Overview book about economic theories I'm looking for a good book that gives an (introductory) overview about the existing economic theories and the different schools of thought (optimally with focus to those that affect governments and institutions). Presentations that use  mathematical formalisms and that give a little bit of historical background to the respective theory are very welcome. I don't have any economic education, so I am hoping that there exist some "standard works" that compare the different theories and schools of thought.
Snowdon and Vane "Modern Macroeconomics: Its Origins, Development And Current State" is probably the best book I have read which gives a clear exposition of all the major macroeoconomic schools from the classicals to the New Keynesians. It highlights what the different schools have contributed to modern macroeoconomics and compares them to the other schools. They even include interviews with economists such as Robert Lucas Jr. and Milton Friedman to mention a few. I guess this is exactly the book you are looking for and to be honest I think every single person studying economics should read this book. It is not an introductionary economics book but I think most people should be able to read and understand it.