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  • Title: Principles of Economics, Book 1: Preliminary Survey
  • Author: Alfred Marshall
  • Narrator: LibriVox Volunteers
  • Length: 0.088969907
  • Version: Abridged
  • Release Date: 10-Jan
  • Publisher: LibriVox
  • Genre: Business & Economics, Economics
  • ISBN13: SABLIB9787905

Dear readers and listeners,

The LibriVox audiobook of Alfred Marshall’s “Principles of Economics, Book 1: Preliminary Survey” offers a rare opportunity to engage with one of the most influential economic texts of all time through audio format. As someone deeply interested in the foundations of economic thought, I found this recording to be both intellectually stimulating and surprisingly accessible.

Marshall, often called “the father of scientific economics” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Marshall), published his masterwork in 1890, and it remained the dominant economics textbook in England for decades. What makes this audiobook particularly valuable is how it captures Marshall’s methodical approach to reconciling classical and neoclassical economic theories.

The narration by LibriVox volunteers, while varying slightly in style across chapters, maintains clarity throughout the 2-hour and 7-minute recording. I especially appreciated how the readers handled Marshall’s precise language and complex ideas without sacrificing comprehensibility. The chapter on “Economic Generalizations or Laws” particularly resonated with me, as it establishes Marshall’s nuanced view of economic principles as tendencies rather than rigid laws.

What struck me most was how Marshall’s emphasis on time as a factor in economic analysis remains relevant today. His careful distinction between short-term and long-term economic forces provides a framework that still helps explain market behaviors we observe in our modern economy.

The audiobook’s abridged format (just over 2 hours) makes it more digestible than tackling the full written text, though serious students will want to supplement with the original. For those interested in the history of economic thought or seeking to understand the foundations of modern microeconomics, this LibriVox recording offers an excellent entry point to Marshall’s influential ideas.

This audiobook serves as a reminder that good economic thinking isn’t just about mathematical models but about understanding human behavior and social welfare—a perspective that gives Marshall’s work enduring value beyond its historical significance.

Warmest regards,
Prof. Emily Chen