Macroeconomics Books

Book SynopsisWhen planning for the future we often ask, "What will the economy be doing this time next year?" Or, "What will be different ten years from now?" But forecasting is hard. The important events that will shape the future are inherently unpredictable. Instead, we should be asking a different question: What will be the same ten years from now? What will be the same one hundred years from now? Knowledge of the things that never change is more useful, and more important, than an uncertain prediction of an unknowable future. In Same As Ever, bestselling author Morgan Housel shares 24 short stories about the ways that life, behaviour, and business will always be the same. Armed with this knowledge of the unchanging, you will have a powerful new ability to think about risk, opportunity, and how to navigate the uncertainty of the future. As you see familiar themes repeat again and again in the years ahead, you'll find yourself nodding and saying, "Yep, same as ever."

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Book SynopsisHow did Gross domestic product (GDP) become the world''s most influential indicator? Why does it still remain the primary measure of societal progress despite being widely criticised for not considering well-being or sustainability? Why have the many beyond-GDP alternatives not managed to effectively challenge GDP''s dominance? The success of GDP and the failure of beyond-GDP lies in their underlying communities. The macro-economic community emerged in the aftermath of the Great Depression and WWII. This community formalised their ''language'' in the System of National Accounts (SNA) which provided the global terminology with which to communicate. On the other hand, beyond-GDP is a heterogeneous community which speaks in many dialects, accents and languages. Unless this changes, the ''beyond-GDP cottage industry'' will never beat the ''GDP-multinational''. This book proposes a new roadmap to 2030, detailing how to create a multidisciplinary Wellbeing and Sustainability Science (WSS) with a common language, the System of Global and National Accounts (SGNA).Trade Review'This book shows why a 'beyond-GDP world' is needed and how it can be built. A must-read contribution to the move towards a sustainable future.' Enrico Giovannini, Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata and former Minister of Labour and Social Policies in the Italian government'In crisp prose, Rutger Hoekstra conveys an important message. We won't convince policy makers to look beyond GDP simply by multiplying the production of well-being indicators. Something more is clearly needed.' Marco Mira d'Ercole, Head of Household Statistics, OECD'This book by environmental economist Hoekstra does not only offer a good read and an excellent introduction to the big debate about GDP and beyond GDP. It also provides a clear strategy to make beyond-GDP much more effective and to learn from the success of GDP as an indicator and language.' Frits Bos, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economics Policy Analysis and author of The National Accounts as a Tool for Analysis and Policy: in View of History, Economic Theory and Data Compilation Issues'There are many publications criticising, for the right or for the wrong reasons, GDP and national accounts. But hardly anyone comes up with a valid way-out. Rutger Hoekstra not only puts forward a well thought-out alternative, but also provides a strategy for replacing the hegemony of GDP. Will it work?' Peter van de Ven, Head of National Accounts, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development'This is a powerful and timely contribution to the debate about how to move beyond GDP - and what to use instead - in seeking to understand the economy and bring about improvements in people's lives. There is no question that the conventional economic statistics have outlived their use; they obscure rather than enlighten. The importance of this book is in its thoughtful and detailed proposals for change.' Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy, University of Cambridge and author of GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History'The beyond-GDP discussion has been raging on for decades, and progress has been slow. Drawing upon years of experience as a high-level international statistician, Rutger Hoekstra offers an original and highly informed view from the trenches on the why and how. His innovative and ambitious proposal for a way out deserves to be widely read and discussed.' Marcel Timmer, Director of the Groningen Growth and Development Centre (GGDC), Rijksuniversiteit Groningen'I therefore cannot recommend highly enough environmental economist Rutger Hoekstra's book Replacing GDP by 2030. In my view it is the most interesting and thoroughly evidence based approach to taking the debate on replacing GDP forward. It should be required reading for every economic minister and spokesperson as well as every research body in Scotland.' Roger Mullin, The NationalTable of ContentsPart I. Why A New Strategy Is Needed; 1. Replacing the most influential indicator in the world; 2. Why is GDP successful?; 3. What does GDP measure (and what does it not)?; 4. Why is beyond-GDP not successful?; Part II. The New Strategy: A Community for Well-being and Sustainability: 5. Outline of the strategy; 6. Global environmental accounts (GENA); 7. Global societal accounts (GSA); 8. Global economic accounts (GECA); 9. Global distribution accounts (GDA); 10. Global quality accounts (GQA) and quality indicators; 11. Implementation of the strategy.

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Book SynopsisThe new European edition of Mankiw''s bestselling and highly readable text communicates the theories and models of macroeconomics in a concise and accessible way, with real-world examples, discussions and case studies. The text is fully updated with extensive coverage of the global financial crisis and in particular its impact on European economies.

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Book SynopsisEconomics is too important to be left to the experts. But if we understand our economic system, we can change it. An insider's guide to our broken economy and how it really works.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Irwin outlines [the] long evolution of trade politics from the mercantilist 1640s to the present, when Trump has made trade controversial again by arguing for a renewal of protectionist policies. [His] chronicle--lengthy, detailed, and readable--traces the winding trail that has brought us to the liberal world trading order we enjoy today."--George Melloan, Wall Street Journal "At a time when Washington's approach to trade seems poised to undergo a significant shift, this magisterial book surveys the entire history of US trade policy since the Colonial era, using congressional debates and actions to show how conflicting domestic economic interests have led Americans to clash repeatedly over trade."--Foreign Affairs, Best of Books 2018 (01/02/2019) "Tells the history of American trade policy, showing that trade is neither dull nor deserving of the attacks on it. . . . As Mr Irwin spins this grand narrative, he also debunks trade-policy myths."--Economist "At a time when concerns about trade wars unsettle financial markets and engage media pundits, those seeking a deeper understanding may choose to consult Irwin's hefty volume."--EH.net "Irwin's magnum opus . . . is already a classic. Given the prominent role trade is playing in politics right now, it is also very timely. At almost seven hundred pages, Clashing over Commerce looks intimidating. But once you start reading, it isn't. Irwin tells a coherent story that spans generations, showcasing the prominent personalities in the great trade debate, their larger philosophical and economic arguments, and the legislation and policies they fought over. It hits on all levels."-- (01/02/2019) "Other histories have been written about US trade policy, but Irwin's is the most comprehensive and useful for guiding our current decision making on trade. . . . Irwin combines scholarly analysis with a historian's eye for trends and colorful details. This book is readable and illuminating, for the trade expert and for all Americans wanting a deeper understanding of America's evolving role in the global economy." --National Review "Clashing over Commerce is a magisterial book. Irwin takes readers through the long story of American trade policy with keen insight and a sense for historical significance."--I. M. Destler, University of Maryland "Clashing over Commerce is a very impressive book. Besides a detailed history of trade policy, it provides a general picture of American political and economic history."--Regulation "This is, without a doubt, the most comprehensive discussion of trade policy since Taussig's immensely influential Tariff History of the United States. Irwin describes the profound evolution of American trade policy from colonial times to the present, bringing up to date with the most recent empirical research and the emergence of a broader trade policy. In its breadth and depth, Clashing over Commerce represents a major contribution."--Jeremy Atack, Vanderbilt University

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Book SynopsisFor a century, economists have driven forward the cause of globalization in financial institutions, labour markets, and trade. Yet there have been consistent warning signs that a global economy and free trade might not always be advantageous. Where are the pressure points? What could be done about them? Dani Rodrik examines the back-story from its seventeenth-century origins through the milestones of the gold standard, the Bretton Woods Agreement, and the Washington Consensus, to the present day. Although economic globalization has enabled unprecedented levels of prosperity in advanced countries and has been a boon to hundreds of millions of poor workers in China and elsewhere in Asia, it is a concept that rests on shaky pillars, he contends. Its long-term sustainability is not a given. The heart of Rodrik''s argument is a fundamental ''trilemma'': that we cannot simultaneously pursue democracy, national self-determination, and economic globalization. Give too much power to governmentsTrade ReviewReview from previous edition This book takes on the biggest issue of our time - globalization - and eloquently enlarges the debate about the extent and limits of global cooperation * Gordon Brown, MP *In this powerfully argued book, Dani Rodrik makes the case for country-specific paths to economic development and saner, more sustainable forms of growth. A provocative look at the excesses of hyper-globalization, The Globalization Paradox should be required reading for those who seek to prevent the financial crises and unfair trade practices that feed the backlash against open markets * Nouriel Roubini, co-author of Crisis Economics: A Crash Course in the Future of Finance *Dani Rodrik may be globalization's most prominent - and most thoughtful - gadfly. In The Globalization Paradox, he wonders aloud whether extreme globalization undermines democracy - and vice-versa. Read it and you'll wonder, too * Alan S. Blinder, former Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve *His excellent new book is a sequel to an earlier book about the often disruptive impact of international trade on national labor markets and social policies. The new book develops and extends this theme to include financial globalization... Rodrik concludes by considering how the world economy might be reformed * Robert Rowthorn, Finance and Development *His message is nuanced and rigorous, drawing on history, logic and the latest economic data, he manages to convey it in simple, powerful prose tht any reader can follow * Steven Pearlstein, The Washington Post *Simply the best recent treatment of the globalization dilemma. . . he gives us nothing less than a general theory of globalization, development, democracy, and the state. The book provides the pleasure of following a thoughtful, critical mind working through a complex puzzle. Rodrik writes in highly friendly and nontechnical prose, blending a wide-ranging knowledge of economic history and politics and a gentle, occasionally incredulous, skepticism about the narrow and distorting lens of his fellow economists * Robert Kuttner, The American Prospect *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Recasting Globalization's Narrative ; 1. Of States and Markets: Globalization in History's Mirror ; 2. The Rise and Fall of the First Great Globalization ; 3. Why Doesn't Everyone Get the Case for Free Trade? ; 4. Bretton Woods, GATT, and the WTO: Trade in a Politicized World ; 5. Financial Globalization Follies ; 6. The Foxes and Hedgehogs of Finance ; 7. Poor Countries in a Rich World ; 8. Trade Fundamentalism in the Tropics ; 9. The Political Trilemma of the World Economy ; 10. Is Global Governance Feasible? Is It Desirable? ; 11. Designing Capitalism ; 12. A Sane Globalization ; Afterword: A Bedtime Story for Grown-ups

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Book SynopsisThe study of macroeconomics can seem a daunting project. The field is complex and sometimes poorly defined and there are a variety of competing approaches. It is easy for the senior bachelor and starting master student to get lost in the forest of macroeconomics and the mathematics it uses extensively. Foundations of Modern Macroeconomics is a guide book for the interested and ambitious student. Non-partisan in its approach, it deals with all the major topics, summarising the important approaches and providing the reader with a coherent angle on all aspects of macroeconomic thought. Each chapter deals with a separate area of macroeconomics, and each contains a summary section of key points and a further reading list. Using nothing more than undergraduate mathematical skills, it takes the student from basic IS-LM style macro models to the state of the art literature on Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium, explaining the mathematical tricks used where they are first introduced. Fully Trade ReviewReview from previous edition This book will be an extremely valuable addition to the reading list for core graduate macroeconomics courses. It provides a fair and balanced account of the different schools of macroeconomic thought and the current state of the discipline. A large number of topics are treated; the sections which cover technical material are particularly praiseworthy. The authors convey a sense of enthusiasm about the subject and show that macroeconomics can, indeed, be exciting * Professor John Fender, University of Birmingham *This is a good addition to the textbook market. The coverage of topics is comprehensive and it takes students from an intermediate to graduate level with commendable ease * Shaun Hargreaves Heap, University of East Anglia *A remarkably clear and coherent presentation of nearly all the analytical and conceptual tools one needs to be a good macroeconomist, from the short run to the long run, from simple to more complex models, from the closed to the open economy. An impressive tour de force. * Olivier Blanchard, Robert Solow Professor of Economics, Emeritus, MIT; Fred Bergsten Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics *This wonderful book provides a balanced and accessible account of modern macroeconomic theory. Both neoclassical and New Keynesian theories are presented in a consistent framework. Graduate students as well as advanced undergraduate students will find it an invaluable source of information. * Dirk Krueger, Professor, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania *This textbook fills a much needed gap between standard intermediate macro textbooks and the more advanced ones used in Ph.D training. It takes the student by the hand to lift them out of IS-LM and introduce them gently to the tools used in todays macroeconomic research. * Professor David de la Croix, Professor of Economics, Université catholique de Louvain *Table of ContentsINTERMEDIATE MACROECONOMICS; TOWARDS ADVANCED MACROECONOMICS; STOCHASTIC GENERAL EQUILIBRIUM MACROECONOMICS; MATHEMATICAL APPENDIX

