EJPE.ORG – BOOK REVIEW 132

Given the vast literature both on Hayek and his work, one may wonder what contribution can be made by yet another study of the “greatest economic philosopher of his age”.1 And yet this book endeavours something new, namely, “to connect Hayek’s life to the sentiments he expressed”. More specifically, the authors aim “to describe, interpret and integrate Hayek’s life, beliefs and philosophy”. The book differs in many ways from a conventional biography, not least because it was co-authored by a group of fifteen scholars, among them historians, economists and political scientists. With such a large and diverse collection of authors, the book certainly manages to meet its aim of offering a variety of perspectives on Hayek and his life, work and influences, as well as his impact on intellectual and political history. However, it is debatable whether these multiple perspectives succeed in presenting an integrated picture of Hayek, which was the second major aim of this ambitious project. It is hard to resist the impression tha