The Wealth of Nations (Bantam Classics)

Book Description

The Wealth of Nations
by Adam Smith

It is symbolic that Adam Smith’s masterpiece of economic analysis, The Wealth of Nations, was first published in 1776, the same year as the Declaration of Independence.

In his book, Smith fervently extolled the simple yet enlightened notion that individuals are fully capable of setting and regulating prices for their own goods and services. He argued passionately in favor of free trade, yet stood up for the little guy. The Wealth of Nations provided the first--and still the most eloquent--integrated description of the workings of a market economy.

The result of Smith’s efforts is a witty, highly readable work of genius filled with prescient theories that form the basis of a thriving capitalist system. This unabridged edition offers the modern reader a fresh look at a timeless and seminal work that revolutionized the way governments and individuals view the creation and dispersion of wealth--and that continues to influence our economy right up to the present day.

Customer Reviews:

Surprisingly readable.......2007-09-12

If you have any interest at all in Economics, you'll want to go to the source. This is the source. Adam Smith lays the groundwork for the study of Economics in this very readable treatise.

Though he is discussing 18th century Britain, the topics he discusses have direct analogs in the modern American economy. Taxes, trade, money, monopoly, tarrifs, and international trade balance are all tackled with aplomb.

He really lays into Mercantilism and blasts the protectionism it engenders. Never anything less than a champion of the common man, Smith decrys monopolies and other taxes on those most unable to afford them. Though he seems to be a total free marketeer, he takes great pains to examine the types of taxes which would be useful and prudent for a government to levy.

Once or twice may be fine, but Smith uses this construction for almost every sentence in the book. It is just a stylistic gripe, but the length and complexity of each sentence make digesting the information quite a bit more difficult than it otherwise could have been. I would not be at all disappointed to see this book translated to a more modern style.

Again, if you're interested in Economics at all, this book is the place to start. There is so much good information here to be absorbed and pondered. I recommend it highly.

Adam Smith was a fabulous writer!!.......2007-08-13

Do not be dismayed by the book's substantial girth! The Wealth of Nations is not only an essential, brilliant, philosophical read for anyone interested in economics... but, it is also thoroughly entertaining and even humorous at times.

Seminal work from the father of economics.......2007-05-25

Nobody seriously involved in economics can do without this exhaustive work, originally published in five volumes as An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. This classic is a pragmatic and accessible milestone in the history of economics. Its author, Adam Smith, is woven into every economics textbook. However, Smith's theories, which today often are recounted mostly in fragments, frequently incorrectly, reveal their entire social and economic innovative power only in context. Smith burst onto the scene at a time when absolutist national states monopolized the world's precious metal reserves and tried to increase their own wealth through stringent export policies. These states were motivated by an entirely new concept about national wealth: that it stemmed from the work of the country's people, not from gold. Based on that idea, economic markets should balance themselves as if guided by an "invisible hand," impelled by each individual's self-interest. The state has to provide only an orderly framework and specific public goods and services. Even though Smith's image of idealized economic and social harmony may have developed a few cracks over the course of time, his ideas have inspired many well-known economists during the past 250 years, including David Ricardo, Vilfredo Pareto, Friedrich August von Hayek and Milton Friedman. We highly recommend this seminal work.

Go with Bantam.......2007-02-12

If you're wondering which Wealth of Nations to purchase, get the Bantam paperback. This is Smith's complete and unabridged final version of the Wealth of Nations. It provides footnotes on Smith's wording, the historical context, and the differences between Smith's 5th edition and previous editions. In addition, the margin of the pages contain useful notes which summarize Smith's writing. For the price, this is clearly the superior choice.

Now, if you're wondering whether you should undertake such an endeavor, let me just say that Adam Smith was a professor of rhetoric. He explains everything so precisely, yet so comprehensible. Smith's writing is by no means difficult; I actually found it a surprisingly easy read given its antique nature. Once you get through the first chapter, you get quite used to Smith's writing style. If you put adequate time and energy into it, it's not hard at all.

A must read if you are in economics.......2006-09-02

The works of Adam Smith are an essential part of universal culture, especially for economics. The introduction to the book places you at the time it was written, which makes it even more valuable.

On The Wealth of Nations (Books That Changed the World)

Average customer rating:

A Waste of Time if You Want to Understand Adam Smith
Recommend highly
A terrific guide to the ideas and writings of Adam Smith - with some jokes, too
This was my O'Levels assignment!
Interesting and VERY funny

On The Wealth of Nations (Books That Changed the World)
P. J. O'Rourke
Manufacturer: Atlantic Monthly Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0871139499

Book Description

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. Recognized almost instantly on its publication in 1776 as the fundamental work of economics, The Wealth of Nations was also recognized as really long: the original edition totaled over nine hundred pages in two volumes—including the blockbuster sixty-seven-page “digression concerning the variations in the value of silver during the course of the last four centuries,” which, “to those uninterested in the historiography of currency supply, is like reading Modern Maturity in Urdu.” Although daunting, Smith’s tome is still essential to understanding such current hot-topics as outsourcing, trade imbalances, and Angelina Jolie. In this hilarious, approachable, and insightful examination of Smith and his groundbreaking work, P. J. puts his trademark wit to good use, and shows us why Smith is still relevant, why what seems obvious now was once revolutionary, and why the pursuit of self-interest is so important.

Customer Reviews:

A Waste of Time if You Want to Understand Adam Smith.......2007-10-02

I got this book because I wanted to read something on Smith, an author who is not, contrary to what is repeatedly said by other reviewers, difficult to read or superseded by later writers. What I quickly realized was that O'Rourke has no intention of seriously engaging with Smith at all and that the book might easily have been written without his having read the Wealth of Nations at all using a research assistant to pull out some quotes to sprinkle around. That he didn't read the book is the only explanation for the presence of so many gross errors in the book, such as when O'Rourke lumps labor unions together with chartered companies, etc. as a market distorting institution that Smith abhors; whereas, as any reader of the book knows, Adam Smith is quite explicit in his defense of collective bargaining for workers and condemns the laws of his day that impede workers' ability to organize. Whatever one thinks of these matters, Smith was clear as to his own view.
There is also a generally philistine and puerile element to O'Rourke's style and humour which I found extremely grating. If you are interested in work of Adam Smith, don't waste your time with this book. Just because O'Rourke didn't read the original doesn't mean you ought not to. So save your money and but a copy of the Wealth of Nations itself if you haven't read it already.

