The book comes in two volumes and consists essentially of solicited articles on various topics central to or important in institutional and evolutionary economics. The books therefore have entries on topics such as lock-in effects, Thorstein Veblen, old and new institutional economics, etc generally written by people who are active in research in that area.

The book is terrific for orienting oneself in these growth areas of economic research, and would be an important reference for university libraries. At the price, it would be prohibitive for most students but would be useful for academics specializing or developing an interest in this area.

The entries are followed by a bibliography to assist you in chasing up further levels of detail as required after reading an entry of interest.

Some entries (Eg Macroeconomics) have several entries from several authors, and it is quite interesting to see the different points of views taken.

I need to know all about John R. Commons What did he do in all his life?, What was his best book? etc..

i've just bought the set, but don't wish to keep it for personal reasons. The set is in mint condition, would anyone like to buy it?

Make no mistake: Robbins knows his stuff, he's fair, correct, and surprisingly open-minded. However, this is a transcription of lectures, and the syntax is contorted. He interrupts the flow of every other sentence to insert some qualifier or oral footnote, and the effect can be maddening. This is too much to read for the depth of treatment you will actually get. If you do read it, you will get a pretty swell reading list, but the material is definitely weighted in favor of antiquarian literature and ancient disputes. I personally found it a pleasant read, because I like old books and economics, and I felt a certain affection for the grand old man, but unless you share these tastes, you're bound to be frustrated

This is a collection of lectures given at the LSE. So DON'T think it is a history. Nevertheless, it is a comprehensive journey from aristotle's economica thru the modern era. Good as a reference. Not bad as a read -- but be aware you are reading a transcribed lecture and adjust your expectations accordingly.

A well-organized and well-considered series of concise lectures are codified in this book. This is a substantial, but not overwhelming, chronology of the more influential contributors to economic history and thought.