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Book SynopsisThis text provides a comprehensive analysis of contemporary macroeconomics, within a European and global context. The authors balance the theoretical aspects with up-to-date policy examples throughout, allowing the reader to relate the concepts to their own economic environment.Trade ReviewBurda and Wyplosz have done a marvelous job for this eighth edition by further tweaking what has long since been an outstanding foundational book in macroeconomics. Macroeconomics: A European Text is superb in striking the right balance between theory and evidence and it remains peerless in integrating open economy aspects to the macroeconomics curriculum. The book continuous to be the go-to book for equipping undergraduate students with the thinking tools needed for understanding modern macroeconomics. * Mark Weder, Professor of Economics, Aarhus University *An excellent introduction to macroeconomics. It explains advanced concepts in easily understood models and language, with applications to real-world problems that helps students grow into mature economists. Many of Europe's economic challenges are different from those of the United States and other advanced countries, because of its unique nature of a large market made up of several smaller entities that have discretion over many aspects of economic management. It is most welcome to find a book that addresses these issues within a rigorous, yet approachable framework, that can help the reader engage in a well-informed discourse about our future. * Sir Christopher Pissarides, Regius Professor of Economics, London School of Economics *This is a superb and engaging macroeconomics text for those interested in Europe. It contains plenty of theory, empirics and case studies with excellent sections on income distribution and the global financial crisis. To be recommended strongly for those who want to teach macroeconomics for the real world. * Rick Van der Ploeg ,Professor of Economics, Oxford University *

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Book SynopsisThis original and panoramic book proposes that the underlying forces of demography and globalisation will shortly reverse three multi-decade global trends – it will raise inflation and interest rates, but lead to a pullback in inequality. “Whatever the future holds”, the authors argue, “it will be nothing like the past”. Deflationary headwinds over the last three decades have been primarily due to an enormous surge in the world’s available labour supply, owing to very favourable demographic trends and the entry of China and Eastern Europe into the world’s trading system. This book demonstrates how these demographic trends are on the point of reversing sharply, coinciding with a retreat from globalisation. The result? Ageing can be expected to raise inflation and interest rates, bringing a slew of problems for an over-indebted world economy, but is also anticipated to increase the share of labour, so that inequality falls. Covering many social and political factors, as well as those that are more purely macroeconomic, the authors address topics including ageing, dementia, inequality, populism, retirement and debt finance, among others. This book will be of interest and understandable to anyone with an interest on where the world’s economy may be going. Trade Review“Charles Goodhart and Manon Pradhan have provided us an impressively articulated, well-reasoned, and thoroughly researched tour de force of the demographic forces that have impacted the evolution of the world economy and their interrelationships over the past 100 years or so … . the research and thoughtful analysis provide the reader with an insightful window into the policy problems facing developing and emerging economies alike as we face the future.” (Robert Eisenbeis, Business Economics, Vol. 56, 2021)“I appreciate the global scope of this book and its emphasis on the complexity and interconnectedness of the global economy. This is the kind of long-term thinking that economists, policymakers, and others may find beneficial.” (insurancenewsnet.com, June 25, 2021)“I think this is a very good forecast. … The book interestingly comments on an implied cycle in the standing of macroeconomics and macroeconomists. … their argument is well worth pondering and entering into our considerations of the biggest economic risks ahead.” (Alex J. Pollock, Law & Liberty, lawliberty.org, May 18, 2021)“The Great Demographic Reversal is packed with informative charts and tables. It presents a powerful, well-argued challenge to the ‘mainstream’ view that low growth, inflation and nominal interest rates are here to stay. Above all, its message that everyday economics needs to take demography seriously is surely correct.” (Diane Coyle, Financial Times, December 2, 2020)“This thought-provoking book is a great read, and there is no need to be an economist to enjoy it.” (Philip Turner, Central Banking, centralbanking.com, November 16, 2020)“It is a pleasure to read a book this well argued. There is a good deal of careful analysis and there are lots of tables and graphs.” (Charles Taylor, Financial World, November 2020-January 2021)Table of Contents1. Introduction.- 2. China: A Historic Mobilization Ends.- 3. The Great Demographic Reversal and its Effect on Future Growth.- 4. Dependency, Dementia and the Coming Crisis of Caring.- 5. The Likely Resurgence of Inflation.- 6. The Determination of (Real) Interest Rates during the Great Reversal.- 7. Inequality and the Rise of Populism.- 8. The Phillips Curve.- 9. “Why Didn’t It Happen in Japan?”: A Revisionist History of Japan’s Evolution.- 10. What Could Offset Global Ageing? India/Africa, Participation and Automation.- 11. The Debt Trap: Can We Avoid It?.- 12. A Switch from Debt to Equity Finance?.- 13. Future Policy Problems: Old Age and Taxes, and the Monetary-Fiscal Clash.- 14. Swimming Against the (Main)Stream.

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Book SynopsisThis updated and expanded third edition explains the economic realities of the airline industry and the challenges that the sector now faces to decarbonise aviation.

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Book SynopsisThe transformative effect of technological change on households and culture, seen from a macroeconomic perspective through simple economic models.In Evolving Households, Jeremy Greenwood argues that technological progress has had as significant an effect on households as it had on industry. Taking a macroeconomic perspective, Greenwood develops simple economic models to study such phenomena as the rise in married female labor force participation, changes in fertility rates, the decline in marriage, and increased longevity. These trends represent a dramatic transformation in everyday life, and they were made possible by advancements in technology. Greenwood also addresses how technological progress can cause social change.Greenwood shows, for example, how electricity and labor-saving appliances freed women from full-time household drudgery and enabled them to enter the labor market. He explains that fertility dropped when higher wages increased the opportunity co

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWinner of the 2017 PROSE Award in Economics, Association of American Publishers Selected for Canada's Financial Post Best Personal Finance and Economics Books of 2016 One of Bloomberg's Best Books of 2016 One of Financial Times (FT.com) Best Economics Books of 2016 Longlisted for the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year 2016 "In a brilliant and lucid new book, The Curse of Cash, the Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff gives a fascinating and thorough account of the argument against cash."--John Lanchester, New York Times Magazine "An excellent book on the history and the origins of cash, which also goes into much depth on the issue of cash constraining monetary policy."--Jon Hartley, Forbes.com "The great accomplishment of his book is that his arguments are convincing... It's clear and coherent, and even if you disagree with him in the end, chances are you'll think a little bit differently about something of which most of us give no thought whatsoever."--Bethany McLean, Washington Post "Convincing... It's clear and coherent, and even if you disagree with Rogoff in the end, chances are you'll think a little bit differently about something to which most of us give no thought whatsoever."--Bethany McLean, Washington Post "[A] fascinating economic manifesto... [An] absorbing exploration of the uses, and misuses, of currency, and its intractability in controlling modern economies."--Publishers Weekly "Economist Rogoff, the former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, offers a detailed case for eliminating paper money... For both the elimination of paper money and the employment of negative interest rates to combat deflationary recessions, Rogoff painstakingly presents both the advantages and the drawbacks... Provocative."--Library Journal "In a witty new book, The Curse of Cash, economist Kenneth Rogoff argues the human race would be better off without paper money. He's onto something."--Hiawatha Bray, Boston Globe "[The Curse of Cash] makes the case for encouraging the U.S. government to drastically scale back on $100 bills in circulation. The book ... offers a thought-provoking theory for phasing out paper money, not eliminating it."--Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press "Meticulously written, [The Curse of Cash] covers everything needed for such a monetary reform. But the book is not excessively polemical. Rogoff details almost all the arguments against tinkering with paper currency, then labors to refute or defuse them."--Peter Garber, Finance & Development "Rogoff is always worth listening to... Where Rogoff is on very solid ground is when he says the process of weaning us further off cash should begin with the abolition of high-denomination notes."--David Smith, Sunday Times "Rogoff is always worth listening to... [He] is on very solid ground ... when he says the process of weaning us further off cash should begin with the abolition of high-denomination notes."--David Smith, Sunday Times "Rogoff makes a compelling case for the crime-fighting power of his idea."--David Nicklaus, St. Louis Post Dispatch "[Rogoff] understands that getting rid of cash ... is not exactly an easy sell. So Rogoff builds the case against cash, loading up on all the things wrong with paper money... Rogoff's case against cash is so cogently argued that it's hard to believe that we haven't already gotten rid of paper bills and coins--or at least larger bills."--Mark Gimein, Strategy+Business.com "An illuminating, provocative and fact-packed work that does make you wonder why on earth we allow so much cash to slosh around. It also exposes some well-worn pub truths as urban myths."--Patrick Hosking, The Times "An illuminating, provocative and fact-packed work that does make you wonder why on earth we allow so much cash to slosh around."--Patrick Hosking, The Times "Ken Rogoff, the Harvard economist, who argues in [his] new book that we should start to phase out cash is, for me, on the money."--Ben Chu, Independent "This book is a rare bird indeed: accessible, absorbing and often deadpan funny."--Brian Bethune, Maclean's "[The Curse of Cash] is a fascinating contribution to the debate about what might be done to help get many wealthy countries out of an economic funk."--Clancy Yeates, Sydney Morning Herald "Lively and clearly written."--Geoffrey Wood, Central Banking Journal "Recommended for readers who seek a greater understanding of negative interest rates and the possibility of eliminating cash."--Choice "You may not have any in your wallet, but $100 bills make up an astonishing 80 percent of the U.S. currency in circulation. In his new book, The Curse of Cash, Kenneth Rogoff ... proposes a plan to phase out most paper currency in the United States and other economically advanced nations, keeping only low-denomination notes to create what he terms a 'less-cash' society."--MIT Technology Review "Like a chess player playing many opponents simultaneously, Rogoff views 'the curse of cash' through several prisms, and offers a compelling rationale of the merits of a 'less cash' economy."--Venky Vembu, The Hindu "The Curse of Cash is a well-argued book and Rogoff is a good economist."--Pierre Lemieux, RegulationTable of ContentsPreface ix 1 Introduction and Overview 1 PART I: The Dark Side of Paper Currency: Tax and Regulatory Evasion, Crime, and Security Issues 2 The Early Development of Coins and Paper Currency 15 3 Size and Composition of Global Currency Supplies, and the Share Held Abroad 31 4 Holdings of Currency in the Domestic, Legal, Tax-Paying Economy 48 5 Currency Demand in the Underground Economy 58 6 Seigniorage 80 7 A Plan for Phasing Out Most Paper Currency 92 PART II: Negative Interest Rates 8 The Cost of the Zero Bound Constraint 119 9 Higher Inflation Targets, Nominal GDP, Escape Clauses, and Fiscal Policy 147 10 Other Paths to Negative Interest Rates 158 11 Other Possible Downsides to Negative Nominal Policy Rates 175 12 Negative Interest Rates as a Violation of Trust and a Step Away from Rule-Based Systems 182 PART III: International Dimensions and Digital Currencies 13 International Dimensions to Phasing Out Paper Currency 199 14 Digital Currencies and Gold 208 Afterword to the Paperback Edition 217 Final Thoughts 237 Acknowledgments 241 Appendix 245 Notes 253 References 277 Index 293

