This was Adam Smith’s first book. (As well as his last—he revised it significantly and republished it later.) It was first published in April 1759. Smith examined “a life well lived” and what it meant to be a good and happy person. He proposed that we learn the difference between good and bad behavior from one another as well as by thinking of an “impartial spectator” (some would call it our conscience) who observes and judges our behavior.