The Essential Adam Smith

The Essential Adam Smith

<p>Few writings are more often cited as a cornerstone of modern economic thought than those of Adam Smith. Few are less read.</p><br /><p>The sheer strength of his great work, <em>The Wealth of Nations</em>, discourages many from attempting to explore its rich and lucid arguments. In this brilliantly crafted volume, one of the most eminent economists of our day provides a generous selection from the entire body of Smith's work, ranging from his fascinating psychological observations on human nature to his famous treatise on what Smith called a "society of natural liberty," <em>The Wealth of Nations</em>.</p><br /><p>Among the works represented in this volume in addition to <em>The Wealth of Nations</em> are <em>The History of Astronomy,</em> <em>Lectures on Jurisprudence</em>, <em>The Theory of Moral Sentiments</em>, and Smith's correspondence with David Hume.</p><br /><p>Before each of Smith's writings Robert Heilbroner presents a clear and lively discussion that will interest the scholar as much as it will clarify the work for the non-specialist. Adam Smith emerges from this collection of his writings, as he does from his portrait in Professor Heilbroner's well-known book, as the first economist to deserve the title of "worldly philosopher."</p>