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Book Synopsis"A comprehensive primer on the development of these Asian tigers."—Noam Lupu, San Francisco Chronicle

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Book SynopsisCentral banks are supposed to stabilize markets, yet decades of mounting central bank power have seen wave after wave of financial crisis. Leon Wansleben offers novel explanations for the rise of central banks and the problematic implications of their finance-dependent policies.Trade ReviewThe Rise of Central Banks shines light on the agency of bureaucrats and calls upon society and elected leaders to direct these actors’ efforts toward more progressive goals. * Politics Today *A laudable undertaking…Wansleben is breaking new ground. He has something to offer that you do not find in mainstream economic literature. -- Niels Bünemann * Central Banking *The Rise of Central Banks is a smart, well-researched book about central banks and their prominent role in economic governance during the recent era of financialized capitalism. Wansleben does a fine job weaving together many events, episodes, and details into a coherent story. Audiences interested in the Fed, central banking, economic policy, and financialization will certainly want to read this book. -- Bruce G. Carruthers, Northwestern UniversityThis is an impressive work that adds substantially to our scholarly understanding of modern central banks and why they have come to have such a dominant impact on our everyday lives. -- Kathleen R. McNamara, Georgetown UniversityToday’s economies are profoundly shaped by what central banks do, the decisions they take, and their blindspots. Wansleben’s superb book brings new depth, scholarship, and sophistication to the study of these hugely important organizations. -- Donald MacKenzie, University of EdinburghAmbitious and well-researched. Wansleben dissects the growing operational entanglements between monetarist governing techniques, the expansion of financial markets, and neoliberal economic policies in a world where central banks have become more powerful than ever. The outcome is a bloated financial sphere that is dangerously reliant on central banks’ actions to preserve its explosive power. A chilling, but incredibly important, account. -- Marion Fourcade, author of Economists and Societies: Discipline and Profession in the United States, Britain, and France, 1890s to 1990s

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Book Synopsis'A very good guide to the state we're in' Paul Krugman, New York Review of Books'A well-written, thought-provoking book by one of America's leading economic thinkers and progressive champions.' Huffington PostDo you recall a time when the income of a single schoolteacher or baker or salesman or mechanic was enough to buy a home, have two cars, and raise a family?Robert Reich does - in the 1950s his father sold clothes to factory workers and the family earnt enough to live comfortably. Today, this middle class is rapidly shrinking: American income inequality and wealth disparity is the greatest it's been in eighty years.As Reich, who served in three US administrations, shows, the threat to capitalism is no longer communism or fascism but a steady undermining of the trust modern societies need for growth and stability.With an exclusive chapter for Icon's edition, Saving Capitalism is passionate yet practical, sweeping yet exactingly argued, a revelatory indictment of the economic status quo and an empowering call to action.Trade ReviewA riveting guide to how our economic and political system has become so badly flawed. -- Joseph StiglitzReich makes a very good case that widening inequality largely reflects political decisions that could have gone in very different directions... Saving Capitalism is a very good guide to the state we're in. * Paul Krugman, The New York Review of Books *One of Reich's finest works, and is required reading for anyone who has hope that a capitalist system can indeed work the many, and not just the few. * Salon *Arresting, thought-provoking... Readily understandable language... Powerful. * Publishers Weekly *Like any good teacher, Robert Reich knows that making a simple yet crucial idea stick often takes much time and many presentations of the concept... In Saving Capitalism, Reich drives home a basic fact that, if widely understood, could lift America from today's destructive political standoff. * Chicago Tribune *Reich has both the stature and eloquence to make a compelling case... Highly recommended to all readers... Insightful. * Library Journal, starred review *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWinner of the 2017 PROSE Award in Economics, Association of American Publishers Selected for Canada's Financial Post Best Personal Finance and Economics Books of 2016 One of Financial Times (FT.com) Best Economics Books of 2016 One of Bloomberg's Best Books of 2016 Longlisted for the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year 2016 "In a brilliant and lucid new book, The Curse of Cash, the Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff gives a fascinating and thorough account of the argument against cash."--John Lanchester, New York Times Magazine "An excellent book on the history and the origins of cash, which also goes into much depth on the issue of cash constraining monetary policy."--Jon Hartley, Forbes.com "The great accomplishment of his book is that his arguments are convincing... It's clear and coherent, and even if you disagree with him in the end, chances are you'll think a little bit differently about something of which most of us give no thought whatsoever."--Bethany McLean, Washington Post "[A] fascinating economic manifesto... [The Curse of Cash] is an absorbing exploration of the uses, and misuses, of currency, and its intractability in controlling modern economies."--Publishers Weekly "Economist Rogoff, the former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, offers a detailed case for eliminating paper money... For both the elimination of paper money and the employment of negative interest rates to combat deflationary recessions, Rogoff painstakingly presents both the advantages and the drawbacks... Provocative."--Library Journal "In a witty new book, The Curse of Cash, economist Kenneth Rogoff argues the human race would be better off without paper money. He's onto something."--Hiawatha Bray, Boston Globe "[The Curse of Cash] makes the case for encouraging the U.S. government to drastically scale back on $100 bills in circulation. The book ... offers a thought-provoking theory for phasing out paper money, not eliminating it."--Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press "Meticulously written, [The Curse of Cash] covers everything needed for such a monetary reform. But the book is not excessively polemical. Rogoff details almost all the arguments against tinkering with paper currency, then labors to refute or defuse them."--Peter Garber, Finance & Development "Rogoff is always worth listening to... Where Rogoff is on very solid ground is when he says the process of weaning us further off cash should begin with the abolition of high-denomination notes."--David Smith, Sunday Times "Rogoff makes a compelling case for the crime-fighting power of his idea."--David Nicklaus, St. Louis Post Dispatch "[Rogoff] understands that getting rid of cash ... is not exactly an easy sell. So Rogoff builds the case against cash, loading up on all the things wrong with paper money... Rogoff's case against cash is so cogently argued that it's hard to believe that we haven't already gotten rid of paper bills and coins--or at least larger bills."--Mark Gimein, Strategy+Business.com "An illuminating, provocative and fact-packed work that does make you wonder why on earth we allow so much cash to slosh around. It also exposes some well-worn pub truths as urban myths."--Patrick Hosking, The Times "Ken Rogoff, the Harvard economist, who argues in [his] new book that we should start to phase out cash is, for me, on the money."--Ben Chu, Independent "This book is a rare bird indeed: accessible, absorbing and often deadpan funny."--Brian Bethune, Maclean's "The idea is not as crazy as it may sound. In a recent book, The Curse of Cash, Rogoff, says boring old paper (or plastic, in our case) bank notes are a major barrier to monetary policy--changing interest rates--fulfilling its potential. The book ... is a fascinating contribution to the debate about what might be done to help get many wealthy countries out of an economic funk."--Clancy Yeates, Sydney Morning Herald "[The Curse of Cash] is a fascinating contribution to the debate about what might be done to help get many wealthy countries out of an economic funk."--Clancy Yeates, Sydney Morning Herald "Lively and clearly written."--Geoffrey Wood, Central Banking Journal "Recommended for readers who seek a greater understanding of negative interest rates and the possibility of eliminating cash."--Choice "You may not have any in your wallet, but $100 bills make up an astonishing 80 percent of the U.S. currency in circulation. In his new book, The Curse of Cash, Kenneth Rogoff ... proposes a plan to phase out most paper currency in the United States and other economically advanced nations, keeping only low-denomination notes to create what he terms a 'less-cash' society."--MIT Technology Review "Like a chess player playing many opponents simultaneously, Rogoff views 'the curse of cash' through several prisms, and offers a compelling rationale of the merits of a 'less cash' economy."--Venky Vembu, The Hindu "The Curse of Cash is a well-argued book and Rogoff is a good economist."--Pierre Lemieux, Regulation,Table of ContentsPreface ix Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview 1 PART I: The Dark Side of Paper Currency: Tax and Regulatory Evasion, Crime, and Security Issues Chapter 2: The Early Development of Coins and Paper Currency 15 Chapter 3: Size and Composition of Global Currency Supplies, and the Share Held Abroad 31 Chapter 4: Holdings of Currency in the Domestic, Legal, Tax-Paying Economy 48 Chapter 5: Currency Demand in the Underground Economy 58 Chapter 6: Seigniorage 80 Chapter 7: A Plan for Phasing Out Most Paper Currency 92 PART II: Negative Interest Rates Chapter 8: The Cost of the Zero Bound Constraint 119 Chapter 9: Higher Inflation Targets, Nominal GDP, Escape Clauses, and Fiscal Policy 147 Chapter 10: Other Paths to Negative Interest Rates 158 Chapter 11: Other Possible Downsides to Negative Nominal Policy Rates 175 Chapter 12: Negative Interest Rates as a Violation of Trust and a Step Away from Rule-Based Systems 182 PART III: International Dimensions and Digital Currencies Chapter 13: International Dimensions to Phasing Out Paper Currency 199 Chapter 14: Digital Currencies and Gold 208 Final Thoughts 217 Acknowledgments 221 Appendix 225 Notes 233 References 257 Index 273

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Book Synopsis''The Brussels Commission has just suspended its senior economist, Bernard Connolly, for writing a book savaging the prospects for a common currency. There are many who now believe he should be lauded as a prophet.'' Observer, Editorial, 1 October 1995''Mr. Connolly''s longstanding proposition that the foisting of a common currency upon so many disparate nations would end in ruin is getting a much wider hearing...'' New York Times, 17 November 2011When first published in 1995, The Rotten Heart of Europe caused outrage and delight - here was a Brussels insider, a senior EU economist, daring to talk openly about the likely pitfalls of European monetary union. Bernard Connolly lost his job at the Commission, but his book was greeted as a profound and persuasive expose of the would-be ''monetary masters of the world.'' His brave act of defiance became headline news - and his book a major international bestseller

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Book SynopsisPhil Thornton is lead consultant at Clarity Economics, a consultancy and freelance writing service he set up after a 15-year career as a newspaper journalist. Before founding Clarity Economics he was Economics Correspondent at the Independent newspaper, a post he held for eight years. Phil is an award winning journalist, with a strong platform. His awards include Feature Journalist of the Year award in the Work World Media Awards, 2010 and Print Journalist of the Year Work World Media Awards, 2007Table of ContentsAbout the Author Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1 – Adam Smith – the ‘founding father’ of economics Chapter 2 – David Ricardo – from immigrant to gentleman Chapter 3 – Karl Marx – the fallen hero? Chapter 4 – Alfred Marshall – microeconomics arrives Chapter 5 – John Maynard Keynes – the rise, fall, rise … and fall Chapter 6 – Friedrich Hayek – the archetypal libertarian Chapter 7 – Milton Friedman – father of monetarism Chapter 8 – Paul Samuelson – the neoclassical economist synthesist Chapter 9 – Gary Becker – economics in the real world Chapter 10 - Daniel Kahneman – economic psychologist

