The (UK) Institute of Economic Affairs has published The Collected Works of Arthur Seldon in good time. The great man died at the end of last year and his memorial service was as recent as this January. He was obituarised by many; almost all, like Simon Heffer in glowing terms, no matter what side of the political fence the commentator sits on.
Seldon was a very influential man until his dying day. He was known for his forthright opinions, predictive abilities and annoying habit of getting things right many years before anyone else caught on. His easygoing writing style makes normally turgid subjects readable and easy to comprehend.
This collection is seven volumes long and includes the ever-useful Everyman Dictionary of Economic and his treatise on Capitalism The Virtues of Capitalism.
The collected works are probably not best read back-to-back as it all can get a bit overwhelming at times. However, this collection is a wonderful examination of the economic history of both the UK and the world.
The books are available both individually and as a set of seven and they are definitely required reading for any student of economics or those interested in the subject.
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