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Adam Smith

What He Thought, and Why it Matters
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( 195 ratings, 23 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Adam Smith by Jesse Norman offers an insightful exploration into the life and ideas of the renowned economist and philosopher Adam Smith. The biography delves into his pioneering thoughts on economics and moral philosophy, portraying how his concepts continue to influence contemporary political and economic theories. It seamlessly interweaves Smith's personal history with the broader historical context of his time.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in the life and ideas of one of history's most influential economists and philosophers, as the author delves into his intellectual legacy with engaging insights. This biography offers a rich exploration of his ideas and their impact on modern economic thought and society.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A brilliant account of the life, thought, and continuing importance of the world's greatest economist.

Adam Smith is now widely regarded as 'the father of modern economics' and the most influential economist who ever lived. But what he really thought, and what the implications of his ideas are, remain fiercely contested. Was he an eloquent advocate of capitalism and the freedom of the individual? Or a prime mover of 'market fundamentalism' and an apologist for inequality and human selfishness?

This exceptional book, by a writer who combines, to an unusual degree, intellectual training and practical political experience, dispels the myths and caricatures and gives us Smith in the round. It lays out a succinct and highly engaging account of Smith's life and times, explores his work as a whole, and traces his influence over the past two centuries.

Finally, it shows how a proper understanding of Smith can help us graspβ€”and addressβ€”the problems of modern capitalism. The Smith who emerges from this book is not only the first thinker to place markets at the heart of economics but also a pioneering theorist of moral philosophy, culture, and society.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Adam Smith by Jesse Norman receives high praise for its insightful introduction to Adam Smith's life and ideas, highlighting their relevance to contemporary social and economic issues. The book is described as masterly and thought-provoking, with commendations for its lucidity and relevance, resonating with both intellectual depth and accessibility. It has been noted for its significant impact on the understanding of liberal free-market thought and as a remarkable piece that revives the intellectual's role in politics.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141987118

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 July 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 23.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 315g

Pages: 416

About the Author

Jesse Norman is the Member of Parliament for Hereford and South Herefordshire. He read classics at Oxford and completed a masters and a doctorate in Philosophy from University College London. Before entering politics, he ran an educational project working in Communist Eastern Europe, and was a director at Barclays. He has been an Honorary Fellow at UCL, a Governor of the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, and a Visiting Fellow at All Souls, Oxford. His previous books include a celebrated study of Edmund Burke.

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