Recommend highly.......2007-09-02

P. J. O'Rourke makes Adam Smith's master work come alive with witty asides and modern examples to succinctly illustrate principles that Smith had expanded upon at daunting length. Everyone who thinks they might someday want to go into business, run for office, vote, or engage in intelligent conversation should read it, as should those who just want thought-provoking entertainment. The lengthy "dictionary" of quotations in the back is an added bonus.

A terrific guide to the ideas and writings of Adam Smith - with some jokes, too.......2007-08-13

Adam Smith has been written off my many people who find themselves too sophisticated for his 18th Century views. Each time, it is they who prove themselves and their ideas dispensable. Adam Smith continues to influence new generations of people trying to understand not only economics, but what Smith called Moral Sentiments. Was Smith a Prophet? Of course not. Did he get everything right? No. But there is more right there than you will likely find in a library full of most other writers on economics who think they know more than Smith.

However, there are many fundamental concepts that have become central to our understanding of how human beings interact and create wealth that some of us treat him with a kind of devotion and veneration. We probably overdo it. Still, like scripture, he is more often talked about than read. And that is why the wonderful humorist P.J. O'Rourke wrote this book. It is a short guide through Smith's "The Wealth of Nations" (a much shortened title).

O'Rourke also gives us a brief view of Smith's "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" and a very brief look at Smith's life and times. As O'Rourke quote William Kristol, most of us only read in Smith. It is just so long and dry and tied to his times, it takes a special reason to read every darn word. O'Rourke did so he could write this book.

While there is much to enjoy in the book, O'Rourke has created a dictionary of Smith's best sayings (lightly edited). He also provides a list of other readings and points you to the best editions of Smith's works.

This book isn't just a funny book that riffs on Smith. Yes, O'Rourke is great at making things funny, to the point you will laugh out loud. But his humor is most often insightful rather and it is a way of getting the reader to take in the point thinking he is getting dessert. I like this insight from page 62:

"A recurring lesson in "The Wealth of Nations" is that we shouldn't get greedy. And no people are as rapacious and grabby as those who work for the public good. They don't want mere millions or billions of dollars to satisfy personal avarice. They seek the trillions of dollars necessary to make life on earth better for everyone. The World Bank should content itself with private good, from which all good things flow"

Yeah, it isn't that funny. But it is concise and right with a nice bite.

Get it, read it and enjoy it. And, hey, you will probably learn something. Especially if you haven't read Smith (or even read much in his writings).

This was my O'Levels assignment!.......2007-07-25

This is the best book I have read so far this year. The author succeeds in presenting this heavy work in an entertaining and humorous way. I think anyone reading this book will be encouraged to read the Wealth of Nations and inquire more on Adam Smith, if they haven't already done so.

The Wealth of Nations, a book of free-market thinking and a book that shapes the world to this day, was first published in 1776, the year The United States of America gained its independence from Britain. The book was instantly recognized as being fundamental to an understanding of Economics. The original edition totaled over nine hundred pages in two volumes, which was considered long. It is a large volume because Adam Smith felt he was at the end of his life and he wanted to say all he could. In fact, The Wealth of Nations was orally dictated, significantly contributing to its length.

According to P.J. O'Rourke, to understand The Wealth of Nations, you also need to read Smith's first book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments. But now with On The Wealth of Nations, you don't need to read either, or so the book back cover claims. In fact, this book reads like a Cliff Notes, with laughter added.

Adam Smith only wrote three books, the third, on law, being left uncompleted.

P.J. Rourke shows us why Smith is still relevant today, why what seems obvious now was once revolutionary, and how the division of labor, freedom of trade, absence of government interference (the famous two words, `invisible hand'), and pursuit of self-interest espoused by Smith are vital to the welfare of mankind. There is nothing inherently wrong with the pursuit of self-interest. That was Smith's best insight. Smith further gives suggestions on how governments should be run, and how various classes of men should behave. Smith illuminated the mystery of economics in one flash: "Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production."

Far from being an avatar of capitalism, Smith was actually a moralist of liberty. O'Rourke says, "it's as if Smith, having proved that we can all have more money, then went on to prove that money doesn't buy happiness. And it doesn't. It rents it." (I just love this quote!)

I had to read Wealth of Nations for my O-Levels, and I got a B, the highest score in my class. I was hoping for an `A' actually, but I didn't have O'Rourke's book at the time.

Some interesting quotes from the book:

"Every tax, however, is to the person who pays it a badge, not of slavery, but of liberty. It denotes that he is subject to government, indeed, but that, as he has some property, he cannot himself be the property of a master."

"To improve land with profit requires an exact attention to small savings and small gains, of which a man born to a great fortune...is very seldom capable."

Never complain that the people in power are stupid. It is their best trait. In recent years we've seen a variety of powerful figures barter their authority for the gratification of childish vanities. Perhaps the Saudi royal family will be next to suffer the fate that Adam Smith described: "Having sold their birth-right, not like Esau for a mess of pottage in time of hunger and necessity, but in the wantonness of plenty, for trinkets and baubles, fitter to be the playthings of children than the serious pursuits of men, they became as insignificant as any substantial burgher or tradesman in a city.

In 1776, Britain was the most powerful country on earth. The reason for this, wrote Smith, was plain: "That security which the laws in Great Britain give to every man that he shall enjoy the fruits of his own labour, is alone sufficient to make any country flourish."

Military power depends on economic success. Economic success depends on freedom. "No regulation of commerce," Smith wrote, "can increase the quantity of industry in any society... It can only divert a part of it into a direction into which it might not otherwise have gone."

The rulers of Great Britain have, for more than a century past, amused the people with the imagination that they possessed a great empire on the west side of the Atlantic. This empire, however, has hitherto existed in imagination only. It has hitherto been, not an empire, but the project of an empire; not a gold mine, but the project of a gold mine...It is surely now time that our rulers should either realize this golden dream, in which they have been indulging themselves, perhaps, as well as the people; or, that they should awake from it themselves, and endeavour to awaken the people. If the project cannot be completed, it ought to be given up...Great Britain should free herself from the expence of defending those provinces in time of war, and of supporting any part of their civil or military establishments in time of peace, and endeavour to accommodate her future views and designs to the real mediocrity of her circumstances."

"What institution of government could tend so much to promote the happiness of mankind as the general prevalence of wisdom and virtue? All government is but an imperfect remedy for the deficiency of these."

One reviewer on Amazon.com had the following to say:

"Socialism can work, but it requires people with the qualities of saints. The difference between O'Rourke's rant and the reality of earthly socialism was aptly seen by Leacock, who explained `socialism won't work except in Heaven, where they don't need it, or in Hell, where they already have it.' "

Adam Smith died on July 17, 1790, leaving us a book that is still shaping our way of thinking! His stoic attitude toward death, recorded in his Moral Sentiments, was as follows: "Walk forth without repining; without murmuring or complaining. Walk forth calm, contented, rejoicing, returning thanks to the Gods, who, from their infinite bounty, have opened the safe and quiet harbor of death, at all times ready to receive us from the stormy ocean of human life."

