Customer Reviews

The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times and Ideas of the Great Economic Thinkers

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One of the best economics books I've ever read. The book progresses logically from economist to economist, revealing their beliefs as well as their personalities (some very eccentric) along the way. For those who think economists are dull, uninteresting people, this book will change their minds! For those who are already interested in economics, this book is a great refresher of all the important economic principles.

Philosophy can be a daunting topic, economics can be arcanic to the point of being occult. This text reduces the mystery by setting the thinking of Adam Smith, Parson Malthus, David Ricardo, Thorsten Veblum, and others in the context of the problems they were trying to solve, and the beliefs governing the times they were in. In particular, the author's disciplined chapter titling forecasts the general attitude of these "philosophers of the material world." Skip Adam Smith and read Thorsten Veblum if you're interested in how American economics looked to an American after Smith's philosophies began to take hold---or if you'd like an unexpectedly hilarious view of what the robber barons did and why. For contrast, you may also like Maury Klein's works on the Union Pacific and his biography of Jay Gould. Pairing some in-depth works with Heilbroner's engaging summary will do more for your knowledge of economics than placid acceptance of "the bad old days" perspective so often marketed as education--and may even alter your view of Michael Milken's use of finance.

Heilbroner's witty account of the lives of the economists is both entertaining and insightful. Dr. Heilbroner displays the rare ability to shed light on the importance of economic history, all the while making it easily understood by even the most obtuse lay person. This book is a requirement for anyone who has any remote interest in today's economy and how we got here

Heilbroner's saucy style and deep understanding of the subject come alive in the pages of this book. Many have dared to have attempted such a feat, but have come across either as naive to the subject or just boring. Anyone who is not an economist - will still enjoy hearing of the lives and times and ideas of these 'philosophers'.

This book is so much fun that you may have trouble putting it down - and you will definitely be surprised at how much you've learned. It's true that Heilbroner makes no attempt to disguise his opinions about the theories and the theorists, but I found that to be just as informative as his excellent prose style. I would definitely recommend this book as an introduction to economics for people of all ages.

"Worldly Philosophers" is probably the best, most authoritative title on the development and growth of economic theory. "Worldly Philosophers" is an outgrowth of Heilbroner's 1953 doctoral thesis and with each edition he's further refined and polished it and in the process it has gone on to sell four million copies, making it the second best selling book on the subject of economics. Heilbroner gives a great overview of the economic process in early societies up until the time of Adam Smith and his revolutionary "The Wealth of Nations." Heilbroner carries the reader onwards as successive economists attempt to make sense of the world around them, introducing the reader to the theories of Ricardo, Malthus, Marx, Veblen, and Keynes, among others. Heilbroner charts the expansion of economic theory in a straightforward linear fashion and shows how these varied economists questioned the theories of those before and postulated their own theories based on how they saw the world.

I hadn't expected "Worldly Philosophers" to be such a lively and enjoyable read, which says a lot about Heilbroner's clarity and caliber of writing. It is far more enjoyable than his later "Making of Economic Society," which borrows liberally from this tome. If you are looking for a concise, well written history of economics, you need look no further than here.

I feel as if I expanded my knowledge of the world by 1000% after reading this book. Knowing almost nothing about the subject before I feel like I have the basis of understanding on economic issues. Easy to read and inciteful. I can't wait to continue my research into the topic. Economic theories broken down in a biographic fashion. Fans of biography will certainly enjoy.

For many years I used this book in my senior high school economics course. Clearly and entertainingly written with many well turned sentences, the book developed the relationship between economics and the history of modern society. As a result, students found the book to be as instructive in history as economics.