The Undercover Economist
The Undercover Economist
Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor--and Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car!
Tim Harford
0195189779, Hardback, 288 pages
Nov 2005
Price: $26.00 (02)
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Description
Who really makes money from fair trade coffee? Why is it impossible to buy a decent second hand car? How do the Mafia make money from laundries when street gangs pushing drugs don't? Who really benefits from immigration? Looking at familiar situations in unfamiliar ways, The Undercover Economist is a fresh explanation of the fundamental principles of the modern economy, illuminated by examples from the booming skyscrapers of Shanghai to the sleepy canals of Bruges.Best known for his Financial Times Magazine "Dear Economist" column in which he uses the latest economic theory to provide tongue-in-cheek answers to readers' personal dilemmas, Tim Harford brilliantly demonstrates that the underlying ideas of economics can, in the hands of the right person, illuminate every aspect of the world we inhabit. Recently, in an Op-Ed for The New York Times, Harford reveals what poor countries should do now to help their farmers - without waiting for the WTO to act. And, at Slate.com, Harford explains why this season's most popular gift - the Xbox 360 - is almost impossible to find.
With its witty, and unsparing, analysis of the economic factors at play in everyday life, it's no surprise that the book is getting rave reviews:
"A playful guide to the economics of everyday life ... The Undercover Economist succeeds in taking the chalkdust out of the subject."
--The Economist
"A FUNNY thing seems to be happening to economics writing: it's getting better....For those of you, even now, still stuck in the bookstore cafe, this is a book to savor."
--The New York Times
"The Undercover Economist is a rare specimen: a book on economics that will enthrall its readers. Beautifully written and argued, it brings the power of economics to life. This book should be required reading for every elected official, business leader, and university student."
--Steven D. Levitt, Professor of Economics, University of Chicago, and author of Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Additional Information
Discover more about the book and its author at www.undercovereconomist.com!Visit the Oxford University Press Blog for daily commentary on a variety of topics.