If you find The Wealth of Nations too long or too hard to read, then read P.J. O'Rourke's On The Wealth of Nations, and you will understand all the major concepts of Smith's book.

Interesting and VERY funny.......2007-07-12

I really, really enjoyed this Book on CD.....I think it made it much better than if I had just read the book. Listen to the jokes was really cool. Lots of very good information.

Average customer rating:

Good for fans of Photography and Music
An intimate collection
Spectacular Photos!
Beautiful Photographs from a master, however unfinished
Classical?

Annie Leibovitz: American Music

Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375505075
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Amazon.com

It looks like a gorgeous nostalgia trip to judge by the cover image alone. The photo is of an old school record player that lies unplugged, a white label test-pressing waiting on the turntable, while a band of paper wrapped around the cover announces the title in ye olde woodblock-looking type, American Music. A reading of the small type on the back cover reveals the image to be the very record and turntable left in Elvis Presley's bedroom the day he died, and the mind reels, thinking about whether the King listened to this record on that day or not, and who are the Stamps, anyway? An excellent selection of musician portraits interspersed with crumbly wooden jook joints and wide open fields in the South, American Music covers a wide gamut of jazz, blues, punk, country, hip-hop, rock and roll, folk and gospel musicians. And while most of the pictures were shot between 1999 and 2002, some go back to the early 1970s, when Leibovitz first became Rolling Stone magazine's chief photographer. Some of the artists are very well-known (Michael Stipe, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan) and some of them are not (Jessie Mae Hemphill, Other Turner, Carlos Coy). Leibovitz really has a way of relaxing her performers, and this is a great part of her gift. Even when the pictures are so posed as to be ridiculous (like, what's Michael Stipe doing on that bedbug-ridden mattress—-the guy's a billionaire?), she catches her subjects at their most "real." They are lost in their music, or just doing some "real person" thing (look, there is Beck in his car—does Beck really drive his own car?). The presentation may be a little hokey, but this book is sure to please most any music fan. --Mike McGonigal

Book Description

The impulse to do AMERICAN MUSIC, writes famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, “came from a desire to return to my original subject and look at it with a mature eye. Bring my experience to it…make it a real American tapestry.” Her ambitious idea became AMERICAN MUSIC, a stunning collection of photographs of the musicians, places and people that enrich the landscape of American music.

As Rolling Stone’s chief photographer for over thirteen years, Leibovitz created a legendary body of work. Her portraits of some of the world’s most talented musicians capture more than the performer, they convey the art of making music. For AMERICAN MUSIC, Leibovitz traveled across the country to juke joints in the Mississippi Delta, honkytonks in Texas, and jazz clubs in New Orleans “to take pictures in places that mean something.” In her signature style, she shares stunning portraits of American greats -- B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Beck, Bob Dylan, Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, S teve Earle, Ryan Adams, Miles Davis, Etta James, Pete Seeger, Emmylou Harris, Tom Waits, The Dixie Chicks, Dr. Dre, The Roots and many more.

AMERICAN MUSIC includes a commentary about the American Music project by Leibovitz, short essays by musicians Patti Smith, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Mos Def, Ryan Adams, and Beck as well as biographical sketches of all the musicians.

Customer Reviews:

Good for fans of Photography and Music.......2007-01-28

If you love the blues, or love photography this is a great book. While not specific to just Blues musicians this book just makes me think of good old delta blues. The prints in this book shine like they were hand printed by Annie herself. Theres a heart and soul driving this book from begining to end.
This is a more personal project for Annie Leibovitz and so doenst allway have her studio style inside.
That does not mean that each photograph is not amazing for they are, but some are a smaller more
candid world that Annie Leibotiz is capturing.

An intimate collection.......2005-08-08

I just saw this exhibit at our MoMA, and the work is outstanding. Some of the images are color, some black and white. There are a number of styles and artists, ranging from the very famous to those unknown outside of their small communities. The point is that these are images of musicians--it's that simple.

Sometimes, Liebovitz's work is witty, sometimes it is unflinching in its honest portrayal. There is vulnerability in the subjects of her black and whites because they are so close, often just the face of the subject. To term them "ugly" is simply wrong. It is rare to see behind the artifice of celebrity images and see performers without makeup and with their skin texture and pores visible. Some of the photos are taken in people's homes, or backstage rather than on a set. This lends considerably to the intimacy and honesty that she is trying to convey.

If you want shots of your favorite singer looking oh so pretty, go to their PR person. This is a serious body of work from a renowned photographer. It blends both her celebrity work with her own private interests in portrait photography for non-commercial audiences.

Spectacular Photos!.......2005-08-02

The catalog is gorgeous, the photographs are indeed spectacular. While the written entries were wonderful, they were too few and left me wanting more. I guess that's a good thing!

Beautiful Photographs from a master, however unfinished.......2004-11-17

In response to another review on this site, clearly if you think the book has "poor aesthetic quality" You know nothing of photography or art for that matter.
The people in this book are beautifully portrayed in silver and in color. Clearly the photographs were taken over a number of years, which shows the scope of the project.
The only thing that I find wrong with this project is that it may be unfinished. The book is called American Music. Cleary that is why there are mainly blues, rock and roll and hip, country/folk and hip hop artists. Obviosly everyone would like to see their favorite artists in the book and have the ones they dislike removed. I however feel that this is the artists choice, and we have to live with it. If Leibovits decides to put out a 'Part II' it would do all of us a favor.
The only reason why I don't give this a 5 out of 5 stars is that most of the photographs don't grab you by the face and demand your attention. The ones that grab me the most are the artists I folllow, so perhaps there is something in that. Some measure of knowlegde that must accompany the photographs. Buy the book anyways...and listen to more blues albums. I didn't check this review for spelling, HA!

Classical?.......2004-04-07

OK, think for a minute what it means deep down to chronical AMERICAN music.
That would be music that comes from the Delta and from Chicago and spread from there as essential Blues, Jazz, Rock and Roll and later forms of Pop. Classical came to us from Europe, what these artists represent are the outcome of truly American born music. I'm staggered that anyone would not make that connection..
And yes, we know that some may find Iggy Pop "ugly", but American Music isn't all about chicks that look like Britney Spears..

