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Charles J. Wheelan
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Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science Kindle Edition

by Charles J. Wheelan (Author), Burton G. Malkiel (Foreword) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 on Goodreads
18,578 ratings
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International bestseller



"Clear, concise, informative, [and] witty." —Chicago Tribune


At last! A new edition of the economics book that won’t put you to sleep. In fact, you won’t be able to put this bestseller down. In our challenging economic climate, this perennial favorite of students and general readers is more than a good read, it’s a necessary investment—with a blessedly sure rate of return. This revised and updated edition includes commentary on hot topics such as automation, trade, income inequality, and America’s rising debt. Ten years after the financial crisis, Naked Economics examines how policymakers managed the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.


Demystifying buzzwords, laying bare the truths behind oft-quoted numbers, and answering the questions you were always too embarrassed to ask, the breezy Naked Economics gives you the tools to engage with pleasure and confidence in the deeply relevant, not so dismal science.

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  1. Part of series
    Naked Series
  2. Print length
    385 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    W. W. Norton & Company
  6. Publication date
    Jan. 1 2019
  7. File size
    2361 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
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  11. See all details
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All 3 for you in this series See full series
See included books
Total Price: CDN$48.35
Sold by: Amazon.com.ca, Inc.
Books In This Series (3 Books)
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  1.  Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science
    Charles J. Wheelan
    4.6 out of five stars (2,149)
    Kindle Edition
    CDN$18.99
  2. Naked Statistics: Stripping the Dread from the Data
    4.6 out of five stars (3,495)
    Kindle Edition
    CDN$14.99
  3. Naked Money: A Revealing Look at Our Financial System
    4.7 out of five stars (451)
    Kindle Edition
    CDN$14.37
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Product description

Review

Explains our global economy in a way that is—gasp!—actually entertaining.—Book

Translates the arcane and often inscrutable jargon of the professional economist into language accessible to the inquiring but frustrated layman....Clear, concise, informative, [and] witty.—Chicago Tribune

Wheelan has an anti-Midas touch. If he touched gold he would turn it to life. —Burton G. Malkiel, from the foreword—Burton G. Malkiel

About the Author

Charles Wheelan is the author of the best-selling Naked Statistics and Naked Economics and is a former correspondent for the Economist. He teaches public policy at Dartmouth College and lives in Hanover, New Hampshire, with his family.

Burton G. Malkiel is the Chemical Bank Chairman’s Professor of Economics Emeritus at Princeton University. He is a former member of the president’s Council of Economic Advisers and dean of the Yale School of Management. He resides in New Jersey.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07FB1NPNY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; 3rd edition (Jan. 1 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2361 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 385 pages
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Charles J. Wheelan

Charles J. Wheelan

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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.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
2,149 global ratings

Top reviews from Canada

CollectedReader
5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks for making me that much smarter
Reviewed in Canada on July 8, 2013
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This book is so much more than a book on economics. Its a book on critical thinking/reasoning related to economics. It was a welcome surprise that the author doesn't dumb down any topics and goes to such depth to explain topics critically. This is not a 'Economics for dummies' book (nothing wrong with that). It is a well written, and accessible book for all readers interested in understanding our global situation.

I suggest this book to anyone that wants to exercise their brain and view economic topics critically with multiple view points.

