This volume investigates the intersection of law, economics, and literature to determine how classic novels illuminate the role of money and economic upheaval in human affairs. The editors, Alison L. LaCroix, Saul Levmore, and Martha C. Nussbaum, curate sixteen essays from diverse disciplinary experts to analyze how economic shifts—ranging from the Industrial Revolution to the Great Depression—are reflected in canonical fiction. By applying legal and economic frameworks to literary texts, the contributors argue that literature provides unique insights into the human experience of financial systems and social change.

Scholars and students frequently highlight this volume as a significant contribution to the law and literature movement, noting its utility in bridging the gap between humanities and social sciences. Readers often observe the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for those interested in the rigorous application of economic theory to narrative structures.