Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

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

Russ Roberts

3.93 · Rating details · 2,462 ratings · 267 reviews

A forgotten book by one of history's greatest thinkers reveals the surprising connections between happiness, virtue, fame, and fortune.

Adam Smith may have become 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 the behavior of individuals--the way we perceive ourselves, the way we treat oth ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 272 pages

Published October 13th 2015 by Portfolio (first published October 2014)

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.93 ·

Rating details

· 2,462 ratings · 267 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness

Sep 04, 2017 Amy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: and-a-half

2.5 Stars
I have mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, I appreciate the author's passion for Adam Smith and desire to convey his theories and work to modern readers.
On the other hand, one of the first things you learn in academic writing is not to bore your reader with block quotes. And this book contains many block quotes.
Russ Roberts is an Adam Smith fangirl who wishes to share his passion for the author and desires to turn Adam Smith's The Theory of Moral Sentiments into a modern d ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Oct 25, 2014 Ken Montville rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book really goes a long way in taking a work written in the mid-1700s and making it relevant for the 21st Century.

Adam Smith, of course, is famous as the father of modern economics through his book The Wealth of Nations: An Inquiry into the Nature & Causes of the Wealth of Nations. This book is based on an earlier work The Theory of Moral Sentiments in which he philosophises about human nature and human interaction.

It is amazing how similar we are now as to how we were then. How similar ou ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Dec 31, 2017 Andy rated it liked it · review of another edition

I think the author did a really nice job taking a 1700s tome I was never going to read and turning it into a little book that made some sense. There was nothing Earth-shattering in it: the main point seemed to be that happiness comes from trying to be a good person. The reason this is important though is the source—Adam Smith—who is generally used as the mouthpiece for dog-eat-dog laissez-faire materialistic capitalism.

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Apr 13, 2017 Imran Kazi rated it liked it · review of another edition

The author probably thought that his readers have an average age of twelve, I could not think of any other reason for so many explanations and elaborations on so many self-explanatory things. Or else, he wanted to give his book a respectable size.

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Apr 25, 2015 Lulu rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction

A quick, interesting read about Adam Smith's lesser-known work The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Roberts shows how Smith's advice and observations - made a few centuries ago - ring just as true today. Chapters with advice on how to make the world a better place and how to be "lovely" in Smith's sense of the word are upbeat and easy to digest. ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Nov 05, 2014 Albert W Tu rated it liked it · review of another edition

Delightful and useful

This book is easily comparable to "How Proust Can Change Your Life" and Russ Roberts mentions Alain de Botton's book as an inspiration in the acknowledgements at the end. Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments is much lesser known than Wealth of Nations but no less important. Readers will be thankful that Roberts has digested Adam Smith's difficult to read text - I love an obtusely written book and my copy of TMS has sat on the shelf unconquered for close to two decades - Delightful and useful

This book is easily comparable to "How Proust Can Change Your Life" and Russ Roberts mentions Alain de Botton's book as an inspiration in the acknowledgements at the end. Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments is much lesser known than Wealth of Nations but no less important. Readers will be thankful that Roberts has digested Adam Smith's difficult to read text - I love an obtusely written book and my copy of TMS has sat on the shelf unconquered for close to two decades - and produced a more palatable summary of Smith's major arguments. I originally questioned Roberts choice to untether himself from TMS logical sequence but finished the book untroubled, He is thankfully generous with quoting long selectionsso you get a feel for the original language.
The timelessness of Smith's guidance is what makes this book useful. The infatuation with a pocket watch is eerily similar to that of the latest smartphone. Honestly evaluating our behavior is so difficult that, "Rather than see ourselves as we truly are, we see ourselves as we would
like to be. Self deception can be more comforting tan self knowledge. We like to fool ourselves." (Roberts)
Most entertaining is Smith's guidance on the illusory benefits of celebrity and money. Smith: "The great source of both the misery and disorders of human life, seems to arise from over-rating the difference between one permanent situation and another.

Most rewarding is the idea that being good is the way to feel good. Roberts: "When we earn the admiration of others honestly by being respectable, honorable, blameless, generous, and kind, the end result is true happiness....Loveliness is an end in and of itself".

