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How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life

An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness

Russ Roberts

$32.99

Hardback

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English
Portfolio Press
02 January 2015
Adam Smith became the patron saint of capitalism after he penned his most famous work, The Wealth of Nations. But few people know that when it came to our behaviour - the way we perceive ourselves, the way we treat others, and the decisions we make in pursuit of happiness - the Scottish philosopher had just as much to say. He developed his ideas in an epic, sprawling work titled The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Most economists have never read it, and for most of his life, Russ Roberts was no exception. But when he finally picked up the book by the founder of his field, he realized he'd stumbled upon what might be the greatest self-help book that almost no one has read.

In How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life, Roberts examines Smith's forgotten masterpiece, and finds a treasure trove of timeless, practical wisdom. Smith's insights into human nature are just as relevant today as they were three hundred years ago.  What does it take to be truly happy? Should we pursue fame and fortune or the respect of our friends and family? How can we make the world a better place? Smith's unexpected answers, framed within the context of current events, literature, history, and pop culture, are at once profound, counterintuitive, and highly entertaining. By reinvigorating Smith's neglected classic, Roberts provides us with an invaluable look at human behaviour through the lens of one of history's greatest minds.  

Russ Roberts is the John and Jean De Nault Research Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. He hosts the award-winning weekly pod-cast EconTalk and is the author of three economics novels, including The Price of Everything: A Parable of Possibility and Prosperity. He is also the co-creator of the Keynes-Hayek rap videos, which have been viewed over seven million times on YouTube.

By:  
Imprint:   Portfolio Press
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 204mm,  Width: 138mm,  Spine: 27mm
Weight:   360g
ISBN:   9780241003190
ISBN 10:   0241003199
Pages:   272
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Russell Roberts is a research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and the host of EconTalk, a weekly hour-long award-winning podcast. Previously, he was a professor of economics at George Mason University and founding director of the Center for Experiential Learning at the John M. Olin School of Business at Washington University. Roberts is the author of three books, including The Price of Everything.

Reviews for How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness

A great book. Makes you feel better about life, humanity, and yourself. Like having a conversation and a scotch with Adam Smith, or even better, Russ Roberts -- Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of The Black Swan 'Can economists teach us how to live a good life? When the economists in question are Adam Smith and Russ Roberts, the answer is a definitive yes. Roberts shines a fresh light on Smith's ideas about morality and human nature and finds they hold up remarkably well in the 21st century. A fun, fascinating, and original book that will challenge you to become a better version of yourself' -- Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive Adam Smith was not just an economist; he had penetrating insights into human nature that informed his rich, subtle, and rev-olutionary approach to moral philosophy. Russ Roberts combines a deep understanding of what Smith was on about with a fluent writing style to bring out the surprisingly modern implications of Smith's thinking -- Matt Ridley, author of The Rational Optimist 'Russ Roberts has taken a brilliant but difficult classic - Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments - and written an engaging and inspiring meditation on virtue, friendship, and happiness. The result is a won-derful guide to living a good life' -- Jonathan Haidt, author of The Righteous Mind


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