The Undercover Economist

Synopsis "The economy [isn't] a bunch of rather dull statistics with names like GDP (gross domestic product)," notes Tim Harford, columnist and regular guest on NPR's Marketplace, "economics is about who gets what and why." In this acclaimed and riveting book-part exposé, part user's manual-the astute and entertaining columnist from the Financial Times demystifies the ways in which money works in the world. From why the coffee in your cup costs so much to why efficiency is not necessarily the answer to ensuring a fair society, from improving health care to curing crosstown traffic-all the dirty little secrets of dollars and cents are delightfully revealed by The Undercover Economist.
"A rare specimen: a book on economics that will enthrall its readers . . . It brings the power of economics to life."
-Steven D. Levitt, coauthor of Freakonomics

"A playful guide to the economics of everyday life, and as such is something of an elder sibling to Steven Levitt's wild child, the hugely successful Freakonomics."
-The Economist

"A tour de force . . . If you need to be convinced of the everrelevant and fascinating nature of economics, read this insightful and witty book."
-Jagdish Bhagwati, author of In Defense of Globalization