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Book SynopsisStocks and bonds? Real estate? Hedge funds? Private equity? If you think those are the things to focus on in building an investment portfolio, Andrew Ang has accumulated a body of research that will prove otherwise. In his new book Asset Management: A Systematic Approach to Factor Investing, Ang upends the conventional wisdom about asset allocation by showing that what matters aren''t asset class labels but the bundles of overlapping risks they represent. Making investments is like eating a healthy diet, Ang says: you''ve got to look through the foods you eat to focus on the nutrients they contain. Failing to do so can lead to a serious case of malnutrition-for investors as well as diners. The key, in Ang''s view, is bad times, and the fact that every investor''s bad times are somewhat different. The notion that bad times are paramount is the guiding principle of the book, which offers a new approach to the age-old problem of where do you put your money? Years of experience, both as a finance professor and as a consultant, have led Ang to see that the traditional approach, with its focus on asset classes, is too crude and ultimately too costly to serve investors adequately. He focuses instead on factor risks, the peculiar sets of hard times that cut across asset classes, and that must be the focus of our attention if we are to weather market turmoil and receive the rewards that come with doing so. Optimally harvesting factor premiums-on our own or by hiring others-requires identifying your particular set of hard times, and exploiting the difference between them and those of the average investor. Clearly written yet chock-full of the latest research and data, Asset Management will be indispensable reading for trustees, professional money managers, smart private investors, and business students who want to understand the economics behind factor risk premiums, harvest them efficiently in their portfolios, and embark on the search for true alpha.Trade ReviewThe phrases "finance textbook" and "page-turner" rarely occupy the same sentence or even the same paragraph, but Asset Management: A Systematic Approach to Factor Investing justifies that pairing of terms. * William J. Bernstein, co-principal at Efficient Frontier Advisors Reviewed by CFA Institute *This splendid book lays out the important lessons that a new generation of finance research has learned about markets and investing, in a thoughtful and accessible way. Ang focuses on real issues for real players, and distills practical lessons about investment strategies and the investment process. * John H. Cochrane, The University of Chicago, Booth School of Business *Andrew Ang's inspirational book presents new, important, and influential concepts on investment. He oozes enthusiasm for his subject, and generously shares his experience of putting cutting-edge ideas into practice. Elroy Dimson, London Business School and Cambridge Judge Business SchoolEvery professional asset manager should read Ang's Asset Management, easily the most thoughtfully written, accessible, and carefully researched treatment of the topic. Each chapter is an expertly guided tour. Darrell Duffie, Graduate School of Business, Stanford UniversityAndrew Ang eloquently synthesizes current research on investing together with his own approach to asset management into a highly readable and authoritative book. It is simply the best new book on asset management that I have read - approachable by non-specialists and a treasure for managers and scholars already familiar with the topic. This book is an essential guide to one of the world's most important topics. * William N. Goetzmann, Yale School of Management *It is no surprise that many of us have been using the unfinished chapters of Andrew Ang's Asset Management for teaching. For over 10 years, there has been glaring lacuna when it comes to textbooks for the teaching of investment finance. Andrew's book fills this void and is destined to become the standard text in investments at top graduate schools. It will also be a must-read for practitioners of investment finance. * Campbell R. Harvey, Duke University Journal of Finance (2006-2012) *This book is a comprehensive, accessible, and adept exposition of the pivotal role played by factor exposures in markets and in portfolio design. Ang shows how these principles can be used to guide both individual investors as well as institutions, and financial practitioners now have a must read source for this critical material. Steve Ross, Sloan School, MITAndrew Ang has written the next comprehensive 'go to' book on asset management. He treats readers gently as he takes them through the potentially technical world of factor investing, and his generous use of 'real world' case studies gives a helpful intuitive dimension his explanations. All considered, this is a 'must read' book for all asset owners and managers who want to maintain their thought-leadership edge. * Keith Ambachtsheer, Director Emeritus, International Centre for Pension Management, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto *The last time I was asked to comment on a book of this quality and applicability I threatened to harm the author for potentially putting me out of a job. I repeat the threat in this case. * Cliff Asness, Founder, Managing Principal, and Chief Investment Officer, AQR Capital Management *As Andrew Ang knows, the best way to achieve good investment results is to get the portfolio structure right for each client and the key to that is systematic factor investing. Charles D. Ellis, author of Winning the Loser's GameDespite its title, this is much more than a textbook on asset management. Andrew Ang writes in an engaging style that cites his extensive investment experience, without giving up any of the rigor that we would expect from such a prominent academic. * Roger G. Ibbotson, Chairman of Zebra Capital Management and Professor in Practice Emeritus, Yale School of Management *Professor Ang is leading the factor investing revolution. Written with great clarity and authority, Asset Management is a true pleasure to read. * Knut Norheim Kjaer, Founding CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management and Co-founding Partner of Trient Asset Management *Andrew's new book is a useful practitioner-oriented update of the developments in asset management in recent decades. For example, assets are seen as bundles of factors, the fundamental drivers which provide the 'nutrients' that drive returns. This framing is certainly helpful in understanding recent developments in the industry. Moreover, the cases which motivate each chapter very nicely tie together the theory and the practice. * Bob Litterman, Chair of the Risk Committee at Kepos Capital, a hedge fund based in New York *Table of ContentsPreface: Asset Management ; Part I: The Asset Owner ; Chapter 1: Asset Owners ; Chapter 2: Preferences ; Chapter 3: Mean-Variance Investing ; Chapter 4: Investing for the Long Run ; Chapter 5: Investing Over the Life Cycle ; Part II: Factor Risk Premiums ; Chapter 6: Factor Theory ; Chapter 7: Factors ; Chapter 8: Equities ; Chapter 9: Bonds ; Chapter 10: Alpha (and the Low Risk Anomaly) ; Chapter 11: <"Real>" Assets ; Chapter 12: Tax-Efficient Investing ; Chapter 13: Illiquid Assets ; Chapter 14: Factor Investing ; Part III: Delegated Portfolio Management ; Chapter 15: Delegated Investing ; Chapter 16: Mutual Funds and Other 40-Act Funds ; Chapter 17: Hedge Funds ; Chapter 18: Private Equity ; Afterword: Factor Management ; Appendix: Returns ; Acknowledgements ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book Synopsis‘National Systems of Innovation’ presents a new perspective on the dynamics of the national and the global economy. Its starting point is that the international competitiveness of nations is founded on innovation. This book is an invaluable reference document for all those working in economics.Table of ContentsList of Tables; List of Figures; Preface; Introduction; Part I. Towards a New Approach to National Systems of Innovation; Part II. A Closer Look at National Systems of Innovations; Part III. Opening National Systems of Innovation: Specialisation, Multinational Corporations and Integration; Postscript; References