Average customer rating:

Applied CSS: Review of "The Art & Science of CSS"
Lots of detail and applied website information perfect for practicing designers.
Exceptional CSS Case Study Book
Excellent for beginners, highly useful for advanced folks too
Great Buy

The Art and Science of CSS
Jonathan Snook , Steve Smith , Jina Bolton , Cameron Adams , and David Johnson
Manufacturer: SitePoint
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0975841971

Book Description

CSS-based design doesn 't need to be boring. The Art & Science of CSS brings together a talented collection of designers who will show you how to take the building blocks of your web site's design (such as headings, navigation, forms, and more) and bring them to life with fully standards-compliant CSS. This full color book helps you to design web sites that not only work well across all browsers, are easy to maintain, and are highly accessible, but are also visually stunning.

Create truly attention-grabbing headings.

Discover multiple ways to present images effectively.

Use background images to give your site zest.

Build usable and attractive navigation.

Design forms that are stylish and functional.

Learn how to break away from the square box clich ©.

Create funky tables.

And lots more

Customer Reviews:

Applied CSS: Review of "The Art & Science of CSS".......2007-09-20

Good book, and right to the point. It shows you how to use CSS to create a website that will standout by using simple and clean looking designs. You can get started right away.

Chapters include how to make rounded corners on tables and navigation tabs; the combining of images and text for visually appealing web pages, as well as styling of forms, headings, lists, and page backgrounds.

The book is laid out nicely with the sample code very easy to read and follow. Excellent format. If you want a practical guide for using CSS that zeros in and focuses on the basic parts of a web page (forms, headings, text, navigation, tables, and images), this is a good one. It shows you clearly just what you need to do.

If you want a deeper explanation on CSS elements, I would recommend "Cascading Style Sheets: A Definitive Guide".

Lots of detail and applied website information perfect for practicing designers........2007-09-08

Standards-based design might seem dull but CSS-based design needn't be - and THE ART & SCIENCE OF CSS gathers together designers who show how to take a typical web site design and add CSS to jazz up results. Any college-level computer library catering to programmers and web designers will find this packed with ideas on how to design forms which are attractive and functional alike. From creating eye-catching tables and designing forms to vertical navigation basics, THE ART & SCIENCE OF CSS has lots of detail and applied website information perfect for practicing designers.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Exceptional CSS Case Study Book.......2007-09-05

'The Art and Science of CSS' by Jonathan Snook is another gem in the sitepoint series of books. If you are a web developer, you owe it to yourself to pick up the entire LINE of sitepoint books. Ever since this publishing series came out years ago, I have been one of the main fans of these books. With spot-on design, wonderful writing, great chapter flow, and the right length for the topic at hand, I have yet to find a sitepoint book that I haven't liked, and most I LOVE the moment I start reading them. They aren't just reference manuals, they are books that are meant to be enjoyed, and if you use CSS on a daily basis, you will find this book extremely useful.

This book is broken up into 7 chapters at 200+ pages:

1. Headings
2. Images
3. Backgrounds
4. Navigation
5. Forms
6. Rounded Corners
7. Navigation

That's it. This may seem like not enough content, but if that is what you believe, you are simply ignorant, and like Socrates believed, I also do not think that is a crime.

From images that pop out and make you say 'ahhh' to slick navigation with great backgrounds to forms which really have great curb appeal and make the user want to USE the form in question (an important topic that isn't addressed nearly enough) to creating pretty round corners to tables that jump out at you, this book is G-R-E-A-T.

Fun to read, fun to use, and fun to learn from, another gem from the masters at sitepoint.

***** HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION

Excellent for beginners, highly useful for advanced folks too.......2007-07-07

This is really another amazing book from Sitepoint which has been putting out a great line of web design/standards/crafting books. This book seems to follow right along the same bent: concise, well-written content at exactly the right level of detail to convey the point the authors are working on at the moment.

Art & Science won't teach you the fundamentals of flow, divs, spans, or even CSS basics like classes and IDs; however, the progress through the book is so well-paced and clear that you'll be able to fill in any gaps in your knowledge as you read along.

The book has seven chapters, each on a specific aspect of CSS such as Headings, Images, or Navigation. The chapters lay out basic premises of the topic, such as how you want to think about your headings as part of a page/site's branding and impact, then move on to details of creating and implementing a beautiful design. Each chapter makes its points in small, incremental steps such as starting off with basic vertical navigation, progressing to more advanced horizontal such as navigation with hover/current location changes, then finishes up with advanced concepts like matrixing menu images so you can show complex combinations simply by dealing with positioning.

All of this is accomplished in a style and depth of content that's applicable to folks with rudimentary design/CSS skills (i.e. yours truely) as well as accomplished web designers. What really amazes me is that the authors hit such a broad audience (and did it well!), covered a broad range of topics in detail, and pulled it all off in just over 200 pages. (And those pages, by the way, are glorious full color.)

This is a great book for learning how to deal with CSS in an elegant, well-architected fashion. It's simply a terrific book if you're doing anything at all with CSS.

Great Buy.......2007-06-18

This book is packed with information enough to be a textbook, but is interesting enough to keep any web designer happy. Best suited for new and novice designers, this book is informative enough to even give intermediate designers a healthy refresher into their trade.

Average customer rating:

I love this book
a great (little) book
Good Perspective on the Markets
Funny, smart, classic
not to !sure bout this one~

Money Game
Adam Smith
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0394721039
Release Date: 1976-08-12

Customer Reviews:

I love this book.......2007-08-13

"If I really had a system for making money in the market and it worked all the time, first of all, I wouldn't tell anybody and second of all, I would soon have just about all the money there is." Adam Smith p. 122

Thank you for being so honest. Amazingly this book has helped me more than all the other "How to make millions in the stock market" books I have read. It is well-written and filled with information, humor, advice and wisdom. It touches on everything from the fabled Mister Johnson (I have a strong suspicion that Peter Lynch got his inspiration for One Up On Wall Street from this book) to charting and random walk theory. The reader is encouraged to find his own trading style and use the wealth of information from the book. Highly recommended.

a great (little) book.......2007-03-25

I found it a great book.
it's not "technical", but showed me many new things and approaches to the market.
it's not a novel, but I assure I laughed out loud in the middle of the night!
it's not about "psychology", but the last chapter made me understand much more about my inner thoughts on me-as-a-trader than a whole book...

I would recommend for the ones who, having red about ten books on "how to trade, and be a millionare....", would like to taste something different.
but only if they like, also, reading good books.

Good Perspective on the Markets.......2007-01-23

Not my favorite on the markets, but definitely a good read.

