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On The Wealth of Nations Audiobook
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(3.02) - 725 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Recognized almost instantly upon 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 900 pages in two volumes—including the blockbuster 67-page "digression concerning the variations in the value of silver during the course of the last four centuries," which, according to P. J. O'Rourke, "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, O'Rourke 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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"PJ O'Rourke's comedic style brings clarity to an otherwise dry subject - "on the wealth of nations." Smith's original text is a bit dry, but O'Rourke's reading makes it accessible to a modern audience while retaining the messages found within. Highly recommended."
— Jonathan (5 out of 5 stars)
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“The book reads like a witty Cliffs Notes, with plenty of challenges for the armchair economist to wrap his head around.”
— Publishers Weekly -
Highly accessible, often hilarious.... [Listeners] well versed and not so well versed in economic theory will enjoy this delightful look at Smith's famous and famously dense work.
— Booklist
On The Wealth of Nations Listener Reviews
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" Its like Cliff Notes for Adam Smith, if Cliff notes made fun of the author. I reviewed this a while ago on my blog. "
— Justin, 2/15/2014 -
" The chapter reviewing the rise of Western Civ is perhaps the most concise and accessible description of World History around. "
— Robert, 1/21/2014 -
" Nice take on Adam Smith's book and how it relates today, very appropriate to our times. "
— Dustin, 1/16/2014 -
" An overview of a dense, impenetrable book on economics written in dense, impenetrable satire. "
— Courtney, 12/28/2013 -
" Tried to read this while on assignment in Ecuador. In spite of having little else to do, couldn't focus. Either I was hungover or it's just not all that sharp. "
— Chris, 12/3/2013 -
" PJ O'Rourke is a brilliantly funny writer, and his explanation of this classic (if utterly dull) book is both instructive and entertaining. "
— Greg, 11/30/2013 -
" Witty, and demonstrative of simple economic principles. A true classic in my mind. "
— Kelli, 11/21/2013 -
" Much easier than reading the original. The books was apparently quickly edited, as there are some glitches. In places, O'Rourke is more glib than enlightening. But his collection at the end of the book of Smith's aphorisms is worth the price of admission. "
— Ted, 11/1/2013 -
" Rather than wade through Adam Smith's book, I highly recommend this as an alternative. O'Rourke provides a very take on a serious subject. "
— Nedland, 9/18/2013 -
" Entertaining as well as informative. Mr. O'Rourke wades through Adam Smith's historical text and applies his principles to the present-day economy. The author also squeezes in some entertaining caricatures of our nation's politicians. "
— Deborah, 7/1/2013 -
" Picked this one up in the airport. Great read, very informative and helpful in the midst of the hulabaloo. Also, it is about 1/4 the size of the actual "Wealth of Nations" which makes it a great alternative to actually having to read the book. "
— Jason, 6/18/2013 -
" Interesting, but I got bored and didn't finish. "
— Emily, 6/10/2013 -
" This is PJ ORourke's summary of the famous and voluminous Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. It is one of a series of book summaries read by popular authors who give a Cliff Notes review with their own personal spin. "
— Kent, 2/25/2013 -
" Neither funny nor well-written. I did enjoy the background info on the times, but finally decided that there wasn't sufficient reward to wade through the awfulness. "
— Julia, 2/15/2013 -
" Great summary "
— Steve, 10/31/2012 -
" This beook helped me grasp the full meaning of parts of Wealth Of Nations. It is witty and actually an interesting read. Very suprised. It has added a book to my reading list though, Smith's Theory on Moral Sentiments. "
— L, 10/24/2012 -
" I don't think actually reading the 900 page would be any less enjoyable. "
— carl, 7/31/2011 -
" You would do well to ignore the last sentence of each paragraph, as it is the likeliest to be some of O'Rourke's "wit". "
— Ned, 7/1/2011 -
" I think this was the moment where I realized I just didn't have the tolerance for P.J. that I once did. "
— Valarie, 7/1/2011 -
" A good summary of one of the more important books in history. Not up to O'Rourke's usual standard -- starts slowly. But still a good read. "
— Michael, 6/20/2011 -
" Witty, and demonstrative of simple economic principles. A true classic in my mind. "
— Kelli, 3/6/2011 -
" A decent "reader" of a dense primary source. TWoN is definitely a book meant to be read "in", not through (As I found out after reading it in its entirety) Highlights some of the good passages. "
— Christopher, 12/16/2010 -
" Rather than wade through Adam Smith's book, I highly recommend this as an alternative. O'Rourke provides a very take on a serious subject. "
— Nedland, 12/11/2010 -
" Book on CD - not as funny as I expected. "
— Bebe, 6/28/2010 -
" Neither funny nor well-written. I did enjoy the background info on the times, but finally decided that there wasn't sufficient reward to wade through the awfulness. "
— Julia, 5/29/2010 -
" Finished just in time for my econmoics course. "
— Brent, 5/17/2010 -
" Relatively painless way to check out some Adam Smith "
— Rcharbon, 4/15/2010 -
" It is only through the talented wit of P.J. O'Rourke that an essay on Adam Smith's elephantine <em>The Wealth of Nations</em> could steer this arid subject into comical seas. 30% of the text could be used for wry Goodreads quotes. "
— Jim, 3/2/2010
About P. J. O’Rourke
P. J. O’Rourke is the author of Modern Manners, The Bachelor Home Companion, Republican Party Reptile, Holidays in Hell, Parliament of Whores, Give War a Chance, and All the Trouble in the World. He writes for Rolling Stone, Automobile, and American Spectator and lives in New Hampshire and Washington, DC.
About Michael Prichard
Michael Prichard is a Los Angeles-based actor who has played several thousand characters during his career, over one hundred of them in theater and film. He is primarily heard as an audiobook narrator, having recorded well over five hundred full-length books. His numerous awards and accolades include an Audie Award for Tears in the Darkness by Michael Norman and Elizabeth M. Norman and six AudioFile Earphones Awards. He was named a Top Ten Golden Voice by SmartMoney magazine. He holds an MFA in theater from the University of Southern California.