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Book SynopsisThe world is a better place than it used to be. People are healthier, wealthier, and live longer. Yet the escapes from destitution by so many has left gaping inequalities between people and nations. In The Great Escape, Angus Deaton--one of the foremost experts on economic development and on poverty--tells the remarkable story of how, beginning 250Trade ReviewAngus Deaton, Winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Economics Winner of the 2013 William G. Bowen Award, Industrial Relations Section of Princeton University One of Bloomberg Businessweek's Best Books of 2015, chosen by John Snow One of Bloomberg/Businessweek Best Books of 2013, selected by Christopher L. Eisgruber (president of Princeton University) One of Forbes Magazine's Best Books of 2013 Honorable Mention for the 2013 PROSE Award in Economics, Association of American Publishers Shortlisted for the 2014 Spear's Book Awards in Financial History Longlisted for the 2013 Business Book of the Year Award, Financial Times/Goldman Sachs A "Best Business Book of the Year for 2013" selected on LinkedIn by Matthew Bishop, Economics Editor of The Economist Featured in The Sunday Times 2013 Holiday Roundup "If you want to learn about why human welfare overall has gone up so much over time, you should read The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality."--Bill Gates "[O]ne of the most succinct guides to conditions in today's world... The story Deaton tells--the most inspiring human story of all--should give all of us reason for optimism, so long as we are willing to listen to its moral."--David Leonhardt, New York Times Book Review "[A]n illuminating and inspiring history of how mankind's longevity and prosperity have soared to breathtaking heights in modern times... [Deaton's] book gives a stirring overview of the economic progress and medical milestones that, starting with the Industrial Revolution and accelerating after World War II, have caused life expectancies to soar."--Fred Andrews, New York Times "[A]n engaging and sure-footed guide to the 'endless dance between progress and inequality ...'"--Martha C. Nussbaum, New Republic "Is the world becoming a fairer as well as a richer place? Few economists are better equipped to answer this question than Angus Deaton of Princeton University, who has thought hard about measuring international well-being and is not afraid to roam through history. Refreshingly, Mr Deaton also reaches beyond a purely economic narrative to encompass often neglected dimensions of progress such as better health... [T]he theme requires a big canvas and bold brushwork, and Mr Deaton capably offers both."--Economist "[E]loquently written and deeply researched... For those interested in world poverty, it is unquestionably the most important book on development assistance to appear in a long time."--Kenneth Rogoff, Project Syndicate "A truly elegant exploration... It offers an erudite sojourn through history, all the way to the domestic and international policy issues pressing in on us today. Unusual for scholarly works in economics, this book is rendered in easily accessible prose, supported by fascinating statistics presented graphically."--Uwe E. Reinhardt, NYTimes.com's Economix blog "[A] masterful account."--Anne-Marie Slaughter, CNN.com "As the title of his book suggests, Deaton sketches out the story of how many people have escaped from poverty and early death. It is a powerful tale. In Deaton's hands, the all too frequently forgotten accomplishments of the last century are given prominence that is both refreshing and welcome."--Edward Hadas, Reuters BreakingViews "The Great Escape combines, to a rare degree, technical sophistication, moral urgency, the wisdom of experience, and an engaging and accessible style. It will deepen both your appreciation of the miracle of modern economic growth and your conviction that the benefits can and should be much more widely enjoyed."--Clive Crook, Bloomberg News "This is a book that deserves to be read by as many people as possible, so that the poverty debates we have in India go beyond ideological grandstanding and the usual television dramatics... The recent years have seen several leading economic thinkers write excellent books for the ordinary reader, and the new Deaton book is firmly in that category."--Niranjan Rajadhyaksha, Mint "Deaton's lucid book celebrates the riches brought by growth while judiciously explaining why some people are always 'left behind'. He draws a distinction between the inequalities that are opened up by advances in knowledge and those caused by flawed political systems... The book's rich historical and geographical context adds to the power of this message."--John McDermott, Financial Times "In The Great Escape, he dons the hat of an economic historian to provide a fresh perspective on the march of human progress (and its pitfalls) that should inform our current debate about income inequality."--Konrad Yakabuski, Globe & Mail "It's a privilege to know the author of one of the most important books I've read, not least because it acts as entry point into other significant related books, research and debates... Deaton's work reflects this combined pursuit of economics and ethics, manifested through research in to the wealth and health of nations."--John Atherton, Crucible "It would make for delightful reading for economists, donors and policy makers."--Charan Singh, Business Standard "[A] fantastic book about the origins of global poverty. Deaton's humanitarian credentials are unimpeachable, yet he thinks almost all non-health related foreign aid is making global poverty worse. He proposes a variety of alternatives, like massive investments in medical research and cracking down on the small arms trade, that might actually help."--Zack Beauchamp, Think Progress "[T]hese are wonderful essays, each combining the essential Deaton ingredients of theoretical insight, careful analysis of evidence and graceful writing. There are thought-provoking chapters on the history of health improvements and what has driven them; on material well-being in the US; and on the damage caused by aid to developing countries. Deaton has dedicated many years to thinking about each of these issues, with a long list of academic papers to show for it. Here, he seems to step back and reflect on what he has learned, offering us a sage's wisdom."--Kitty Stewart, Times Higher Education "The Great Escape is a thoughtful work, extensively illustrated with data, from a distinguished economist who tackles a central controversy of our time in a style refreshingly free of ideological baggage."--John Kay, Prospect "Angus Deaton has written a wonderful book, The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality... Deaton's book is a magisterial overview of health, income, and wealth from the industrial revolution to the present, taking in countries poor and rich. Not just jargon-free but equation-free, the book is written with a beautifully lucid style... [P]owerfully argued and convincing."--Michael Marmot, Lancet "Splendid."--Judith Sloan, Australian "In his new book, The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality, economist Angus Deaton questions the usefulness of all aid, and describes how the greater proportion of the world's poor are found not in Africa but in the booming, yet radically unequal, economies of China and India."--Paul Theroux, Barron's "The Princeton economist makes a compelling case against the naysayers of economic growth, marshalling a wealth of data and clear- eyed observations to explain how growth allows people to live more freely... Mr. Deaton's seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of all things historical is bound to edify even the most erudite of readers."--Andrew Lewis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "[C]areful and magisterial."--Pooja Bhatia, Ozy Media "[A] genuine contribution to the emerging literature on rethinking development."--Andrew Hilton, Financial World "Deaton ... is perhaps the single most level-headed student of economic development in the world today... The Great Escape is an extended meditation on the sources and consequences of inequality."--David Warsh, EconomicPrincipals.com "Tops my list of must-read books for 2013. Deaton tackles big topics--global improvements to health and well-being, worrisome levels of inequality within nations and between them, and the challenges to curing poverty through foreign aid. His powerful, provocative argument combines careful analysis, humane insight, lucid prose, and a fearless willingness to challenge conventional wisdom. Whether you agree or disagree with its conclusions, this book will force you to rethink your positions about some of the world's most urgent problems."--Christopher L. Eisgruber, president of Princeton University, Bloomberg Businessweek "The book deserves to be read by all, especially by the students of economic development."--Tirthankar Roy, Economic & Political Weekly "Professor Deaton hits the psychological nail on the head when he suggests that aid is 'more about satisfying our own need to help.' He identifies the related issue of 'aid illusion'--the belief that poverty in poor countries can be solved by rich people transferring money."--Peter Foster, Financial Post "This is a fascinating book on health, wealth and inequality."--Bibek Debroy, Businessworld "Development economist Deaton draws on his lifelong interest in and considerable knowledge of economic development to tell the story of modernization and the rise from worldwide poverty. Chapters illustrating demographic and economic trends utilize well-crafted charts and graphs to depict the rising paths that countries, first the US and western Europe and more recently China and India, have taken as their populations improve their health, education, and income-making abilities."--Choice "The Great Escape is an eloquent and passionate description of what sickness and health look like for the world's populations and economies. Deaton's history of health and wealth offers a compelling narrative for both the general reader and academics alike. It raises a range of questions of why some countries falter, why others succeed and what can be done to close gaps between them."--John Parman, EH.Net "The Great Escape is a good place to start if you are looking to increase your own understanding of inequality as you attempt to add more light than heat to the debates... I found the book humbling, disquieting, and lacking in easy answers to complex questions--precisely why I also found it thoughtful and useful."--W. Steven Barnett, Business Economics "Deaton's book ends up making a powerful contribution to economists' evolving understanding of the importance of institutions."--David N. Weil, Journal of Economic Literature "In The Great Escape Angus Deaton has provided an insightful, thought-provoking and highly readable overview of the progress of human wellbeing. There is much that both general and specialist audiences will learn from it--I recommend it highly."--Jeff Borland, Economic Record "[A] wonderful book."--Martin Wolf, Financial Times "This book is a timely reminder that the conditions that facilitated this progress were created not only through the progress of health science, but through a political effort to ensure that science benefited all."--Sara Davies, International Affairs "Deaton takes the reader on a richly detailed tour through a landscape of historical narrative, science, data from across the world, and scholarly debate. And he is a superb guide: erudite, lucid, humane, and witty."--David Weil, Journal of Economic Literature "In The Great Escape Angus Deaton has provided an insightful, thought-provoking and highly readable overview of the progress of human well being. There is much that both general and specialist audiences will learn from it - I recommend it highly."--Jeff B. Orland, Economic Record "Deaton takes the reader on a richly detailed tour through a landscape of historical narrative, science, data from across the world, and scholarly debate. And he is a superb guide: erudite, lucid, humane, and witty... Deaton's book ends up making a powerful contribution to economists' evolving understanding of the importance of institutions."--David N. Weil, Journal of Economic Literature "Deaton's The Great Escape is an uplifting and refreshing read for all who are tired of the many books on economic gloom and environmental doom."--Rolf A.E. Mueller, Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture "Highly accessible."--Jeremy Warner, Daily Telegraph "The Great Escape by Angus Deaton, the Scotsman who got this year's Nobel Prize in economics, is an extremely thoughtful overview of economic development and what goes into it. In ways the book is a stirring tale of the long march since the Industrial Revolution out of generalized poverty to the much more prosperous world we know today, with close attention to the relationship between rising prosperity and generally improved health conditions. Well-written by a superb economist with great command of analysis and data. I recommend it highly."--John Snow, former Treasury Secretary, one of Bloomberg's Best Books of 2015 "The Great Escape ... is a thoughtful and optimistic consideration on why some nations are wealthy, and thus healthy, and why others are not."--Trey Carson, Review of Austrian EconomicsTable of ContentsPreface ix Introduction: What This Book Is About 1 1 The Wellbeing of the World 23 PART I LIFE AND DEATH 2 From Prehistory to 1945 59 3 Escaping Death in the Tropics 101 4 Health in the Modern World 126 PART II MONEY 5 Material Wellbeing in the United States 167 6 Globalization and the Greatest Escape 218 PART III HELP 7 How to Help Those Left Behind 267 Postscript: What Comes Next? 325 Notes 331 Index 351

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"John Campbell is one of the leading researchers and teachers in asset pricing. This remarkably clear and well-organized book is strong testimony to his expertise. I will use it often in my own research."—Kenneth R. French, Dartmouth College"John Campbell has given us the definitive course text on financial decision making and asset pricing. Every student and researcher in the field will want this masterful integration of decades of study on actual investor behavior and market equilibrium."—Darrell Duffie, Stanford University"John Campbell has long been a top researcher in the vibrant intersection of asset pricing and macroeconomics. This book provides an interesting and in-depth exposition of his take on the current state of this important area."—Eugene Fama, University of Chicago Booth School of Business"Written by a major contributor to the economics of financial markets, Financial Decisions and Markets is a comprehensive, insightful, and authoritative graduate-level introduction to asset pricing. This book stresses the interplay between theory, econometrics, and empirics, the hallmark of John Campbell's research. The critical analysis and problem sets stimulate readers to confront open questions at the research frontier. I plan to adopt this book in my PhD-level course."—George M. Constantinides, University of Chicago Booth School of Business

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Book SynopsisWhy did the size of the U.S. economy increase by 3 percent on one day in mid-2013 - or Ghana's balloon by 60 percent overnight in 2010? Why did the U.K. financial industry show its fastest expansion ever at the end of 2008 - just as the world's financial system went into meltdown? This title deals with these questions.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2015 Bronze Medal in Economics, Axiom Business Book Awards One of The Wall Street Journal's Best Books of 2014 One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 One of FA-mag.com's Books of the Year 2014 One of "The Books Quartz Read" in 2014 One of Minnpost.com's 'Three (plus) books for the econ buff on your list' 2014 Longlisted for the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year 2014 "GDP is, as Diane Coyle points out in her entertaining and informative GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History, a bodge, an ongoing argument."--John Lanchester, London Review of Books "[A] little charmer of a book... GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History is just what the title promises... Cowperthwaite himself would nod in agreement over Ms. Coyle's informed discussion of what the GDP misses and how it misfires... Ms. Coyle--a graceful and witty writer, by the way--recounts familiar problems and adds some new ones... [E]xcellent."--James Grant, Wall Street Journal "Anyone who wants to know how GDP and the SNA have come to play such important roles in economic policy-making will gain from reading Coyle's book. As will anyone who wants to gain more understanding of the concept's strengths and weaknesses."--Nicholas Oulton, Science "Diane Coyle's new book, GDP: A Brief But Affectionate History, is a timely contribution to discussions of modern economic performance."--Arnold Kling, American "[E]xcellent."--Adam Creighton, The Australian "Diane Coyle's book is as good a simple guide as we are likely to see."--Samuel Brittan, Financial Times "Coyle does good work explicating a topic that few understand, even if it affects each of us daily. A pleasure for facts-and-numbers geeks, though accessibly written and full of meaningful real-world examples."--Kirkus Reviews "[S]mart and lucid... [S]hort but masterful."--Todd G. Buchholz, Finance & Development "[G]reat (and well-timed) new book."--Uri Friedman, The Atlantic "In a charming and accessible new book, Diane Coyle untangles the history, assumptions, challenges and shortcomings of this popular rhetorical device, which has become so central to policy debates around the world... Coyle's book is a good primer for the average citizen as well as the seasoned economist."--Adam Gurri, Umlaut "[I]t is interesting and important, particularly when it comes to the emphasis now given to GDP, and the inadequacies of this now time-honoured measurement of how our economies are doing... With clarity and precision, she explains its strengths and weaknesses."--Peter Day, BBC News Business "Diane Coyle has bravely attempted in a recent book to make the subject once more accessible, and even interesting."--John Kay, Financial Times "[T]his is as engaging a book about GDP as you could ever hope to read. It falls into that genre of books that are 'biographies of things'--be they histories of longitude, the number zero or the potato--and is both enlightening and entertaining."--Andrew Sawers, FS Focus "GDP: A Brief But Affectionate History is a fascinating 140-page book that I cannot recommend highly enough. This is simply the best book on GDP that I've ever seen."--John Mauldin "As a potted history of approaches to quantifying national output from the 18th century onward, GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History deserves high marks. It is particularly edifying to learn about the military motivation behind the initial attempts."--Martin S. Fridson, Financial Analysts Journal "The strongest part of the book charts the development of national accounting from the 17th century through to the creation of GDP itself and its literal and metaphorical rises and falls in the 20th and 21st centuries... This is lively and surprisingly readable stuff."--Eilis Lawlor, LSE Review of Books "Coyle has written an engaging, introductory to mid-level book on the GDP that makes sense of a statistic that hardly anyone actually understands... It does not require any training in economics, but it covers many topics that even professional economists would find beneficial, including an argument that GDP is an increasingly inappropriate measure for the 21st century."--Choice "[A] little charmer of a book."--Wall Street Journal (A Best Non-Fiction Book of 2014) "GDP is a thought-provoking account of how the gross domestic product statistic came to be so important... The book is a useful and timely contribution."--Louise Rawlings, Economic RecordTable of ContentsNote on the Paperback Edition vii Introduction 1 ONE From the Eighteenth Century to the 1930s: War and Depression 7 TWO 1945 to 1975: The Golden Age 43 THREE The Legacy of the 1970s: A Crisis of Capitalism 61 FOUR 1995 to 2005: The New Paradigm 79 FIVE Our Times: The Great Crash 95 SIX The Future: Twenty-first-Century GDP 123 Acknowledgments 147 Notes 149 Index 161

