Unfortunately this is not the long-awaited textbook in
economic demography. Indeed, it is not so much a text - a survey and
introduction to the area - as it is a collection of essays on particular
topics, often quite advanced and difficult for all but advanced students
to follow. Also, the volume should, in all fairness, be subtitled "A
Chicago Approach" since the philosophical and theoretical orientation as
well as the methodological framework presented is totally that of the
Becker Nerlove Chicago School. Easterlin, Leibenstein and the other non
Chicago writers are mentioned only in passing. Thus, a beginner to the
field would gel no feeling for the enormous, far-ranging controversies
which continue to rage.
