market economies and the futility of central planning, drawing on concepts from Adam Smith and Friedrich Hayek.