Legacies of Great Economists

The DVD arrived in good condition

This an excellent blend of history and economics. Professor Taylor delivers the information clearly, concisely and enthusiastically. Knowing the history of economics helps put modern issues in perspective.

With only 10 lectures to work with, this course faces limitations, but Taylor has chosen his material well and thus manages to provide a very good introductory historical survey of Western economic thinking. Taylor is a very enthusiastic lecturer with an evident love of the subject, and this keeps things interesting and stimulating for the audience - a real plus, given that economics can easily become dry and boring if not presented with great care.One precaution. Despite the very good job Taylor has done, one can still finish the course wondering if one has actually gained any insights which are clear and useful. But I wouldn't fault Taylor for that, because the relative immaturity of economics as an academic subject makes conceptual messiness inevitable. In other words, it's not Taylor's fault.If you're interested in economics, I highly recommend the course; the historical presentation and Taylor's enthusiasm will make the course enjoyable. If you don't really know whether you're interested in economics, I'd still recommend the course because the course is a good appetizer with which you can judge how much the subject appeals to you.

It has been a few years since I listened to this course. I bought this as an audio download and burned the MP3s to CD.This course gives an excellent overview of the history of economic thought. I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend  A History of the U.S. Economy in the 20th Century  by the same professor.