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Book SynopsisThe world is a better place than it used to be. People are wealthier and healthier. Yet the escapes from destitution by so many have left gaping inequalities between people and between nations. This book tells the story of how, some parts of the world began to experience sustained progress, and set the stage for unequal world.Trade ReviewAngus Deaton, Winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Economics Winner of the 2013 William G. Bowen Award, Industrial Relations Section of Princeton University One of Bloomberg Businessweek's Best Books of 2015, chosen by John Snow One of Bloomberg/Businessweek Best Books of 2013, selected by Christopher L. Eisgruber (president of Princeton University) One of Forbes Magazine's Best Books of 2013 Honorable Mention for the 2013 PROSE Award in Economics, Association of American Publishers Shortlisted for the 2014 Spear's Book Awards in Financial History Longlisted for the 2013 Business Book of the Year Award, Financial Times/Goldman Sachs A "Best Business Book of the Year for 2013" selected on LinkedIn by Matthew Bishop, Economics Editor of The Economist Featured in The Sunday Times 2013 Holiday Roundup "If you want to learn about why human welfare overall has gone up so much over time, you should read The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality."--Bill Gates "[O]ne of the most succinct guides to conditions in today's world... The story Deaton tells--the most inspiring human story of all--should give all of us reason for optimism, so long as we are willing to listen to its moral."--David Leonhardt, New York Times Book Review "[A]n illuminating and inspiring history of how mankind's longevity and prosperity have soared to breathtaking heights in modern times... [Deaton's] book gives a stirring overview of the economic progress and medical milestones that, starting with the Industrial Revolution and accelerating after World War II, have caused life expectancies to soar."--Fred Andrews, New York Times "[A]n engaging and sure-footed guide to the 'endless dance between progress and inequality ...'"--Martha C. Nussbaum, New Republic "Is the world becoming a fairer as well as a richer place? Few economists are better equipped to answer this question than Angus Deaton of Princeton University, who has thought hard about measuring international well-being and is not afraid to roam through history. Refreshingly, Mr Deaton also reaches beyond a purely economic narrative to encompass often neglected dimensions of progress such as better health... [T]he theme requires a big canvas and bold brushwork, and Mr Deaton capably offers both."--Economist "[E]loquently written and deeply researched... For those interested in world poverty, it is unquestionably the most important book on development assistance to appear in a long time."--Kenneth Rogoff, Project Syndicate "A truly elegant exploration... It offers an erudite sojourn through history, all the way to the domestic and international policy issues pressing in on us today. Unusual for scholarly works in economics, this book is rendered in easily accessible prose, supported by fascinating statistics presented graphically."--Uwe E. Reinhardt, NYTimes.com's Economix blog "[A] masterful account."--Anne-Marie Slaughter, CNN.com "As the title of his book suggests, Deaton sketches out the story of how many people have escaped from poverty and early death. It is a powerful tale. In Deaton's hands, the all too frequently forgotten accomplishments of the last century are given prominence that is both refreshing and welcome."--Edward Hadas, Reuters BreakingViews "The Great Escape combines, to a rare degree, technical sophistication, moral urgency, the wisdom of experience, and an engaging and accessible style. It will deepen both your appreciation of the miracle of modern economic growth and your conviction that the benefits can and should be much more widely enjoyed."--Clive Crook, Bloomberg News "This is a book that deserves to be read by as many people as possible, so that the poverty debates we have in India go beyond ideological grandstanding and the usual television dramatics... The recent years have seen several leading economic thinkers write excellent books for the ordinary reader, and the new Deaton book is firmly in that category."--Niranjan Rajadhyaksha, Mint "Deaton's lucid book celebrates the riches brought by growth while judiciously explaining why some people are always 'left behind'. He draws a distinction between the inequalities that are opened up by advances in knowledge and those caused by flawed political systems... The book's rich historical and geographical context adds to the power of this message."--John McDermott, Financial Times "In The Great Escape, he dons the hat of an economic historian to provide a fresh perspective on the march of human progress (and its pitfalls) that should inform our current debate about income inequality."--Konrad Yakabuski, Globe & Mail "It's a privilege to know the author of one of the most important books I've read, not least because it acts as entry point into other significant related books, research and debates... Deaton's work reflects this combined pursuit of economics and ethics, manifested through research in to the wealth and health of nations."--John Atherton, Crucible "It would make for delightful reading for economists, donors and policy makers."--Charan Singh, Business Standard "[A] fantastic book about the origins of global poverty. Deaton's humanitarian credentials are unimpeachable, yet he thinks almost all non-health related foreign aid is making global poverty worse. He proposes a variety of alternatives, like massive investments in medical research and cracking down on the small arms trade, that might actually help."--Zack Beauchamp, Think Progress "[T]hese are wonderful essays, each combining the essential Deaton ingredients of theoretical insight, careful analysis of evidence and graceful writing. There are thought-provoking chapters on the history of health improvements and what has driven them; on material well-being in the US; and on the damage caused by aid to developing countries. Deaton has dedicated many years to thinking about each of these issues, with a long list of academic papers to show for it. Here, he seems to step back and reflect on what he has learned, offering us a sage's wisdom."--Kitty Stewart, Times Higher Education "The Great Escape is a thoughtful work, extensively illustrated with data, from a distinguished economist who tackles a central controversy of our time in a style refreshingly free of ideological baggage."--John Kay, Prospect "Angus Deaton has written a wonderful book, The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality... Deaton's book is a magisterial overview of health, income, and wealth from the industrial revolution to the present, taking in countries poor and rich. Not just jargon-free but equation-free, the book is written with a beautifully lucid style... [P]owerfully argued and convincing."--Michael Marmot, Lancet "Splendid."--Judith Sloan, Australian "In his new book, The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality, economist Angus Deaton questions the usefulness of all aid, and describes how the greater proportion of the world's poor are found not in Africa but in the booming, yet radically unequal, economies of China and India."--Paul Theroux, Barron's "The Princeton economist makes a compelling case against the naysayers of economic growth, marshalling a wealth of data and clear- eyed observations to explain how growth allows people to live more freely... Mr. Deaton's seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of all things historical is bound to edify even the most erudite of readers."--Andrew Lewis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "[C]areful and magisterial."--Pooja Bhatia, Ozy Media "[A] genuine contribution to the emerging literature on rethinking development."--Andrew Hilton, Financial World "Deaton ... is perhaps the single most level-headed student of economic development in the world today... The Great Escape is an extended meditation on the sources and consequences of inequality."--David Warsh, EconomicPrincipals.com "Tops my list of must-read books for 2013. Deaton tackles big topics--global improvements to health and well-being, worrisome levels of inequality within nations and between them, and the challenges to curing poverty through foreign aid. His powerful, provocative argument combines careful analysis, humane insight, lucid prose, and a fearless willingness to challenge conventional wisdom. Whether you agree or disagree with its conclusions, this book will force you to rethink your positions about some of the world's most urgent problems."--Christopher L. Eisgruber, president of Princeton University, Bloomberg Businessweek "The book deserves to be read by all, especially by the students of economic development."--Tirthankar Roy, Economic & Political Weekly "Professor Deaton hits the psychological nail on the head when he suggests that aid is 'more about satisfying our own need to help.' He identifies the related issue of 'aid illusion'--the belief that poverty in poor countries can be solved by rich people transferring money."--Peter Foster, Financial Post "This is a fascinating book on health, wealth and inequality."--Bibek Debroy, Businessworld "Development economist Deaton draws on his lifelong interest in and considerable knowledge of economic development to tell the story of modernization and the rise from worldwide poverty. Chapters illustrating demographic and economic trends utilize well-crafted charts and graphs to depict the rising paths that countries, first the US and western Europe and more recently China and India, have taken as their populations improve their health, education, and income-making abilities."--Choice "The Great Escape is an eloquent and passionate description of what sickness and health look like for the world's populations and economies. Deaton's history of health and wealth offers a compelling narrative for both the general reader and academics alike. It raises a range of questions of why some countries falter, why others succeed and what can be done to close gaps between them."--John Parman, EH.Net "The Great Escape is a good place to start if you are looking to increase your own understanding of inequality as you attempt to add more light than heat to the debates... I found the book humbling, disquieting, and lacking in easy answers to complex questions--precisely why I also found it thoughtful and useful."--W. Steven Barnett, Business Economics "Deaton's book ends up making a powerful contribution to economists' evolving understanding of the importance of institutions."--David N. Weil, Journal of Economic Literature "In The Great Escape Angus Deaton has provided an insightful, thought-provoking and highly readable overview of the progress of human wellbeing. There is much that both general and specialist audiences will learn from it--I recommend it highly."--Jeff Borland, Economic Record "[A] wonderful book."--Martin Wolf, Financial Times "This book is a timely reminder that the conditions that facilitated this progress were created not only through the progress of health science, but through a political effort to ensure that science benefited all."--Sara Davies, International Affairs "Deaton takes the reader on a richly detailed tour through a landscape of historical narrative, science, data from across the world, and scholarly debate. And he is a superb guide: erudite, lucid, humane, and witty."--David Weil, Journal of Economic Literature "In The Great Escape Angus Deaton has provided an insightful, thought-provoking and highly readable overview of the progress of human well being. There is much that both general and specialist audiences will learn from it - I recommend it highly."--Jeff B. Orland, Economic Record "Deaton takes the reader on a richly detailed tour through a landscape of historical narrative, science, data from across the world, and scholarly debate. And he is a superb guide: erudite, lucid, humane, and witty... Deaton's book ends up making a powerful contribution to economists' evolving understanding of the importance of institutions."--David N. Weil, Journal of Economic Literature "Deaton's The Great Escape is an uplifting and refreshing read for all who are tired of the many books on economic gloom and environmental doom."--Rolf A.E. Mueller, Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture "Highly accessible."--Jeremy Warner, Daily Telegraph "The Great Escape by Angus Deaton, the Scotsman who got this year's Nobel Prize in economics, is an extremely thoughtful overview of economic development and what goes into it. In ways the book is a stirring tale of the long march since the Industrial Revolution out of generalized poverty to the much more prosperous world we know today, with close attention to the relationship between rising prosperity and generally improved health conditions. Well-written by a superb economist with great command of analysis and data. I recommend it highly."--John Snow, former Treasury Secretary, one of Bloomberg's Best Books of 2015 "The Great Escape ... is a thoughtful and optimistic consideration on why some nations are wealthy, and thus healthy, and why others are not."--Trey Carson, Review of Austrian EconomicsTable of ContentsPreface ix Introduction: What This Book Is About 1 1 The Wellbeing of the World 23 PART I LIFE AND DEATH 2 From Prehistory to 1945 59 3 Escaping Death in the Tropics 101 4 Health in the Modern World 126 PART II MONEY 5 Material Wellbeing in the United States 167 6 Globalization and the Greatest Escape 218 PART III HELP 7 How to Help Those Left Behind 267 Postscript: What Comes Next? 325 Notes 331 Index 351

