Our understanding of the historical origins of economic growth has been revolutionized in recent years by historical research, by better data, and by theoretical work in both economics and political science. The new literature casts doubt on widely cited sources of evidence for long-run economic growth, and it has implications not just for variations of wealth and inequality in the past but for the future as well. It sheds light on how politics and political institutions affect long-run economic growth and patterns of inequality and on what policies will help spur economic growth with benefits that are widely shared. The three recent books reviewed here all speak to these issues.