Smith's demand that we strictly adhere to the rules of justice shows how he understands human nature all too well. We are very clever at finding "special circumstances" where rule breaking is permissible, even necessary. Roberts: "Hard-and-fast rules are easier to keep than rules that are slightly relaxed. You'd think abstinence would be much harder to keep than moderation. Yet it is much easier to give up potato chips than to eat just one. Or a few."

The chapter "How to Make the World a Better Place" describes how each person can and must contribute by doing good each an every day. These small acts accrete imperceptibly but result in massive effects. The English language isn't dictated by a committee of scholars but composed of the daily usage of millions. Similarly, there are few obvious benefits to voting - the impact of an individual vote is mathematically meaningless - but millions of individual votes each election renew our democratic system.

Doing good will not only make you happy but make the world a better place? Not a bad lesson from a entertaining and well written book.
...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 24, 2014 Joel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: economics, non-fiction

Finally, an economist finishes and thoughtfully considers the other (and arguably more important) half of Adam Smith's seminal treatise on human behavior. Russ Roberts writes a wonderful narrative that weaves together the main themes of Smith's book, "The Theory of Moral Sentimants." Personally, I've struggled to get through Smith's complex rant on happiness and virtues. It's both repetitious non-linear. But Robert's analysis has convinced me that it may actually be worth the effort to slog thro Finally, an economist finishes and thoughtfully considers the other (and arguably more important) half of Adam Smith's seminal treatise on human behavior. Russ Roberts writes a wonderful narrative that weaves together the main themes of Smith's book, "The Theory of Moral Sentimants." Personally, I've struggled to get through Smith's complex rant on happiness and virtues. It's both repetitious non-linear. But Robert's analysis has convinced me that it may actually be worth the effort to slog through...eventually.

Smith became known for his observations about human self-interest and specialization, but his work on morality was largely forgotten. Interestingly, his book the "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" was written before and continually revised after his work on "The Wealth of Nations." While the latter laid a foundation for the modern study of economics, the former explored human interaction outside of commercial pursuits, and was more influential during his life.

As a student of Economics, I find this other perspective a useful addition to my education. Economics is an incredibly useful way of studying and measuring human interactions within complex systems. So useful, in fact, that it has begun to infiltrate and change the way other disciplines study human behavior. But Economics can also be cold and mechanistic, teaching its students to consider the world through the narrow prism of trade-offs and benefit-cost analyses.

Modern Economics has even given us the tools to deliberately create new ways of managing resources in areas where creating systems of exchange were once thought too difficult (e.g. the environment). Yet in the "Theory of Moral Sentiments" Smith points out us that commercial activity is bound by, and not a replacement for, a society's ethics. He reminds us that the sum of human interactions cannot be considered only through the calculation of benefits and costs. This is not only an important reminder for economists, but for anyone working in the fields of business and public policy. ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 25, 2014 Susan Walker rated it liked it · review of another edition

easy to read..."If you want to make the world a better place, work on being trustworthy, and honor those who are trustworthy. Be a good friend and surround yourself with worthy friends. Don't gossip. Resist the joke that might hurt someone/s feelings even when it's clever. And try not to laugh when your friend tells you that clever joke at someone's expense. Being good is not just good for you and those around you, but because it helps others be good as well. Set a good example, and by your love ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 08, 2018 Erik Rostad rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-books, 2021-books

Delightful book. I'm one who thinks that the original book should be read before reading books about the original, but this one was a quick read that helped set a foundation should I read the original later on. The book in question is The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith. It is his lesser-known book and was written before his more popular Wealth of Nations. Russ Roberts, author of this book, expounds on Adam Smith's contention that "Man naturally desires, not only to be loved, but to be ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Feb 14, 2015 Kimberly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy, 5-star-reads, brain-candy

This book is phenomenal! It reviews and distills Adam Smith's first book, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments." I never knew he had written such a book. This first book of Smith's iterates how wealth and fame do not assure happiness, but rather, being prudent and lovely will lead to happiness. Toward the end of the book, I started listing the people to whom I would give this book. I borrowed this book from the library, but I like it so much I am going to purchase it so I can read it again in the fut ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

May 20, 2019 Gavin rated it it was amazing

Really interesting idea of comparing Adam Smith's book with today. I know this type has become a bit of a cottage industry, but this is quite well done. Dealing with celebrity, money, and power amongst other things I found it quite relevant to life.

