John Kenneth Galbraith, the renowned economist and cultural critic, is one of the most important and distinguished thinkers of our time. For five decades his elegantly written books, including such classics as The Affluent Society, The Age of Uncertainty, The Great Crash, and The New Industrial State, have shaped our understanding of the world and the very nature of public discourse.The Essential Galbraith includes key selections from many of Galbraith's most important works — from the groundbreaking Affluent Society, in which he coined the term "conventional wisdom," to The Great Crash, an unsurpassed account of the events that triggered America's worst economic crisis. Galbraith's new introductions to each of the essays place the works in their historical moment and make clear their enduring relevance for the new century. The Essential Galbraith will delight old admirers and introduce one of our most beloved writers to a new generation of readers. It is also an indispensable resource for scholars and students of economics, history, and politics, offering unparalleled access to the seminal writings of an extraordinary thinker.