I've read most of the 'popular' economics books that have come out of late. And maybe a few more besides. But the best economics book I've read for some time is The Skeptical Economist by Jonathan Aldred.
I lift this straight from Amazon:
Review
"This book goes much further than the various books that have paved the way for popular economics. Jonathan Aldred gives both scepticism and entertainment." Clive Hamilton, Professor of Public Ethics and author of Growth Fetish.Product Description
"The Skeptical Economist" rejects the story told by many other recent popular economics books: it shows that economics is not an agreed body of knowledge or an objective, quantitative science. In reality, economics is built on ethical foundations, distinctive and controversial views about how we ought to live, and what we value. In this revealing and entertaining book, the author exposes these hidden assumptions, and in doing so opens the black box of modern economics to reveal that the conventional wisdom is not what it appears to be. In short, "The Skeptical Economist" re-discovers the ethics at the heart of economics. The book responds to two trends: Western malaise about quality of life, and a growing curiosity about economics and its relevance to these concerns. It will attract readers who know that economics is unavoidably central to any attempt to improve our quality of life, but do not know why. It conveys a sense of hope, without being utopian. It is a book of ideas and will challenge us all to examine the assumptions behind the economics of our current way of life.
I agree with that.
An absolutely essential read, I say.
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If you liked that book, you will probably also enjoy “Debunking Economics” by Steve Keen, the Australian economist, which points out problems with the basic assumptions of various schools of economics, including the Austrians, the Marxists and the mainstream.
@Adam Smith Fan
Yes – great book – shows that the whole of neoliberalism is built on the fallacy that a very small number behaves in the same way as zero – which, of course, we know is not true but which neoliberalism ignores
No wonder it is so crassly wrong – when it’s finding that perfect competition works is built on a mathematical error
Did you read Ha Joon Changs book– “23 Things They Dont Teach You About Capitalism”?
I thought that was excellent.
@Stephen
Very good – just needed more policy conclusions at the end which were its weakest bit
Always my problem with so many books