Funny, smart, classic.......2006-11-25

A friend at work recommended this, and I agree that it is important--and fun--reading for everyone in finance, and in fact for everyone interested in investment. Moreover, George Goodman's witty nuances show that he knows economics much more than the average finance journalist. His descriptions of technical analysis and efficient market theory are superb... Perhaps most amazing is the similarity of the passages on the 60's high tech bubble to the late 90's madness.

not to !sure bout this one~.......2006-10-25

This book was good but not terrific. after reading best sellers like Why we want you to be rich by Donald TRump and God Doesn't run a $2 Shop by Sage Saint Francis i found that this book just was not in the same leauge.
This book just did not cut it, i mean those two books changed my life, and actually got me the result and financial freedom i was after but they are not for everyone.
I found this information to be very simple and at times misleading...at best!
I do not feel this is the authors best work, however i still believe it is a good investment and a descent place to start.

Atlantic Cruising Club's Guide to Long Island Sound Marinas (Book & CD-ROM)

Average customer rating:

Atlantic Cruising Club's Guide to Long Island Sound Marinas (Book & CD-ROM)
Elizabeth Adams Smith
Manufacturer: Jerawyn Publishing Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0966402847

Book Description

Facts, Facts, and more Facts + 1,800 Photos, Rates, Ratings, and Reviews Absolutely everything you need to know to decide where to tie up for a night or a week, packed into the only objective consumers' guide to marinas and marine facilities.

For more than a decade, the Atlantic Cruising Club has been providing highly detailed, objective marina information to the East Coast boating consumer. The latest Guide - the Seventh Edition - has now grown to nine regional volumes covering Bar Harbor, ME to Padre Island, TX in the East, and Point Roberts, WA to Chula Vista, CA on the West Coast. The Guides are being published sequentially over the next year. The first regional volume, the Atlantic Cruising Club's Guide to New England Marinas was very well received and the second regional volume, the Atlantic Cruising Club's Guide to Long Island Sound Marinas, is now complete. 232 Marina Reports and 1,800 photos cover Block Island, RI to Cape May, NJ, including the Fishers Island Sound, the Connecticut River, the Peconics, Long Island's South Shore Inlets and the New Jersey Inlets.

These are consumers' guides - marina advertising is neither solicited nor accepted and there is no charge to the marinas for inclusion.

The new edition has been expanded to an 8 ½" x 11" format to accommodate the addition of both photographs and 50% more information -- up to 300 facts on each marina. Every facility is now rated on three scales - 1 to 5 Bells for cruiser services, 1 or 2 Travelifts for boatyard services and a Sunset for very special places. Marina information covers contact info, marina operations, rates, services, facilities, megayacht services, navigation information, boat supplies (chandleries, propane, ice, CNG, bait), and boatyard capabilities (rates, certifications, specialties, etc.). The very detailed "what's near by" sections cover restaurants (names & price ranges, too), lodgings (rates), recreation (from golf and tennis to swimming and bowling), entertainment (cinemas to museums, tours, and live theater), provisioning (including the nearest chain supermarkets, gourmet shops, farmers' markets, fishmongers, etc.),general services (from bookstores and hardware stores to full-service laundries), transportation (rental cars, courtesy cars, airports and limos, cabs, bike rentals, water taxis, ferry services, local busses, rail, etc.) and medical services (from 911 and hospitals to massage therapists and vets). The "Review" section is comprised of three densely packed paragraphs (Setting, Marina Notes, and Notable), each chock full of even more useful information.

The Atlantic Cruising Club's Guides to Marinas are delivered in both print and CD-ROM formats (in one package). Each volume includes 1,600-2,000 photographs - one of each marina in the Book, and 4-9 full-color photos of each on the CD-ROM. The easy-to-use CD-ROM allows boaters to search on over 100 fields—location, rates, ratings, reported depths, etc., etc., etc - and it stores in a sturdy clear vinyl sleeve in the back of the book.

Both the Book and CD-ROM have been designed with easy navigation in mind. A Regional Map shows all 232 marinas covered in the ACC's Guide to Long Island Sound Marinas and 14 sub-region maps locate the marinas in a particular area. On the CD-ROM, the map is in full-color and all the marina "buttons" are "hot"; just click to display that marina's Report. Or use the very flexible CD search tool which makes searching on over 100 data fields very simple. For instance: "Show me all the marinas in Mid-Coast Maine that have slips with at least 6 ft. of reported depth at MLW, charge less than $1.50 per foot, and have at least a 3 Bell Rating." Or "Show me all the marinas

Average customer rating:

Guide to New England Marinas

Fabulous, functional and informative.

Atlantic Cruising Club's Guide to New England Marinas (Book & CD-ROM)
Elizabeth Adams Smith
Manufacturer: Jerawyn Publishing Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Cruising Guide to Narragansett Bay and the South Coast of Massachusetts: Including Buzzard's Bay, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Block Island

A Visual Cruising Guide to the Maine Coast

The Cruising Guide to the New England Coast: Including the Hudson River, Long Island Sound, and the Coast of New Brunswick, Twelfth Edition

Atlantic Cruising Club's Guide to Long Island Sound Marinas (Book & CD-ROM)

The Coast of Summer: Sailing New England Waters from Shelter Island to Cape Cod

ASIN: 0966402839

Book Description

The Atlantic Cruising Club takes the guesswork out of putting ashore with the release of 7th Edition, Volume 1: Atlantic Cruising Club's Guide to New England Marinas. Facts, Facts, and more Facts. Absolutely everything you need to know to decide where to tie up for a night or a week,packed into the only objective consumers' guide to marinas and marine facilities.Rates, Ratings, and Reviews.

For most boaters cruising is one part fun, one-part adventure, one part stress, one part food and one part character building - a pretty exhilarating and exhausting combination. So, at the end of the day, all you really want to do is tie-up, kick back and relax. If you're away from home waters that often means finding a slip or mooring. But a marina stay can be expensive - sometimes as expensive as a nice hotel room - and a lot harder to leave if it's not what you expected. To choose the "right" marina, you can spend hours on the phone quizzing dockmasters or rely on those little chartlets in the cruising guides or trust the veracity of the marina ads. Or you can turn to the Atlantic Cruising Club's Guides to Marinas - complete with bound-in searchable CD-ROMs. For more than a decade, the Atlantic Cruising Club has been providing highly detailed, objective marina information to the East Coast boating consumer.

The latest Guide - the Seventh Edition - has now grown to six regional volumes covering Bar Harbor, Maine to Padre Island, Texas - and is being published sequentially over the next eight months. The first regional volume, the Atlantic Cruising Club's Guide to New England Marinas is at the printer and the second regional volume, the Atlantic Cruising Club's Guide to Long Island Sound Marinas, will be released in mid July.

