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The book begins cleverly with a chapter looking at why there were a lack of conspicuous economic theorists prior to Adam Smith and then goes on to expound their thoughts and theories with a simplified insight into the key conceptual leaps made by each figure as well as a cutting commentary on where the insight founders.
I say a simplified insight, and by this I mean a concise commentary which does not require any prior knowledge of economics or mathematics for that matter because the script is almost completely qualitative than quanitative and therefore contains virtually no formulae.
On the other hand it might be a good idea to have a comprehensive dictionary to hand because a fair sprinkling of either archaic or little used phraseology is employed throughout the text.
The final chapter entitled 'The end of Worldly Philosophy'is somewhat a surprise package and seems to be a little disjointed from the rest of the book, however it gives an interesting insight to where the current plane of economic philosophy lies.
If you buy the book you will learn much about how the World of money and economics really works, and its condensed form combined with strong guiding editorial comment makes it a worthwhile read.
The author takes a subject (economics) that is often beyond dry and makes it both entertaining and educational, with lots of surprises thrown in. Every time I thought I had caught the author in a mistake or an oversight (Ah ha! Now I've got you!) he'd cover my questions or thoughts within the next couple of pages or so. The author earned my confidence again and again. I found him to be a reliable guide through treacherous waters.
There's a lot of good history in this book. He tackles each major economic philosopher (and others), makes the man come alive in the context of his times, and relates his thinking to our own time by putting their ideas to the test of subsequent history. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on Smith and Keynes.
The author, like any good educator, doesn't give you everything. He gives you lots of food for thought. I also found the author to be thoughtful and unpretentious. I plan to read more books by him.
My copy also contained a very nice description of suggested readings.
Personally I am rather deterred by formulae and graphs and fortunately this book is afflicted by neither. Heilbroner covers every stage of our economic history and development with an accessible style that conveys the main concepts of what can be rather complex economic theories with relevant anecdotes on the economists who penned them and their sometimes eccentric personalities (As with Thorstein Veblen, a strange intellectual giant who spoke 25 languages and was quoted as being 'the last man who knew everything', was largely ostracized by his peers for his radical views on the leisure class and who was adamant that upon his death no monuments, paintings or memorials of any kind be left in his memory).
This book is perfect for anyone interested in understanding how economics interacts with politics, morality and society and how the ideas of the great economic thinkers influenced our historical development right upto the present day.
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