On the Wealth of Nations

by P.J. O'Rourke

Book Overview

As one of the first titles in Atlantic Monthly Press' "Books That Changed the World" series, America's most provocative satirist, P. J. O'Rourke, reads Adam Smith's revolutionary "The Wealth of Nations" so you don't have to.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0871139499
• ISBN13: 9780871139498
• Release Date: December 2006
• Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.0" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

less than 700 pages!

I read this myself and have given it as a gift to my sons who are interested in economics. I don't know anyone who has read the entire Wealth of Nations and this short version is excellent -- it contains all the ideas, great humor, and is short. The Wealth of Nations is truly a book that changed the world, and this will enlighten anyone interested in economics and wants to understand the root of today's economics.

Interesting and entertaining

I found this book both useful and entertaining. The summary of Smith's ideas was interesting for me as a non-economist and I also enjoyed Rourke's way of presenting those ideas. Of course this book would be disappointing for people who want to find an in-depth analysis of Smith's theories.

A must read!

I should have been exposed to a reliable, useful exposition of Adam's Smith's ideas in my History, Political Science, and Economics classes. None of them did as good a job as O'Rourke has done, distilling 900 pages down. O'Rourke ties Smith to today's issues. So far I have given away copies of this book to government officials, teachers, and friends. Please do the same. It is frightening to discover that so many politicians' proposed solutions to current problems have been tried and failed, with historical examples and explanations documented by Smith. Where is our sense of history! Smith offers not belief, but fact. We all want to solve society's problems, but the solutions ought not cause greater problems than they cure. After I listened to the CDs, I bought hard copy to underline. Now I leave it on my iPod so when I shuffle, I get 3 minutes of pithy insight, interspersed with cleansing music. Put this on your permanent reading and rereading list.

O'Rourke strikes again

I consider P. J. O'Rourke to be one of the great social, political and economic commentators of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Three reasons suffice: he is brutally honest about foibles and failings across the entire political spectrum; he actually learns about what he writes about (including extensive travels, interviews, and readings); and he is drop dead funny, though preferring the absurdity of truth over the cheap quip or easy slander. _Eat the Rich_ has long been my favorite treatise on economics, and I have purchased copies for several of my (adult) children. On the other hand, I likewise own Smith's _The Wealth of Nations_, but have struggled to get past the first few chapters. O'Rourke, with this new book, has provided what could be considered merely an entertaining 'Cliff Notes' version of _The Wealth of Nations_. But his book also provides a context and framework for reading TWON itself...which I will probably now do. (Hey, I have lots of other books in the queue.) And if you're unlikely to ever attempt TWON itself, then by all means buy and read this book. ..bruce..