A long start to finish because I misplace my copy. Glad to finish though. ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 11, 2018 Tristan rated it liked it · review of another edition

I wanted to know what Adam Smith said in The Theory of Moral Sentiments, but didn't actually want to read it. Russ Robert's charming little book satisfied that urge. The take-away point is just what you'd expect from a self-help book (although you might not have expected it from the writer of The Wealth of Nations): find happiness locally, and don't pursue money and fame as ends in themselves.

Here are some favourite quotes:

"If you want to get better at what you do, if you want to get better at I wanted to know what Adam Smith said in The Theory of Moral Sentiments, but didn't actually want to read it. Russ Robert's charming little book satisfied that urge. The take-away point is just what you'd expect from a self-help book (although you might not have expected it from the writer of The Wealth of Nations): find happiness locally, and don't pursue money and fame as ends in themselves.

Here are some favourite quotes:

"If you want to get better at what you do, if you want to get better at this thing called life, you have to pay attention."

"We may be overly sensitive to our physical deformities or even the slightest physical imperfections when we look in the mirror. Our eyes are drawn to those shortcomings the way a sore tooth attracts the tongue. But our moral failings? My failings as a husband, as a father, or a son or a friend? There is apparently no mirror for those. Most of the time, I'd rather not look."

"...if you want to be rich and famous, powerful and successful, you have to give up leisure and ease and careless security forever."

"Smith understands something deep about human nature... Hard-and-fast rules are easier to keep than rules that are slightly relaxed. The opposite should be true. You'd think abstinence would be much harder to keep than moderation. Yet it is much easier to give up potato chips than to eat just one."

"Smith's vision of what sustains civilization is the stream of approval and disapproval we all provide as we respond to the conduct of those around us."

"The 'buy local' movement has been successful with a very limited number of products—food and some handcrafted items. The ability to broaden the scope of the movement is very limited. We tried buying local once; it was called the Middle Ages... There just isn't enough specialization possible with a limited set of trading partners. Self-sufficiency is the road to poverty."

"As F.A. Hayek pointed out in The Fatal Conceit, a modern person has to inhabit two worlds at the same time—a world that is intimate and a world that is distant, a world that is held together by love and a world that is held together by prices and monetary incentives."

"Looking for love? Look locally. We have precious little of it in our lives anyway. Let's reserve it for those we see every day. Love locally, trade globally." ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Feb 05, 2018 Stephen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: eudaimonia, philosophy, russ-roberts

An economist and a rabbi walk into a bar and co-author a work on the meaning of life. That's not the opening line to a joke, but a near-description of How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life. This little book gives a modern interpretation of Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, girding it with references to Rabbi Hillel. The contents are surprising, if your association of "economist" is with strictly matters financial, like stocks and trade deficits. Ironically, writes Russ Roberts, the subjects An economist and a rabbi walk into a bar and co-author a work on the meaning of life. That's not the opening line to a joke, but a near-description of How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life. This little book gives a modern interpretation of Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, girding it with references to Rabbi Hillel. The contents are surprising, if your association of "economist" is with strictly matters financial, like stocks and trade deficits. Ironically, writes Russ Roberts, the subjects economists are consulted most on, like the future health of the global economy, is what they're worst at doing. The heart of economics as originated by Adam Smith is behavioral, however, judging how people use their scarce resources to make the best life possible for themselves -- both as individuals, and with other people. The same desire for understanding that Smith applied to humans at the level of nations in The Wealth of Nations is applied more intimately to individual persons here. What do we really want?

