The Ordinary Business of Life: A History of Economics from the Ancient World to the Twenty-First Century
In his tenth book, Backhouse (economics, Univ. of Birmingham), the editor of the Journal of Economic Methodology, explains how world economics reached its present state. Throughout, he places key figures in an appropriate historical context and then explains the various economic ideas as they emerged, using clear analysis and apt quotations. Starting with Homer, Aristotle, and Alexander, he builds connections to the Roman Empire, Old Testament traditions, and the conflict between Christianity and Islam, then moves on to the Renaissance, the Reformation, and all the way up through Adam Smith and Milton Friedman. The result is a well-integrated, thoughtful, accessible text that makes a major contribution to the history and philosophy of economics. What sets this work apart from others on the subject (e.g., Lionel Robbin's A History of Economic Thought, Robert Heilbronner's The Worldly Philosophers) is the broad time frame and the focus on people and events that shaped the development of economic thought not just the major economists. Important reading for students, professionals, and anyone interested in learning how economics has evolved, this is recommended for all academic and public libraries. Norm Hutcherson, California State Univ. Lib., BakersfieldCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.