Wealth of Nations

By: Adam Smith

Narrated by: Michael Edwards

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.

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.

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.