The answer isn't money, though it can help. The Theory of Moral Sentiments contends that what people want most, what actually makes us happy, is to be loved and lovely. This isn't about romance or aesthetics; Smith's use of love encompasses respect, admiration and affection. "Lovely", too, also has a deeper meaning: it is to be worthy of respect, admiration, and affection. People not only want to be held high in the esteem of others, but they want to have earned that place. Part of Smith's argument is that each of us has an Impartial Observer in our heads, an ethereally human figure who is constantly watching, judging, and arguing with us. A conscience, so to speak, a means through which we can evaluate our own actions or behavior from an outside perspective, to see ourselves as we are being seen. This conscience is not perfect -- it can be lied to and argued with through justifications of our behavior -- but unless its voice is smothered and distorted by our own willful actions, it is invaluable. We can strengthen the observer by reflecting on the behavior of others -- when we see them acting irrationally, we can turn our analysis on ourselves, to see that behavior which we dislike present in our own actions. We can use this impartial observer to help not fool ourselves, to help us become lovelier -- and so, loved. The impartial observer rings a bell for me in part because of past readings into primate social behavior, particularly the fact that chimpanzees and such will often act in private in ways that strongly imply they are imagining what the consequences of their being caught in unsocial behavior would be. I suspect that this observer is some kind of internal-audit tool of our socially-oriented brains, useful for anticipating how our behavior will be interpreted by others.

Students of schools of Greek philosophy like Stoicism -- which regarded moral excellence or virtue as its own reward -- will recognize the 'virtue' of Smith's loveliness straightaway. Epicureans, who regarded simple pleasures as the key to the good life, will also find an ally in Smith, when he asks: "What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?". Smith regarded the chase for fame, power, and gadgets and goods as self-defeating. These itches are insatiable, leading us to constant torment as we try to reach greater and greater levels. Even those who reach the top must find it a hollow victory, judging by the inner lives and outer behavior of celebrities, politicians, and such. If we understand our core desires, however -- this yearning to be loved and lovely -- we can be conscious of when we are attempting to fill the real need with ersatz praise, in admiration for our things rather than ourselves.

Those who have an interest in human flourishing will definitely find this little book worth their attention.
...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 19, 2015 Michele rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book is the closest I've ever encountered to a beach read about the work of Adam Smith. Roberts explores how Smith's other, lesser known book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, applies the same perspective as the Wealth of Nations on how human nature is rather than how it should be, this time with a look at human societies instead of just economies. If you don't have time to read Smith's book yourself, you should read this -- and even if you have, it's worth a read (and a re-read). If you hav ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 16, 2015 Angie Boyter rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

One of those wonderful books that is very easy to read but has deep ideas. It is fascinating how modern Adam Smith sounds once you get past the vocabulary.
Reread September 2016 for the Sunday Philosophers. Enjoyed it as much the second time around. Makes me want to read Smith's book (I enjoyed the Wealth of Nations in college.) ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 26, 2015 Ana-shea Fann rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is one of the most user-friendly books I've ever read regarding Adam Smith. Russ Roberts is a phenomenal writer, the subject is wonderful, and I would recommend this to economists and non-economists alike. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

May 06, 2015 Nick Breen rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Summary: Adam Smith wrote the book which formed modern capitalism, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, generally referred to by its shortened title The Wealth of Nations. He wrote a second book that isn’t nearly as popular: The Theory of moral sentiments. This book disects the theory or moral sentiments and it gives modern day examples. At a high level, Adam Smith’s is summed up as love locally, trade globally.

Should you read the book: No, my highlights or any other ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jul 08, 2020 Henrik Haapala rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: how-to-make-better-decisions-2020, new-perspective-2020, how-to, self-help-2020, wisdom, favorites, knowledge, books-to-give, how-to-2020

How did i find this book?
It was recommended by interesting people.

Why read?
“Make friends with the eminent dead” is great advice and Adam Smith certainly fits that description. I’ve vaguely been aware of his ethical or practical philosophy book - I now see its an indispensable, magnificent classic. So of course my advice is buy the classic book and this at the same time.

“The Theory of moral sentiments” was first published in 1759 and went through six editions. The last one published 1790 the year ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 13, 2019 Trung rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"While few people still read "The Wealth of Nations", fewer read or have even heard of Adam Smith's "The Theory of Moral Sentiments"

What is the Good Life?
What role does Virtue play?
Where Morality comes from and Why people can act with Decency and Virtue even when it conflicts with their own self-interest?

Even though people can be pretty Selfish, they do care about other people's happiness.

