Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science » (1ST)

Former correspondent for The Economist, current columnist for Yahoo!, and professor at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, Charles Wheelan lives in Chicago with his family.

Finally! A book about economics that won't put you to sleep. In fact, you won't be able to put this one down.

Book Magazine

From simple supply and demand to the much more frightening subject of monetary policy, this book manages to explain our global economy in a way that is (gasp!) actually entertaining. Economist correspondent Wheelan explains money and markets using current events and a dose of wit, and answers questions like: Do anti-globalization protesters in Seattle and elsewhere have a point? Are Asian sweatshops really a bad thing? How does the Federal Reserve work? (And why did Sen. John McCain quip that if Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan died, they would have to prop him up and put dark sunglasses on him?) Though often seen as a conservative science, economics isn't simply an advertisement for the Republican Party, Wheelan says. But he also explains why government regulations can worsen the environmental and social problems they're meant to solve when well-intentioned liberal politicians misunderstand real human motives in the marketplace. There's insight here for everyone—and even some practical investment advice along the way. All this, and without a single chart or table.