The Passionate Economist

The epilogue to this excellent book states that the author sought to write both a biography and a more general history, and this is what her book offers. It is a sensitive depiction of the LSE economist Brian Abel-Smith (1926–96), a complex, intelligent and elegant man. However, the book also covers the majority of the twentieth century and offers a fascinating portrayal of the intersection between policy-making, expert circles operating in and around British universities and international organisations. Although appreciative of Abel-Smith’s character and contributions, this book is not a hagiography. The author, Sally Sheard, has a background in the history of policy-making, social medicine and healthcare in modern Britain. It is from this perspective that she approaches the biography, which offers a prism into broader discussions about the emerging field of health economics, which Abel-Smith helped to spearhead, and revisions to the National Health Service and UK pensions system over the second half of the twentieth century. His life also offers a unique lens into living as a gay man in London both before and after the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Britain in 1967

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