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On The Wealth of Nations (Books That Changed the World) | 
| Author: P. J. O'rourke
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
Category: Book
List Price: $21.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  41 reviews
Sales Rank: 20902
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0871139499
Dewey Decimal Number: 330.153
EAN: 9780871139498
ASIN: 0871139499
Publication Date: December 4, 2006
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Product 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.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 36 more reviews...
 This is NOT Cliff's Notes, It's Jokes And Wide Brush Strokes February 10, 2008
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
The surfeit of reviews complaining about the author's insights and accuracy in summarizing "Wealth Of Nations" has finally spurred me to post my own review, which I'll also crib, right up front:
It's jokes, people! Jokes from a guy you know is libertarian! It's not Cliff's Notes!
If you have a conservative slant to your politics, you'll love the jokes about how fruitless central economic planning, government-run corporation and labor unions prove.
If you have a liberal slant to your politics, you'll love the jokes that point out how dumb it is for governments to try to control people's behaviors, when simple selfishness will generally do the trick.
But whatever your slant, if you have a term paper due on Adam Smith, don't use this as source! "Wealth of Nations" was huge. Its thoughts draw directly from other huge books Smith wrote, which you must also read to fully understand the man (which O'Rourke freely admits in the book, repeatedly).
Nothing in this book is erected to portray it as an authoritative summary of "Wealth." The author and publisher clearly tell you that, again, it's jokes, people: jokes from someone who is well-known as acerbic, contrary and cranky; jokes from someone whose political viewpoint cannot be more readily exposed.
If you don't like free markets, fine. If you hate "conservatives," fine. If you hold 120 postgraduate degrees in economics and the Adam Smith Distinguished Chair In Annoying Minutiae at Ivy League University, fine.
That doesn't change the fact that your reviews bemoaning the accuracy of this book or the interpretations of the author are sophisms, because, again:
It's jokes, people! Jokes from a guy you know is libertarian! It's not Cliff's Notes!
 Satirist's Cheap Trick Exposed February 7, 2008
5 out of 13 found this review helpful
You don't have to read P. J. O'Rourke's On The Wealth of Nations because you already know the contents--a libertarian rant from a neocon wiseacre. But, seriously, folks, you shouldn't read it because it misrepresents Adam Smith and misleads readers. Fortunately, most of the book's flaws can be traced to one cheap trick at the very outset.
In the second sentence, O'Rourke transforms Smith's economic principles--the pursuit of self-interest, the division of labor and free trade--into "practical truths" (never defined), timeless and universal. Elevating them out of history is what enables O'Rourke to wield them as slogans in bludgeoning his usual bugbears--politicians, liberals, reporters et al.
One example--his treatment of the "pursuit of self-interest'--suffices to illustrate this systemic problem. First, the "self" to which Smith referred was a new phenomenon. Of course, some form of self is intrinsic to being human: the human mind is aware of itself. What emerged in the 17th century and flowered in the next, however, was the self as a legitimate social agent. Rather than address the appearance of individuality, autonomy and personal fulfillment, O'Rourke assumes it was there all along, had been repressed and was now unleashed, and moves quickly to one of his many ahistorical platitudes. In this case "...[S]elf-interest makes the world go round...since the world began going around--a little secret everyone knows."
Almost as important, Smith did not champion just any definition of self-interest but a Franklin-esque version that emphasized emotional control and rational calculation, that stood in sharp contrast to the unruly passions of aristocratic traditions and that would in theory produce certain social virtues. Either ignorant of or ignoring the historical context and its content, O'Rourke just rushes about waving the banner of "natural liberty" (never defined)--the "practical truth" that corresponds to the pursuit of self interest.
He uses the same sleight of hand with Smith's two other principles--the division of labor and free trade.
No one expects logic from comics. Hyperbole and jarring juxtaposition are their stock in trade, and at these O'Rourke's book excels. But as a guide to the seminal work of an 18th century political economist for literate 21st century readers, this book is an insult to both.
 Short-sighted January 25, 2008
0 out of 7 found this review helpful
Saying you understand Smith's capitalism by citing Wealth of Nations is about as bad as saying you understand Marxism by citing the Communist Manifesto.
Smith wrote other things, too, and so should O'Rourke. He's funny; he's just not exactly going about this the right way.
 PJ in a serious mood January 18, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
PJ O'Rourke's usual sarcasm is veiled by his outright admiration for Adam Smith's massive achievement. The book reads much more like a serious treatise on Smith's work than his usual humorour romp through the mores of our our time. O'ROurke has always been a keen observer of our times and proves that he is a keen observer of the past as well as Smith's many lessons for the present. Still entertaining, just more instructive than usual.
Very enjoyable read December 1, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
More a why and who on Adam Smith than the nuts & bolts of an extremely difficult book. P.J.O'Rourke is right about how many of us, required by econ professors, have "read 'in' the book", but not read it cover to cover. And he explains why in side splitting detail.
Where P.J.O'Rourke excelled is in framing Smith's arguments in humorous common sense everyday settings.
By the end of the book I not only gained an understanding of Smith's approach to economics, but a genuine admiration of the man.
But, if you are looking for a cliff notes version to get you through a class, you've missed the whole point.
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