Synopsis
Celebrated author James Buchan on the widely known—but often misread—Scottish philosopher Adam Smith.
Library Journal
If he is thought of at all today, Adam Smith is remembered as an early economic theorist. The reality is that Smith was a philosopher, and his seminal work, The Wealth of Nations (which launched the field of economics), stemmed from his investigations of moral philosophy. In this brief biography, novelist and historian Buchan places Smith's book in context with his other works, his teaching, personal life, and his contemporaries (e.g., David Hume). Buchan provides chapter-long critical examinations of both The Wealth of Nations and Smith's other major work, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, an extension of moral inquiry into the world of fashion and manners. Buchan also debunks the myth surrounding the term invisible hand and sheds some light on Smith's lost works. Though the book is brief, Buchan covers the salient points of Smith's life and includes many excerpts from his letters and publications. This foray into Smith's philosophical ideas and 18th-century intellectual life requires some background and would best serve academic libraries.-Lawrence R. Maxted, Gannon Univ., Erie, PA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.