The book changed the way I looked at people, and maybe more important, it changed the way I looked at myself ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 19, 2018 Putu Sita Witari rated it really liked it · review of another edition

To my surprise, I spent a week with an economist through Russ Roberts - an economist researcher's eyes. It was daunting at first knowing the background of where the philosophies come from, but page by page diminish the intensity. With his relaxing way in collaborating the second masterpiece of Adam Smith's book 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments' with our daily life situations, I am hooked on how much life lessons I gain from this book. Though they serve as a gentle reminder to readers, everyone wo ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 17, 2019 Dio Mavroyannis rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: wtr-philo, wtr-pol-phil

The little thought examples that are talked about such as cutting your finger vs people suffering elsewhere are very interesting but they are mostly in the begining. The rest of the book is mostly about how you should not care so much about money. I found that it dragged a bit, the book should have been half the length for how many ideas it explores. Better yet it should have just been "the theory of moral sentiments" but annotated. But I guess Americans are obsessed with putting their names on ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Apr 17, 2020 Farhad Ahmad rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A very insightful book on how we can implement Adman Smith's suggestion in the 21st Century lifestyle; and a comparison of today's life and the 18th Century one. Russ goes into detailed discussion of how our decisions are influenced by our gadgets and our relationships with people, and how we got things for granted. While, some of the gadgets and relationships are means to some end. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 24, 2020 Andrew Haines rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Makes me want to finally read T.O.M.S.

Russ does a great job of showing the humane side of Smith. As we know, Smith is often straw-manned into seeming like a heartless capitalist pig. Russ shows us otherwise. I’m going to have to read Theory of Moral Sentiments now. It’s been on my shelf for years.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 31, 2017 Brian rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Think of this as "Adam Smith for Dummies" although it's still a very rich read. More accessible/understandable than the style of writing used in the 1700's (admit it, you struggle with it also...) this book is a guided tour that makes for a much easier journey through the original text. Russ Roberts does an excellent job of leading you through the densely-but-beautifully-written original book, making great observations along the way.

I slogged through Adam Smith's more well known book (The Wealth ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 27, 2020 Janelle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I very much appreciate the connecting explanations of this highly condensed version of Adam Smith's original work. I would have likely understood the original writing style and vocabulary, but this makes Smith's fantastic philosophy accessible to everyone, and that is who should read and apply this - everyone. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2019 Tom Mobley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Fascinating book.

Lots of good points to consider.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 22, 2019 Brian Denton rated it liked it · review of another edition

Listened to this on the drive from South Carolina to Florida. I liked it. Really spoke to my wife now. She wants it on her Audible.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 11, 2020 Janet Bufton rated it really liked it · review of another edition

An engaging an easy read outlining the contributions to moral philosophy by Adam Smith for those who aren't inclined to read The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Hopefully one that will inspire readers to reconsider that inclination. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Dec 03, 2014 Darren rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Most people will have heard of Adam Smith and possibly have a vague recollection that he was responsible for a classic economics text. Students of economics and related subjects would be best advised to give up now if their reaction is Adam Who?

So this was a surprisingly quirky, different book that draws on a lesser-known Smith book to show how we can live better lives in the 21st century. Yes, it seemed a miraculous, brave claim to make but as you dig through the text it does make a fair bit of Most people will have heard of Adam Smith and possibly have a vague recollection that he was responsible for a classic economics text. Students of economics and related subjects would be best advised to give up now if their reaction is Adam Who?

So this was a surprisingly quirky, different book that draws on a lesser-known Smith book to show how we can live better lives in the 21st century. Yes, it seemed a miraculous, brave claim to make but as you dig through the text it does make a fair bit of sense. Whether the 1759 edition of "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" can be the greatest self-help book you've never read or heard of is debatable - but certainly it was an interesting way to spend a few autumnal, stormy evenings.

This reviewer is a bit sceptical about self-help books, probably due to a large number of them attracting authors who make P.T. Barnum seem a model of probity and rectitude. I would not have described this as a typical self-help book in any case - and that is a good thing. Quite why this book didn't achieve greater acclaim at the time is unknown. One can concur with the author that the book does make you change how you look at yourself and other people. The advice does not seem patronising or quaint, even viewed with the more cynical 21st century mind and backed by experiences that Smith could never even dream of. Yet there are many elements of "moral sentiments" that absolutely do relate to society, economics and the whole circle of life.