These are consumers' guides - marina advertising is neither solicited nor accepted and there is no charge to the marinas for inclusion.The new edition has been expanded to an 8 ½" x 11" format to accommodate the addition of both photographs and 50% more information than in the Sixth Edition -- up to 300 facts on each marina. Every facility is now rated on three scales - 1-5 Bells for cruiser services, 1-2 Travelifts for boatyard services and a Sunset for very special places. The "Review" section is comprised of three densely packed paragraphs (Setting, Marina Notes, and Notable), each chock full of even more useful information.

Marina information covers contact info, marina operations, rates, services, facilities, megayacht services, navigation information, boat supplies (chandleries, propane, ice, CNG, bait), and boatyard capabilities (rates, certifications, specialties, etc.). The very detailed "what's near by" sections cover restaurants (names & price ranges, too), lodgings (rates), recreation (from golf and tennis to swimming and bowling), entertainment (cinemas to museums, tours, and live theater) , provisioning (including the nearest chain supermarkets, gourmet shops, farmers' markets, fishmongers, etc.), general services (from bookstores to hardware stores to full-service laundries), transportation (rental cars, courtesy cars, airports and limos, cabs, bike rentals, water taxis, ferry services, local busses, rail, etc.) and medical services (from 911 to hospitals to massage therapists to vets).

The Atlantic Cruising Club's Guides to Marinas are delivered in both print and CD-ROM formats (in one package). Each volume includes over 1,500 photographs - one of each marina in the Book, and 4-9 full-color photos of each on the CD-ROM. The easy-to-use CD-ROM allows boaters to search on over 100 fields—location, rates, ratings, reported depths, etc., etc., etc - and it stores in a sturdy clear vinyl sleeve in the back of the book.

Both the Book and CD-ROM have been designed with easy navigation in mind. A Regional Map shows all 230 marinas covered in the ACC Guide to New England Marinas and 12 sub-region maps locate the marinas in a particular area. On the CD-ROM, the map is in full-color

Customer Reviews:

Guide to New England Marinas.......2005-07-19

Very good. Lots of info CD erxcellent as a reference

Fabulous, functional and informative........2003-07-15

This Atlantic Cruising Club Guide to New England Marinas is well organized, laid out and easy to navigate. The book and CD are complimentary to each other - plus allows the skipper to use one medium while the first-mate uses the other! ;-)

Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery by the Masters ( 2-Volume Set )

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Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery by the Masters

Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery by the Masters ( 2-Volume Set )

Manufacturer: Quality Medical Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1576261298

Customer Reviews:

Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery by the Masters.......2007-07-26

Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery by the Masters is the definitive reference on primary and secondary rhinoplasty. Written and edited by the recognized pioneers of rhinoplasty, this two-volume set is no less than the "bible" of rhinoplasty--your complete and essential resource for performing advanced nasal surgery and giving your patients the results they demand!

Based on the successful Dallas Rhinoplasty symposium, this book-DVD combination covers it all - from basic fundamentals and anatomy to the latest refinements and advances in technique. Thirty-two new chapters have been added, including nine chapters on secondary rhinoplasty, which instruct the reader on how to optimally manage and correct deformities, as well as seven chapters on special topics, including Autospreader Flap, The Middle Eastern Nose, The Asian Nose, Hispanic-American Rhinoplasty, Rhinoplasty in the Cleft Lip Nasal Deformity, Management of the Cocaine Nose, and Complications of Nasal Surgery.

Every clinical case is discussed in detail and accompanied by Gunter graphics in four-color to effectively illustrate the surgical plan for each procedure. Chapters are presented in a comprehensive yet easy-to-follow format with informational side bars for quick reference and key points. To supplement these two volumes, three accompanying DVDs are included and present operative video on cadaver dissection, primary rhinoplasty, and secondary rhinoplasty using rib cartilage grafts.

The editors, Drs. Gunter, Rohrich, and Adams, and contributors represent the acknowledged leaders in plastic surgery. Of particular note are the personal approach chapters written by some of these experts who share their secrets for surgical success in rhinoplasty.

Key Features:
Written by the leaders in rhinoplasty
Comprehensive case analyses facilitate clinical decision making
Gunter graphics depict surgical plans for each operative procedure
More than 3,100 color images
32 new chapters
Key points highlight essential information in each chapter
Three new DVDs with cadaver dissection and operative videos

The Theory of Moral Sentiments (Philosophical Classics)

Average customer rating:

4.5 stars-A masterpiece but only after Part VI was added in 1790
Contemporary importance of a 250 year old book.
Wow! What a mind.
My favorite book of all time
Modern, Empirical Ethical Theory

The Theory of Moral Sentiments (Philosophical Classics)
Adam Smith
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486452913

Book Description

The foundation for a system of morals, this 1749 work is a landmark of moral and political thought. Its highly original theories of conscience, moral judgment, and virtue offer a reconstruction of the Enlightenment concept of social science, embracing both political economy and theories of law and government.

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What can he added to the happiness of the man who is in health, who is out of debt, and has a clear conscience? To one in this situation, all accessions of fortune may properly be said to be superfluous; and if he is much elevated upon account of them, it must be the effect of the most frivolous levity. This situation, however, may very well be called the natural and ordinary state of mankind.

Customer Reviews:

4.5 stars-A masterpiece but only after Part VI was added in 1790.......2007-07-24

The other reviewers have covered Smith's theoretical concern of basing our moral judgements on a foundation of sympathy or sentiment when our impartial mental spectator requires us to walk a few miles, hypothetically, in the other person's shoes before rendering judgement.

The most important part of the book is Part VI, added in the year Smith died-1790.It is here that he provides the theoretical foundation for his recommendations in WN that the government is the only institution that can neutralize the severe negative impacts emanating from the Invisible Hand process of self interest and the division of labor.Smith's recommendation is that all working class members receive ,free if necessary,an education combined with religious instruction in order to deal with the dark side of the Invisible Hand process that negatively impacts the moral,political,social,martial,and intellectual development of all members of the working class(See pp.734-741 of the Modern Library(Cannan)edition of the Wealth of Nations).Part VI of the 6th and final edition of TMS establishes the need to promote morality as a necessary public good.The importance of virtue in societal interactions takes center stage.This can only be implemented by the provision,on a massive scale,of education and religious instruction for all members of the working class.Otherwise,society will be unable to prevent the "...entire corruption and degeneracy of the great body of the people".(See Smith,p.734;see also the 5 additional repetitions of this conclusion that appear on pp. 734-741).

I deduct a half star because Smith failed to fully alert the reader of the importance of Part VI.

