Why do interest rates rise and fall? What is inflation, and where does it come from? Why is Alan Greenspan the second most powerful man in the country? Charles Wheelan answers these questions not simply as an economist but as a lover of economics. And his enthusiasm is infectious.
A genuine economics scholar and correspondent for the Economist, Wheelan avoids technical jargon, charts and (best of all) math. His presentation is smart and cogent, making the "dismal science" accessible. To explain concepts like capital markets and interest rates he uses easy-to-understand examples involving everything from a firehouse analogy to ice cream fad diets.
Designed to be used as a textbook for introductory college economics courses, Wheelan's book is decidedly un-textbooky. In his own words, this is "not economics for dummies, it is economics for smart people who have never studied economics (or have only a vague recollection of doing so)." He dispels nearly every pre-conception about economists, writing in a style that is entertaining, easy to understand, even funny at times. Not settling forsimple explanation, Wheelan demonstrates, taking economics from mere theory into the practicum of everyday life. Highly recommended for the curious and obsessed alike.
NOTE: This book is also sometimes used as a high school economics text.
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