This is more than just a reprint of an old book. It has been sensitively, carefully and emotively interpreted and made accessible, brought "up to date" and focussed to modern-day situations. Some of the fairly obvious findings are scarily right, such as our typical reaction to news about an earthquake that might claim tens of thousands of lives. There will probably be a very brief reaction, backed maybe by a microsecond of concern (unless you have a specific connection to the area) and then you are back focussing on more pressing problems such as a sports game for your child, answering an email and possibly arguing over chores. Yet we are not purposefully being cold and heartless. We just don't see and make a connection. Why should we?

Nearly 300 years ago Smith noted that we felt worse, much worse, about the prospect of losing our little finger than we did about the death of a multitude of strangers far away. Then the world was much smaller and news travelled a lot slower - if at all - how many of us would pick up a year-old newspaper and react to a tragedy that was a big deal to many. It is human nature. It doesn't mean that we don't care. Arguably we might actually care marginally more today, our emotions being pricked by television pictures of a tragedy beamed direct to our desktop, our living room or our mobile phone. A few lines in a newspaper about something that happened months ago, to people we've never met, might be easier to digest.

When you look at what the author was rationalising then and compare it to modern-day society, we are not living in a significantly different time. The nature and the focus will be different, yet the core sentiments, feelings and behaviours are remarkably unchanged.
Reviewing a book of this kind can be difficult since you can't take a task such as learning to program in C and consider how easy the book made it. There are many elements you can compare, contrast and filter on. A book of this kind is different. It gets you thinking, it gives many good examples to evidence its claims and thoughts. It might even have you learning new things and considering matters in a different light. But will it work for you...? That is a rather binary, personal valuation.

It was an enjoyable find. One of those unexpected things you might have passed by without noticing yet once you've browsed a page or two you will find it difficult to put down and it will leave its mark on you. For less than the cost of a movie ticket, you are getting a very good deal. If only a typical film could leave such a deep impression - not bad for something that is based on something from nearly three hundred years ago.

How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life, written by Russ Roberts and published by Portfolio/Penguin Group USA. ISBN 9781591846840, 272 pages. YYYY ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 10, 2017 Puck rated it liked it · review of another edition

I got this as an audible daily deal. It's not what I expected, when I started it I thought "Oh no, self help" it's not that either really.

I found it quite interesting - it has some wonderful insights into human nature.

Standing at Edinburgh Castle's wall and looking out over the city listening to this book, as it explained Smith's theories of contentment on a sunny day was a pretty special moment.

I don't know how far out of my way I would go to read this one if I'm honest. I don't 100% agree w ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Philosophy

127 users

Economics

106 users

Nonfiction

87 users

Self Help

32 users

Business

29 users

Psychology

27 users

History

19 users

Self Help > Personal Development

13 users

Biography

6 users

Sociology

6 users

See top shelves…

About Russ Roberts

Russ Roberts

128 followers

Russ Roberts is the John and Jean De Nault Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He hosts EconTalk, a weekly award-winning podcast. His Keynes-Hayek rap videos (created with John Papola) have been viewed more than 6 million times on YouTube. His blog is Cafe Hayek. His latest web-based project is The Numbers Game, on which he discusses data and charts using annotated videos.

Roberts is the aut ...more

Books by Russ Roberts

The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism

Gambling with Other People’s Money: How Perverse Incentives Caused the Financial Crisis

The Invisible Heart: An Economic Romance

The Price of Everything: A Parable of Possibility and Prosperity

Jak Adam Smith moze odmienic Twoje zycie: Zaskakujace rozwazania o ludzkiej naturze i szczesciu

More…

News & Interviews

75 Debut Novels to Discover in 2021

Readers have a lot to look forward to this year! Just feast your eyes upon all of these debut books to check out and emerging authors to...

Trivia About How Adam Smith Ca...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from How Adam Smith Ca...

“The Universe is full of dots. Connect the right ones and you can draw anything. The important question is not whether the dots you picked are really there, but why you chose to ignore all the others.” — 17 likes

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool.” — 14 likes

More quotes…

See a Problem?

Preview — How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life by Russ Roberts

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

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Russ Roberts

Books by Russ Roberts

News & Interviews

Trivia About How Adam Smith Ca...

Quotes from How Adam Smith Ca...

See a Problem?

Preview — How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life by Russ Roberts

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

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Russ Roberts

Books by Russ Roberts

News & Interviews

Trivia About How Adam Smith Ca...

Quotes from How Adam Smith Ca...

new topic
Discuss This Book