Contemporary importance of a 250 year old book........2007-06-09

After reading Paul J. Zak's "Values and Value: Moral Economics" (Gruter Institute Projecct on Values and Free Enterprise)in which he refers to Smith's book on morals, I wanted to reread a book that I had read several decades ago when I was studying economic theory. It continues to be most engaging. Zak noted that "of Adam Smith's two great books, the The Theory of Moral Sentiments is typically considered much less important than the Wealth of Nation, though this view is starting to change."

There is much current attention to ethics; much of it is "how to.. ." guidance and generally quite superficial. Rereading Smith's profound observations -- that continue to have relevance -- is refreshing and enlightening. Smith recognized the significance of "virtuous behaviors" . . and understood well that shared moral behaviors are prerequisistes for a successfully-functioning society. Chapters with titles such as "Of the Amiable and Respectable Virtures," "Of the social Passions," Of the Selfish Passions." are illustrative of the introductory sections topics.

A rereading reminds me of words of the founding fathers of the U. S. -- of the early leaders throughout the developing country. Smith wrote in the early decades of the 19th century; there is a quaintness to his language, but his insight is not lost. His writing provides the joy that beautiful antique furniture from the same century delights the eye; his book will delight the mind.

Wow! What a mind........2007-01-03

The language is quaintly old but somehow that eases in. A voice from the past is telling you how our whole social fabric has come to be. It isn't driven by dogma. It is driven by pure reason and an uncanny perception. Strongly grounded in reality, and not just air headed philosophical blather, this is a great source for those who need to assign values to concepts - but not just based on faith or some dogma taken as truth without question.

Adam Smith then turns that perceptual engine of his on speech, itself. It is an extra that, by itself, is worth the price of the book.

My favorite book of all time.......2006-05-23

I must seem like someone in great need of a unifying philosophy, because several people have tried to lend me theirs. Ex-boyfriends seem to think Daoism just the thing, while acquaintances recommend Jesus (that's why they stall out at acquaintances). After reading this book, though, I can now say, "No thanks. I've got Adam Smith."

When I was trying to get over a death in the family, this book provided me by far the greatest solace. Smith summarizes the ancient schools of philosophy (and most interestingly, how some got perverted into serving as the basis of Christianity), and from them distills a manual for life that's both intuitive and useful. What I like best about Adam Smith is that while his genius may not be immediately apparent, his common sense is.

The last chapter of the book deals with the origins of language, and it's about my favorite. Besides making me wonder why there are any linguists still employed, Smith touches on evolution and boolean logic (computer language). Based on this chaper alone, he should be called the father of linguistics; if he had elaborated just a bit more, perhaps he would have been the father of evolution, as well.

Modern, Empirical Ethical Theory.......2005-07-07

The book under review was published by LibertyClassics.

Smith's "Theory of Moral Sentiments" (TMS) is both an excellent work of psychology and an eloquent exposition of philosophy. It was written about the same time as David Hume's and Francis Hutchinson's theories of moral sentiments (theory of benevolence) in the 18th century, departing from the ancient ethical paradigms of a priori ethics and reaching instead toward an empirical, a posteriori ethics for modernity. Rather than deducing first principles from the philosopher's armchair, Smith's account begins with experience, habit, and custom based on nature's disposition of mankind's moral constitution. Therefore, it is a wholly modern theory, and in many ways anticipates Darwinism and evolutionary biology (EB).

Smith's ethical account is grounded entirely in observation. Nature, custom, habit, and experience teach us its principles, which comports with both our internal judgments and our external evaluations. By our imagination, we place ourselves as if we are the other person, conceiving ourselves as if we were that person. Our emotions well up with an "analogous emotion" of the other, vicariously experiencing the other's pleasures and pain, his gratitude and resentment, becoming sympathetic to the other's plight as though it were our own. Love and gratitude are agreeable sensations, while hatred and resentment are disagreeable passions. Our sympathy for the other is measured like that of "an impartial spectator" who we become by viewing another's motives and actions by our own in accordance with our own sense of propriety, moral sense (duty), and benevolence, by "bringing the case home to ourselves."

"Every faculty in one man is the measure by which he judges of the like faculty in another. I judge of your sight by my sight, of your ear by my ear, of your reason by my reason, of your resentment by my resentment, of your love by my love" (I.i.3.10). "We approve of another mans judgment, not as something useful, but as right, as accurate, as agreeable to truth and reality" (I,i.4.4). Conscious of another person's situation generates sympathy in ourselves, and the correspondence with one another, is "sufficient for the harmony of society" (I.i.4.6). "To feel much for others and little for ourselves, that to restrain our selfish, and to indulge our benevolent affections, constitutes the perfection of human nature . . . .as to love our neighbor as we love ourselves is the great law of Christianity . . . . as our neighbor is capable of loving us" (I.i.5.5).

Based upon these primary motives of gratitude and resentment (foreshadowing Trivers' and Hamilton's reciprocal altruism in EB) leads to an analysis of grief and joy, anger and love, suffering and enjoyments, distress and relief, envy and magnanimity, and all the other binary emotional relations. To each emotion we attach a "proportionable recompense" for merit and demerit, reward and punishment. A sympathetic imagination or indignation naturally boils up in the breast of the impartial spectator.

While beneficence is always a free act, we do have duties given us by nature in order to be just. Justice, writes Smith, is a negative virtue and only hinders us from harming our neighbor through retaliation or punishment "to safeguard of justice and the security of innocence." Even though we are primarily motivated by self-love, we imagine an impartial spectator to humble the arrogance of self-love to avoid hurting one's neighbor.

Smith makes clear that "man, who subsist only in society, was fitted by nature to that situation for which he was made," and that is to act reciprocally. For ill inflicted unjustly on another, we naturally seek retaliation; for the good afforded from love, we reciprocate the affection. After all, "society cannot subsist among those who are at all times ready to hurt and injure one another" (II.ii.3.3). This occurs "for the purpose of advancing the two great purposes of nature, the support of the individual, and the propagation of the species" (II.ii.3.5). When it comes to society, justice is more important than beneficence, because, while society can live without beneficence, it cannot survive without justice. Nature, and society through habit and custom, implant conscience in the human breast, and every injustice, therefore, alarms man. Conversely, Smith observes, "mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent" (II.ii.3.7).

Like Hume before him, Smith locates the causes of pain and pleasure as being behind the primary motivations of the two chief emotions: For Hume they are love and hatred, for Smith they are gratitude and resentment. To measure the propriety and duty of one's own actions, "we must become the impartial spectators of our character and conduct" (III.2.2). Man is naturally endowed to live in society with a desire to please others and avoid offending others, and it is our duty to impartially evaluate ourselves at least as stringently, if not more, than we evaluate others. Nature has made man the immediate Judge of mankind, ever making proper comparisons between our own interests and those of other people. We judge ourselves best when act as if we stand in a place with eyes of a third person. "It is reason, principle, conscience, the inhabitant of the breast, the man within, the great judge and arbiter of our conduct" (III.3.5). Of course, our own disciplined, self-command, coupled with constancy and firmness, makes our interior and exterior comparisons and resemblances fair and equitable.

