First published in 1776, Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations was almost instantly recognized as the fundamental work of economics, as important as Darwin’s Origin of Species would be for natural history eighty years later. It was also recognized as really long: more than 900 pages in two volumes.

O’Rourke has waded through all of Smith’s dense work, including the 67-page “digression concerning the Variations in the value of Silver during the Course of the Four last Centuries.” In this hilarious and insightful examination of Smith and his groundbreaking work, O’Rourke puts his trademark wit to good use. He 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.