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Book SynopsisFrom blind faith in ever-rising housing prices to plummeting confidence in capital markets, 'animal spirits' are driving financial events worldwide. This book aims to challenge the economic wisdom that got us into this mess, and puts forward a fresh vision that can transform economics and restore prosperity.Trade ReviewRobert J. Shiller, Co-Winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Economics George A. Akerlof, Co-Winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics Winner of the 2009 Book Award, getAbstract International Winner of the 2009 Paul A. Samuelson Award for Outstanding Scholarly Writing on Lifelong Financial Security, TIAA-CREF Winner of the 2009 Finance Book of the Year, CBN (China Business News) Financial Value Ranking Shortlisted for the 2009 Book of the Year, Financial Times//Goldman Sachs Business Featured on the Financial Times (FT.com)'s Books of the Year list Listed on Bloomberg.com in a review by James Pressley as two of "our favorite financial-crisis books this year." "Akerlof and Shiller are the first to try to rework economic theory for our times. The effort itself makes their book a milestone... And their book takes their case not just to economists, but also to the general reader. It is short (176 pages of text) and easy enough for laymen to understand."--Louis Uchitelle, New York Times Book Review "There is barely a page of Animal Spirits without a fascinating fact or insight."--John Lanchester, New Yorker "Akerlof and Shiller succeed, too, in demonstrating that conventional macroeconomic analyses often fail because they omit not just readily observable facts like unemployment and institutions such as credit markets but also harder-to-document behavioral patterns that fall within the authors' notion of 'animal spirits.' Confidence plainly matters, and so does the absence of it. When the public mood swings from exuberance to anxiety, or even fear, the effect on asset prices as well as on economic activity outside the financial sector can be large."--Benjamin M. Friedman, New York Review of Books "Animal Spirits [is] ... the new must-read in Obamaworld."--Michael Grunwald, Time "[Animal Spirits] really applies to all the big areas where we need change."--Peter Orszag, Obama budget director (quoted from Time magazine article) "White House Budget Director Peter Orszag is a numbers guy, a propeller head as President Obama would say. But as David Von Drehle and I write in this week's print version of Time, Orszag has been spending his time recently reading not about spreadsheets, but about psychology. In particular, he has been reading a new book by the economists George Akerlof and Robert Shiller called Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Drives The Economy, and Why It Matters For Global Capitalism... We are, it turns out, slaves to the Animal Spirits. They have brought us to our knees. And now they are the only things that can save us."--Michael Scherer, Time.com's Swampland "In their new book, two of the most creative and respected economic thinkers currently at work, George Akerlof and Robert Shiller, argue that the key is to recover Keynes's insight about 'animal spirits'--the attitudes and ideas that guide economic action. The orthodoxy needs to be rebuilt, and bringing these psychological factors into the core of economics is the way to do it... The connections between their thinking on the limits to conventional economics and the issues thrown up by the breakdown are plain, even if they were unable to make every link explicit. Even more than Akerlof and Shiller could have hoped, therefore, it is a fine book at exactly the right time... Animal Spirits carries its ambition lightly--but is ambitious nonetheless. Economists will see it as a kind of manifesto."--Clive Crook, Financial Times "An influential Democrat who was also one of the world's top-ten, highest-paid hedge fund managers last year thinks he knows which book is at the top of the White House reading list this spring: Animal Spirits, the powerful new blast of behavioural economics from Nobel prize-winner George Akerlof and Yale economist Robert Shiller."--Financial Times "Akerlof and Shiller remind us that emotional and intangible factors--such as confidence in institutions, illusions about the nature of money or a sense of being treated unfairly--can affect how people make decisions about borrowing, spending, saving and investing. Animal Spirits is an affectionate tribute to the man [John Maynard Keynes] whose ideas, unfashionable for the past 30 years, have resurged."--Nature "Animal Spirits is a welcome addition to our Hannitized national economic debate, in which anyone who advocates government spending risks being labeled a socialist... Animal Spirits is most compelling when the authors summon all the key behavioral patterns to explain vast, complex phenomena such as the Great Depression... Animal Spirits ... [is] aimed squarely at the general reader, and rightly so: Macroeconomics is now everybody's business--the banks are playing with our money."--Andrew Rosenblum, New York Observer "[A] lively new financial crisis book."--James Pressley, Bloomberg News "The two superstars have produced a truly innovative and bold work that attempts to show how psychological factors explain the origins of the current mess and offer clues for possible solutions. At a time when plummeting confidence is dragging down the market and the economy, the authors' focus on the psychological aspect of economics is incredibly important."--Michael Mandel, BusinessWeek "What Sigmund Freud did for the study of the mind, George Akerlof and Robert Shiller are doing for economics. Freud, healer or fake--take your pick--built a career and a field of medicine on the idea that people are driven by irrational forces. Akerlof, professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley and winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in economics, and Shiller, the Yale economist who is the eminence grise of the housing meltdown, argue that massive government market intervention programs are the only way to turn fear into enthusiasm for spending and investing--the 'animal spirits' that are an essential part of recovery... Akerlof and Shiller pick up on the idea of the emotional impetus to investment. With elegant reasoning and lovely prose, they demonstrate that we'll all be wallowing in misery unless governments around world, especially the in the G7 nations, help to return markets to optimism... Animal Spirits is a fine discussion of the last few decades of development of economic theory, especially monetary economics."--Andrew Allentuck, The Globe & Mail "[T]his book is rather more than the usual lament about the failings of economics. Its authors are two of the discipline's leading lights... Most of the time, the unrealistic assumption of rationality serves economists fairly well. They should, however, be more prepared to depart from it, especially in times like these--even if that makes behaviour more difficult to describe in elegant equations. Messrs Akerlof and Shiller have therefore done their profession a service."--The Economist "With Animal Spirits we hone in on how incentives and narratives can be created to channel the human psychological factor into collectively healthy directions, and how to be aware of the fictions we tell ourselves about how we wish the world and greed and financial security worked. [Animal Spirits] sheds light on complex issues and leaves readers with a better grasp of undercurrents and--most importantly--a rediscovered belief in principles of common sense and caution."--Daily Kos "The new book from George Akerlof and Robert Shiller, Animal Spirits, has been getting a lot of press of late, and quite rightly: it's really good. It's not only very readable; it also offers a compelling vision of a very different type of macroeconomics--one where behavioral considerations are front and center, rather than simply providing what Clive Crook calls 'ad hoc modifications' to the standard, ridiculously oversimplified and unrealistic, model... [I]f you read only one book on this subject, make it Animal Spirits."--Felix Salmon, Portfolio.com "As George Akerlof and Robert Shiller show in a new book Animal Spirits, this is no freak storm. It may mark the long-awaited encounter between psychology and economics... Akerlof and Shiller's book is probably the first macroeconomic exploration of the subject that is accessible to those interested in the subject but who don't have the academic training to understand the detailed argument."--Mint "My book of the week is an easy one this time around: it's Animal Spirits, by Robert Shiller and George Akerlof... Admittedly, I'm biased as a fan of both Shiller's and Akerlof's. Believe me, however, when I say the blessedly brief Animal Spirits is a thoughtful and well-written look at how economics discarded psychology and lost its way on the trip from Adam Smith, through Keynesianism, to laissez-faire. The book puts the current crisis in a useful economic context, with consistent and practical selections from behavioral finance illuminating everything along the way... Highly recommended."--Paul Kedrosky, SeekingAlpha "Another contribution to the human-nature-ensures-economics-is-irrational school of thought. But, unlike many of the rants against people trying to make an honest profit, this is a measured examination of how the present crisis is explained in economic terms. And so it should be. George Akerlof is a Nobel prizewinner, Robert Shiller teaches at Yale and is the author of Irrational Exuberance, which should give you an idea of this one's approach. This fascinating work uses economics to explain real-life issues, such as real estate price cycles, to key policy problems, such as the relationship between inflation and employment."--Stephen Matchett, The Australian "George Akerlof and Rober Shiller's Animal Spirits is a plea to start believing our lying eyes rather than the model. Rather than try to explain away the apparent irrationality in human behaviour, Akerlof and Shiller say we need to try to understand it and shape policies that take it into account... The core message of Animal Spirits is that we should stop trying to cage the spirits and instead admit their central importance. Specifically, this means that world governments will need to intervene forcefully in the current economic crisis with both fiscal stimulus and direct measures to stimulate lending--to restore some of the confidence that the crash has sapped."--Matthew Yglesias, The National "In saluting Keynes' quip, Akerlof and Shiller argue that much of the story is in the unreliability and incompleteness of supposedly rational behavior--the micro-foundation of the free-market model. They contend that modern economics, even self-described Keynesian economics, has given short shrift to this core behavioral insight... Their best chapter is on the limited capacity of central banks to prevent or cure calamities."--Robert Kuttner, The American Prospect "Akerlof and Shiller take psychological research seriously, and it's refreshing to see that they're not trying to reinvent the wheel... The book is an interesting read and would probably be very useful for an undergrad class that needs an introduction to behavioral economics. A & S do a nice job of moving between the theoretical and the practical, the empirical and the implied. The writing is accessible and the topic is more than relevant to our current economic situation."--Orgtheory.net "Animal Spirits is succinct, clear and lively."--Brad Willis, Edmonton Journal "In an intriguing new book, Animal Spirits, US economists George Akerlof and Robert Shiller argue that psychology plays a far bigger role in determining economic outcomes than economists realize--and that, broadly speaking, people get what they expect. If we think good times are ahead, we act confidently in a way that creates them. And if we expect a downturn ahead, we act defensively and unwittingly ensure that's what we get."--Tim Colebatch, The Age "The authors are right in pointing out the inadequacy of conventional economics in understanding, not to say addressing, today's economic woes, because they fail to take into account these animal spirits."--Wan Lixin, Shanghai Daily "[Animal Spirits] is a short, thoughtful and sometimes simplistic book that calls for a different vision of economics... Animal Spirits may well be a GPS system for a changing economic future."--Gene Rebeck, Delta Sky "Animal Spirits presents a rigorous case for the importance of 'confidence multipliers' and 'stories' in explaining recent market behaviour and of 'fairness' and 'money illusion' in preventing wages from falling in recessions to the market-clearing rate. Written in an accessible style, the book provides a very useful practical primer for policy-makers, practitioners and academics on many aspects of the current crisis. The authors also make a compelling theoretical case for macroeconomists taking more account of the role of non-economic motives and irrational responses."--Richard Bronk, The Business Economist "[T]he authors do a superb job of conveying the importance of bevaioural economics to a non-specialist audience. They increase our understanding of recent economic events and they show that animal spirits affect how governments should manage the economy."--Natalie Gold, Times Higher Education "Animal Spirits offers a road map for reversing the financial misfortunes besetting us today. Read it and learn how leaders can channel animal spirits--the powerful forces of human psychology that are afoot in the world economy today."--Money Science "[T]his very book seems to be one of the 'must-reads' in the Obama administration."--Andreas Ernst, JASSS "Ideologists are likely to dismiss this volume. However, for other readers--whether their perspectives are quantitative or qualitative--Animal Spirits may fill a troubling gap in existing investigations of the causes of booms and busts."--Thomas H. Wilkins, Investment Professional "Akerlof and Shiller's book is an interesting and thought-provoking attempt to understand how underlying human psychology drives the economy. The questions they pose and the examples they provide should be read by any economist seeking to better understand the differences between what economics predict will occur, and how people actually behave as individuals and within larger groups."--Dmitri Leybman, Midway Review "Animal Spirits, which attempts to leverage the insights of behavioral economics to reanimate the vision of John Maynard Keynes, is perfectly timed for the present moment."--Nick Schulz, Wilson Quarterly "Animal Spirits is exceptional in showing how economics can be accessible and relevant in dealing with this awesome challenge."--Irish Times "A reader would be right in thinking that Animal Spirits is an especially appealing but provocative appetizer that stimulates the interest of unorthodox and anti-orthodox economists everywhere to rewrite macroeconomics as if humans beings with their messy emotions, group dynamics, and all the rest really exist. Readers will also find Animal Spirits an invitation for society to ignore new classical economics in the interest of effective and decent economic policy."--Marcellus Andrews, Challenge "[T]he authors are ... [b]oth ... credited with a deep understanding of economic history, the history of economic thought, and today's global economic environment. That makes this book a 'must read' for anyone seeking insights into recent economic events and seeking ways of crafting government policies to prevent another similar economic downturn."--Jagadeesh Gokhale, Cato JournalTable of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgments xiii Introduction 1 Part One: Animal Spirits Chapter One: Confidence and Its Multipliers 11 Chapter Two: Fairness 19 Chapter Three: Corruption and Bad Faith 26 Chapter Four: Money Illusion 41 Chapter Five: Stories 51 Part Two: Eight Questions and Their Answers Chapter Six: Why Do Economies Fall into Depression? 59 Chapter Seven: Why Do Central Bankers Have Power over the Economy (Insofar as They Do)? 74 Postscript to Chapter Seven: The Current Financial Crisis: What Is to Be Done? 86 Chapter Eight: Why Are There People Who Cannot Find a Job? 97 Chapter Nine: Why Is There a Trade-off between Inflation and Unemployment in the Long Run? 107 Chapter Ten: Why Is Saving for the Future So Arbitrary? 116 Chapter Eleven: Why Are Financial Prices and Corporate Investments So Volatile? 131 Chapter Twelve: Why Do Real Estate Markets Go through Cycles? 149 Chapter Thirteen: Why Is There Special Poverty among Minorities? 157 Chapter Fourteen: Conclusion 167 Notes 177 References 199 Index 219

