America has a long history of superstar entrepreneurs becoming gurus, motivational speakers, or even politicians. Very few of them become public intellectuals. But that’s more or less what Peter Thiel is. Though perhaps that’s not quite fair to him. You might just as well say that he was an intellectual who took a detour through business and became spectacularly wealthy.

Thiel’s book, Zero to One, might seem like an improbable best seller, but it really isn’t. He doesn’t write very often, but when he does, it’s always insightful. See, for instance, his long essay “The End of the Future,” from National Review. Or “The Education of a Libertarian.” And when you listen to him talk, it’s clear that his mind is curious and nuanced-see this interview with Francis Fukuyama and the even more in-depth interview he did with the Boss in the latest episode of Conversations with Bill Kristol.