Wealth of Nations

By: Adam Smith

Narrated by: Michael Edwards

Length: 35 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

This classic statement of economic liberalism or the policy of laissez-faire was first published in 1776. It is an engrossing analysis of the economic facts of life. Several fundamental principles, many of which are now referred to as axioms, were introduced in this work, the division of labor, supply-and-demand, and free market capitalism being among the most obvious. Smith's political economy is primarily individualistic; self-interest is the incentive for economic action. However, he shows that universal pursuit of self-interest contributes to the public interest.

(P)1989 by Blackstone Audiobooks

Excellent, But Long

The scope and importance of Smith's ideas are breathtaking, but be prepared to listen to long proofs and explanations that have little interest. The recording is nowhere near stellar, but it is not so bad once you get used to it. It is very gratifying to get these ideas straight from the source, and the book is a great deal if you use a book credit. HIghly recommended for those with an interest in Economics.

A classic

It is amazing what this man figured out with what little data he had to work with. This book is a great insight to a great mind. There are a few times you will have to tune out what the price of corn is in pounds, shillings and pence but it is well worth wading through. There are many people who will tell you what Adam Smith thought and it turns out many are wrong. It is worth hearing from the horse’s mouth even if it is in old English.

An Awsome Source for Understanding Economics

I have this book in print as well. I would look for a print book to read, for better understanding. The subject is really complex and just listening while doing other things and get the full understanding is almost impossible. I like this version to hear the book over again to re-enforce what I have studied before. The techniques in this book are so powerful in predicting what the economy will do, it is indispensable to everyone.

History and Economy

This is a review of the audiobook. Adam Smith’s work is a reflection about the history and the economy of the europeans states in the XVIII century. The author laid his principles on economic analysis throughout an exposition of historical facts carefully chosen in order to demonstrate his main thesis: public and private wealth flourish in an environment of liberty. One must not be a specialist in economy to understand the book, though some knowledge of history helps to follow the author’s line of thought. The section of the book in which Adam Smith examines the role played by the americans colonies in the economic development of the europeans states is quite interesting and reminds me of Eduardo Galeano’s book, The Open Veins of Latin American. Despite the poor quality of the recording, the audiobook is worth listening.

Great book, bad sound

I was astonished to see this book with a low rating, but relieved to find the reviewers uniformly complaining about the recording quality. I entirely agree, but want it perfectly clear that this is a GREAT work. Smith is reminiscent of Aristotle in his ability to reason incisively from direct observation and to organize his perceptions in a clear and concise way.

Timeless Economics

What did you like best about Wealth of Nations? What did you like least?

The Wealth of Nations is a timeless work on economics that even though published in 1776 it is very relevant for today. It provides a great history of our free market economy. The material is great but the audio quality is not. There is varying audio levels within the reading and requires that you really crank up the volume to be able to hear the reader.

WOW! Who Knew?

I am not an economist. But I dare say that I am better educated in economics now than most who claim the profession. I was fascinated by the direct relevence to modern economy that Mr. Smith's views of the English monetary system bare out.
Quite often I did get lost in the quantities of money mentioned (One Million four hundred thirty thousand pounds, 62 shilling, eight pence, etc.), however, the concepts are marvelous. Going into this book I knew nothing about Adam Smith (maybe he was mentioned in my Econ 100 class?). I am convinced that this man was a genius in the workings of money.
His discussion on Stock; Rotating, Capital, etc was quite beneficial to my current medical practice. As I have listened to this book I have come to better understand my role as physician, office manager, computer support, and marketer. I used to think that I was doing well, making more money than most physicians in my specialty, however, I certainly don't make enough to compensate me for all of the full-time employees jobs that I do personally.
As such I have redefined my own business plan, streamlining and outsourcing much of the non-physician work I was doing. And... I am making more money because of it. Another reviewer here said this book wasn't relevant to our time. I say, Ha! Listen again, and LISTEN this time!

Worth the effort

This is a massive undertaking for any listener, but ultimately worth the effort. The recording is not the best, with some occasional disconcerting popping, which made me think stones were hitting my windshield as I drove. Edwards's plodding reading takes some getting used to, but it ultimately works, allowing the listener to unravel some of Smith's winding thought. This is not for everyone, but if you can get inside Smith's detailed descriptions of late 18th-century economics, you'll appreciate his analytic mind -- and you might even imagine him a prophet of the emerging capitalist system. Of course, capitalists never tire of claiming Smith as one of their own, usually with only a familiarity of Smith's image of the invisible hand, but there is much more here, especially in Smith's criticisms of the excesses of the "masters." Smith may still be construed as an apologist for our present capitalist system, but his thought much more compex than that, and a must-read/listen for anyone wanting to tackle David Ricardo or understand Marx. A printed copy of the work is handy when the spoken argument bogs down, but even with a more than occasional use of the reverse button when I drifted, I was surprised how easily I got into the rhythm of this work.

Little entertainment, lots of education

Having heard, for years, about Adam Smith and the "invisible hand" from free market protagonists, I decided to hear for myself exactly what this author had written. Wow. His writings are taken out of context to the point of being unrecognizable. That "invisible hand" simply means that when people are industrious, they are contributing to the entire society despite working for their own gain. That`s it. End of story. It does NOT mean that making a profit at any cost is justified, as most quoters would have their listeners/readers believe.

For other listeners, only take on this book if getting a first hand account of a great thinkers words will have meaning. Audible HAS to offer a better quality version, though.

Economic Scripture, but not an easy read

This is not a book for the casual reader/listener. This will test the very limits of your endurance when it comes to listening to the many statistics he utters again and again in the listing of prices of various goods and services at various times. That said, this book is still remarkably fresh and useful for being more than 2 centuries old.

If you are looking for the real deal here it is, if you are looking for an easy-to-read summary of economics history look elsewhere.