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Book SynopsisA provocative look at how data is reinventing the market: where big firms will no longer be dominant.Trade ReviewIdeas on how best to organise a data economy are far and few between. This book offers plenty of food for thought * Ludwig Siegele, Technology Editor, The Economist *This landmark book . . . should challenge and inspire every corporate strategist and public policy maker * Philip Evans, Senior Advisor, The Boston Consulting Group *Anyone interested in the future of business should read this fascinating book . . . Reinventing Capitalism makes a compelling case that it will change the nature of the market itself. With brilliant insights, it explains how the shift from simple price signalling to data-rich preference matching will determine the winners and losers of the 21st century economy, and thoughtfully outlines steps to curb the excesses of this new environment * Kevin Werbach, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania *Praise for Big Data:An optimistic and practical look at the big data revolution - just the thing to get your head around the big changes already underway and the bigger changes to come * Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing *Teems with great insights on the new ways of harnessing information, and offers a convincing vision of the future. It is essential reading for anyone who uses - or is affected by - big data * Jeff Jonas, IBM Fellow & Chief Scientist, IBM Entity Analytics *An excellent primer * Financial Times *Fascinating * Observer *

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Book SynopsisThe substantially revised fourth edition of a widely used text, offering both an introduction to recursive methods and advanced material, mixing tools and sample applications.Recursive methods provide powerful ways to pose and solve problems in dynamic macroeconomics. Recursive Macroeconomic Theory offers both an introduction to recursive methods and more advanced material. Only practice in solving diverse problems fully conveys the advantages of the recursive approach, so the book provides many applications. This fourth edition features two new chapters and substantial revisions to other chapters that demonstrate the power of recursive methods. One new chapter applies the recursive approach to Ramsey taxation and sharply characterizes the time inconsistency of optimal policies. These insights are used in other chapters to simplify recursive formulations of Ramsey plans and credible government policies. The second new chapter explores the mechanics of matc

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Book SynopsisA penetrating indictment of how today’s largest tech companies are hijacking our data, our livelihoods, our social fabric, and our minds—from an acclaimed Financial Times columnist and CNN analyst WINNER OF THE PORCHLIGHT BUSINESS BOOK AWARD ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Foreign Affairs, Evening Standard“Don’t be evil” was enshrined as Google’s original corporate mantra back in its early days, when the company’s cheerful logo still conveyed the utopian vision for a future in which technology would inevitably make the world better, safer, and more prosperous. Unfortunately, it’s been quite a while since Google, or the majority of the Big Tech companies, lived up to this founding philosophy. Today, the utopia they sought to create is looking more dystopian than ever: from digital surveillance and the loss of privacy to the spreading of misinformation and hate speech to predatory algorithms targeting the weak and vulnerable to products that have been engineered to manipulate our desires. How did we get here? How did these once-scrappy and idealistic enterprises become rapacious monopolies with the power to corrupt our elections, co-opt all our data, and control the largest single chunk of corporate wealth—while evading all semblance of regulation and taxes?  In Don’t Be Evil, Financial Times global business columnist Rana Foroohar tells the story of how Big Tech lost its soul—and ate our lunch. Through her skilled reporting and unparalleled access—won through nearly thirty years covering business and technology—she shows the true extent to which behemoths like Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon are monetizing both our data and our attention, without us seeing a penny of those exorbitant profits. Finally, Foroohar lays out a plan for how we can resist, by creating a framework that fosters innovation while also protecting us from the dark side of digital technology.Praise for Don’t Be Evil“At first sight, Don’t Be Evil looks like it’s doing for Google what muckraking journalist Ida Tarbell did for Standard Oil over a century ago. But this whip-smart, highly readable book’s scope turns out to be much broader. Worried about the monopolistic tendencies of big tech? The addictive apps on your iPhone? The role Facebook played in Donald Trump’s election? Foroohar will leave you even more worried, but a lot better informed.”—Niall Ferguson, Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford, and author of The Square and the Tower

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Book SynopsisFrom Nobel Prize-winning economist and bestselling author Joseph Stiglitz, this account of the dangers of free market fundamentalism reveals what has gone so wrong, but also shows us a way out.We all have the sense that our economy tilts toward big business, but as Joseph E. Stiglitz explains in People, Power and Profits, a few corporations have come to dominate entire sectors, contributing to skyrocketing inequality and slow growth. This is how the financial industry has managed to write its own regulations, tech companies have accumulated reams of personal data with little oversight, and government has negotiated trade deals that fail to represent the best interests of workers. Too many have made their wealth through exploitation of others rather than through wealth creation. If something isn''t done, new technologies may make matters worse, increasing inequality and unemployment.Stiglitz identifies the true sources of wealth and increases iTrade ReviewThis eminent economist provides an authoritative defence of government intervention using mainstream economics and a justification for how to build a fairer society without sacrificing growth -- Gavin Jacobson * Financial Times *His conclusions are bleak, his prescriptions radical -- Gerard Baker * The Times *People, Power, and Profits builds on Stiglitz's earlier work and adds some pretty big ambitions -- Daniel W. Drezner * The New York Times *Urgent ... Unless rising inequality caused by mismanaged globalization, financial liberalization, and destabilizing technological change is addressed, Stiglitz argues, nostrum-peddling demagoguery will find a receptive audience * New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisInternational Finance is an established and internationally renowned introduction to the subject. It draws on recent events to provide comprehensive coverage of traditional theories and new research relating to the balance of payments, exchange rate determination and the international monetary system.Offering an extensive overview of the empirical evidence on the theories and concepts discussed, this textbook provides grounding in the fundamental features of international finance, from basic economic concepts to the various international crises of the twentieth century and into the effects and response to the Eurozone crises and Covid-19 pandemic.Trade ReviewAn excellent textbook covering different topics in international finance, from basics to more advanced - making it very versatile. Unlike other textbooks in international finance which are geared towards international financial management or international economics, this is possibly the best international finance book I have come across and I have been waiting for quite a few years now for an updated version -- Gabriella Legrenzi, Senior Lecturer, Keele University * Draft manuscript review *The content covered is excellent and in many aspects superior to the mainstream textbooks. The structure is very convenient and allows the lecturer to scale the content coverage due t the nature of Part 3, which I find a most valuable addition. -- Alexandre Dmitriev, Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland * Draft manuscript review *It is very good. It explains concepts well. I especially like that it is good on giving examples and surveying relevant empirical literature. -- Tom Willett, Professor, Claremont Graduate College, USA * Draft manuscript review *I will continue to use this book as the sole textbook for my undergraduate module dealing with international finance. I believe that no further changes are needed. I enjoyed a lot reading this new version of the book! -- Athanasios Triantafyllou, Lecturer, University of Essex * Draft manuscript review *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part 1: Balance of Payments Theory and Practice 1. The Foreign Exchange System 2. The Balance of Payments 3. Elasticity and Absorption Approaches to the Balance of Payments 4. Macroeconomic Policy in an Open Economy 5. The Monetary Approach to the Balance of Payments Part 2: Exchange Rate Determination: Theory, Evidence and Policy 6. Purchasing Power Parity Theory and Floating Exchange Rate Experience 7. Modern Models of Exchange Rate Determination 8. The Portfolio Balance Model 9. Empirical Evidence on Exchange Rates 10. Fixed, Floating and Managed Exchange Rates Part 3: The Post-war International Monetary System 11. The International Monetary System 12. The Eurocurrency and Eurobond Markets 13. Currency Derivatives: Futures, Options and Swaps 14. International Macroeconomic Policy Coordination 15. The Latin American Debt Crisis 16. The European Monetary System and European Monetary Union 17. Currency Crises and the East Asian Financial Crisis 18. Financial Innovation and the Credit Crunch

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Book SynopsisIntelligent laypersons are bewildered when faced with the complexity of climate change. Economics can give them a powerful tool to think clearly about the problem and to make up their own mind. The new-generation economics models are painting a radically different and exciting picture of the best course of climate action.Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. The facts on the ground; 3. Deep changes; 4. How economists think about climate change; 5. How economists look at choice; 6. How utility theory works; 7. From choice to utility; 8. What are integrated assessment models?; 9. How much should we care about future generations? 10. Growth; 11. Population; 12. So, what should we do? 13. Taking the dirty stuff out; 14 The role of nuclear energy; 15. Constraints; 16. The plumbing; 17. Unfinished business.

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Book SynopsisIs unabated inflation the new normal? Inflation is back and here to stay. For companies, this means that the world in which they do business has fundamentally changed. This book examines inflation from multiple perspectives and offers actions and strategies for companies to cope with and manage it to ensure their survival. For businesses and consumers, it is not a question of eliminating inflation, but how to cope with it in order to suffer as little damage as possible. This includes not just price management, but also sales, finance, purchasing, cost management along with digitalization and innovation activities in equal measure. It also requires corporate cultural change, which if managed fast and successfully, the prospects of defeating inflation and thus ensuring the survival of the company are good.Table of ContentsComeback of the Inflation Specter.- Victims and Profiteers of Inflation.- Getting Ahead of Inflation.- Understand Profit Mechanics.- Optimize Prices in Line with Inflation.- Control Value-to-customer.- Lead in Competition.- Strengthen Pricing Power.- Exploit Digital Opportunities.- Apply Smart Pricing Tactics.- Introduce Innovative Pricing Systems.- Toughen the Sales Force.- Prioritize Finance.- Reduce Costs.- What to Do - Conclusion.

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