"All things are measured by money," said Aristotle.

Today, it seems, all things are measured by economists. The so-called "dismal science" has never been more popular - or, given its failure to predict or prevent the recent financial crisis, more controversial.

But what are the findings of economics? Is it really a science? And how can it help our lives?

Introducing Economics traces the history of the subject from the ancient Greeks to the present day. David Orrell and Borin Van Loon bring the contributions of great economists such as Adam Smith, Karl Marx, John Maynard Keynes, and Milton Friedman alive, and delve into ideas from new areas such as ecological and complexity economics that are revolutionizing the field.