Smith's TMS covers much territory also covered by Hume, but from a different angle, and with a different regard for "utility" in a theory of benevolence. Both theories are thoroughly modern, and readers familiar with EB will find that Smith better anticipates many of EB's themes, i.e., reciprocal altruism, kin selection, etc. Smith's perception of man as he will become described by Darwin is uncanny. Although Hume's account begins with first principles of observation, and heuristically builds upon empirical foundations, Smith's observation begins with the more mundane and ordinary and refines toward first principles. Even though they are in agreement on most matters, it's intellectually interesting to take note of their differences (e.g., utility). Regrettably, the ethical theory of moral sentiments gets little attention in ethics courses, despite the ease of reading and relevance to today's modern synthesis. Both deserve a wider audience. This handsome text is well introduced, annotated, and documented.. Recommended.

The Wealth of Nations (Modern Library Classics)

Average customer rating:

a classic
hard to find a serviceable edition
Free trade and pro biz
Must have.
Readable introduction to economic theory

The Wealth of Nations (Modern Library Classics)
Adam Smith , and Robert Reich
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679783369
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Book Description

Adam Smith's masterpiece, first published in 1776, is the foundation of modern economic thought and remains the single most important account of the rise of, and the principles behind, modern capitalism. Written in clear and incisive prose, The Wealth of Nations articulates the concepts indispensable to an understanding of contemporary society; and Robert Reich's new Introduction for this edition both clarifies Smith's analyses and illuminates his overall relevance to the world in which we live. As Reich writes, "Smith's mind ranged over issues as fresh and topical today as they were in the late eighteenth century--jobs, wages, politics, government, trade, education, business, and ethics."

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The first truly scientific argument for the principles of political economy.

Customer Reviews:

a classic.......2007-07-20

It's a big book, but not in any way complicated. In a nutshell, it details the mechanisms by which personal liberty -- accompanied by personal responsibility and a just system of government -- make nations, and the individuals who live in them, wealthy. I had a Marxist professor who did not like Adam Smith because Marxist theory prefers to emphasize class warfare, while Smith is saying that everyone is capable of providing for themselves and the less the government interferes, the better off we all are. Many conservatives, meanwhile, like Adam Smith because they seem to perceive a "survival of the fittest" philosophy in his works. They are both wrong.

Really, The Wealth of Nations ought to be read along with Smith's other classic, The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Together, the message in them is that government should leave people alone as much as possible, but people ought to exercise that liberty without greed.

hard to find a serviceable edition.......2007-07-07

"The Wealth of Nations" is more readable than you probably think, and if you actually sit down to it you'll be repeatedly astounded by Smith's shrewdness.

But parts of Smith's original can be tough going in many ways. Why don't publishers acknowledge this by coming out with something more helpful than just the raw text?

Unfortunately, finding an edition that will be of great use to you is problematic. That's why I'm giving this book 1 star: not for the text itself, but rather for the paucity of well-done printings out there.

Anyhow. I have three before me:

1. The "Modern Library Classics" edition, the one you see on this page. This is complete and unabridged in a single volume, and has a handsome, sturdy feel to it. There is a 4-page introduction and a well-done index, but what irks about this edition is that while it has a plethora of footnotes, all the footnotes are of the "textual comparison" variety (e.g., "12 Car. II., C. 32"), rather than the kind that really help you understand antiquated terms and convoluted wordings. In other words, you'll get no help from the editors here.

2. Then there is the barren Wealth of Nations (Great Minds Series). There is a 2-page introduction at the beginning and an index, but beyond that it's nothing more than the original text, complete with the original punctuation and spellings (neither of which has been made more merciful for the modern reader).

3. The Penguin Classics edition, in two volumes: The Wealth of Nations: Books 1-3 (Penguin Classics) and The Wealth of Nations, Books IV-V (Penguin Classics). This is probably the least worst edition I have seen, with a superb introduction (nearly 100 pages long), and a glossary, all done by Glasgow's Andrew Skinner. But the only footnotes in the text itself are apparently Smith's own. They appear directly on the bottom of the page in question.

So good luck, whichever one you choose.

In case you need to know, Smith's original consists of five long chapters, or "books."

If anybody has a more respectable edition at hand, please comment and I'll incorporate it into this review.

Free trade and pro biz.......2007-01-25

Great study material - very difficult read, but a must read that should be taught in high school.
Buy this if you support free trade, less government, and the American dream. Beware, this books represents everything a liberal opposes, ideals which are deeply hated by those who support liberal gods like Barak Hussein Obama and Miss H. Rodham.

Must have........2007-01-03

They shouldn't let you out of school unless you have this one in your head. Nice to have a copy around.

Readable introduction to economic theory.......2006-06-15

For anyone coming to Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations the first surprise is how readable it is. Famous classic of economic theory though it may be, this is no dry academic tome to be read only by people with a scholarly interest in economic history. There are no detailed tables of statistics of the sort one might expect to find in a modern book on the subject, and no mathematical analysis, indeed not very much quantitative information at all. Instead there is a long series of examples to explain such ideas as why it is more efficient to divide work among several specialists rather than have a complete task fulfilled by one person, or why slave labour is ultimately more expensive than paying free workers, even workers in cities like Boston or New York, where wages were far higher in Smith's time than those in his native Scotland.

To illustrate the principle of the division of labour Smith discusses the manufacture of nails. Even a blacksmith -- skilled in working with a hammer but with no special training in nail making -- could not make more than a few hundred nails in a day, and those of poor quality. A specialist nail maker could make more than two thousand, but much greater improvements, both in quality and quantity, come from recognizing that even a task as apparently simple as manufacturing a nail can be broken up into smaller tasks: maintaining the fire at the right temperature, hammering the nail into the right shape, using a different tool to form the head, and so on.

A popular edition of Wealth of Nations is inevitably abridged, as one can hardly expect to buy a complete scholarly edition for a price not much more than that of a novel. Complete editions are available as well, but they are much more expensive. With sensible editing, however, an abridged version can include as much of Smith's writing as the ordinary reader is likely to want, together with notes to explain points that will be obscure to the modern reader. In the Oxford World's Classics edition Kathryn Sutherland has made an excellent job of this, with notes that fill around a fifth of the length of the book.

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