ps. I also loved his other book 'Naked Statistics' which I've read first and brought me to Naked Economics. I will be looking for anything more coming out from this author. Much praise and very well done!
2 people found this helpful
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Brendan P.
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and Entertaining
Reviewed in Canada on August 25, 2019
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I loved this book, but two really things stood out to me. First, for being a fairly staunchly capitalist thinker, Wheelan acknowledges how/where a capitalist approach is limited when describing scenario in which it applies. Second, for being a book on economics, it was extremely engaging, and I lapped it up like a juicy novel. Together, this book is one you'll be glad you read.
2 people found this helpful
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Eric
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!
Reviewed in Canada on October 14, 2011
Wonderful book. Explains basic economics idea using many interesting examples. Strongly recommend for people at entry level in economics. word count sucks by the way.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars This was a wonderful introduction. Wheelan covered the key concepts with remarkable ...
Reviewed in Canada on October 23, 2016
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I came to this book with very little knowledge of economics. This was a wonderful introduction. Wheelan covered the key concepts with remarkable clarity, plain language and with clear examples. This book made it immediately easier for me to understand current economic news and has whetted my appetite to read further
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Aleks Ross
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging read!
Reviewed in Canada on August 25, 2017
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This book taught me more economics in a few hundred pages than a year of lectures and textbooks. Amazing read for anyone, not just those interested in economics but for anyone wanting to understand the bigger picture behind government policies and their global effect.
2 people found this helpful
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Nima
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent intro to economics
Reviewed in Canada on August 21, 2016
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Excellent introduction to economics and its various fields. One of the strengths of the book is explanations of concept in simple and easy to understand terms. I still wish there was some more math.
One person found this helpful
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Cameron
5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended
Reviewed in Canada on October 23, 2012
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It was a great introduction to economics without any of the math I have no use for. It really met my expectations, I would recommend it to anyone picking up their first or second book about economics.
2 people found this helpful
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Don Campbell
3.0 out of 5 stars Book is so-so, product came as advertised!
Reviewed in Canada on January 31, 2014
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I thought the book did a fine job of explaining basic principles of economics and tied them into contemporary events, but I wasn't floored (overly entertained?) by the content ... to be expected I suppose! However, the book arrived on time and in great shape, so I recommend the seller.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Artem Kel
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in Germany on March 11, 2023
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great book which explains the core principles of economics in a clear and concise way! Highly recommend along with another book of the author Naked Statistics!
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AV
5.0 out of 5 stars Recomendado 100%
Reviewed in Mexico on November 20, 2020
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Muy recomendable lectura
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Marcos Luz
5.0 out of 5 stars Life-changing book
Reviewed in Brazil on October 17, 2020
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This book is awesome. It is a life-changing and everybody must-read it. I feel a better version of myself after and now able to comprehend everyday economics facts. From now on, I am sure that I feel more confident to take care of my financial assets and life savings and the choices ahead. The whole book is a mastermind but the best part is chapters 10 (Federal Reserve Bank, fiscal and monetary policies) and 11 (Forex Exchange). Charles has hit 10 out 10 as so he did with naked statistics’ book that, by the way, is a must-read book too.
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DonL2507
5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Accessible and Fun-to-Read Introduction to Economics
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2018
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This is an excellent introduction to economics and the broad range of issues informed by economics for the non-professional but interested reader. It is clear and accessible and punctuated by a breezy, witty style, and without a single equation or graph for those terrified of numerical relationships. The economics presented in this book is mainstream economics as befitting a journalist for The Economist and makes points that would satisfy those right-of-center and those left-of-center. For conservatives, the author reminds us (like Milton Friedman did in "Capitalism and Freedom") that a heavily regimented economy would eventually come at a steep price in curtailed political / civil freedoms just to maintain the economic regimentation. In addition, the physical and human capital underlying productivity growth, and the economic self-interest that drives their application, are key components of economic well-being. On the other hand, liberals will appreciate his contention that government is a crucial catalyst for effective market functioning in that it provides (or can provide) a legal framework, a predictable regulatory regime, and a stable macroeconomic environment. Most of the national economic failures to which the author alludes are not the result of racial, ethnic, institutional, or cultural deficiencies but are simply a result of government incompetence and corruption (see Zimbabwe). And markets are not omniscient; we get the standard analysis for market prices not reflecting social costs / benefits (externalities) and the market's failure to produce public goods.

What I also liked about this volume was the way in which it extended economic analysis to many areas of social / human behavior, but then would go no further, i.e., the author recognizes that economic analysis informs much of our public policy debates but cannot settle value-laden issues. For example, in his chapter on "Productivity and Human Capital", subtitled "Why is Bill Gates so much richer than you", he acknowledges that economics can tell us about the production of income and the creation of wealth, but can't really tell us how that income and wealth should be distributed. (Some prominent economists are on record as claiming that distribution issues are irrelevant.) This book maintains that these value-oriented issues are determined in the political process as shaped by our religious, moral, and cultural backgrounds.

I enjoyed this book very much. But I would challenge the author on two points: (1) He asserts that social security is a "pyramid scheme." While pay-as-you-go financing may superficially resemble a pyramid scheme, there are fundamental differences that any actuary at the SSA could tell you. Pyramid schemes are inherently unsustainable because of the geometric progression of the pool of investors. A pay-as-you-go system does not require increasing multiples of later-round investors but simply a stable relationship between workers and beneficiaries. Long-term economic growth and population growth would contribute to its sustainability. Our current problems refer to the demographic "bulge" of the baby-boomers which should disappear with their passing, (2) With regard to intellectual property (IP) the author (no surprise) comes down strongly for long-term protection for IP as an inducement to its creation, as opposed to less stringent protection that encourages the dissemination and use of IP. Obviously, there's a trade-off between creation and dissemination, but the current stress on protection may inhibit economic growth and innovation. How many firms pay (or refuse to pay and thus not use the IP) royalties for the use of "patents" that many would consider belong in the public domain? Do we really need copyright protection for 70 years after the author's death? Just one man's opinion.
23 people found this helpful
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SSq
5.0 out of 5 stars Good economics storytelling
Reviewed in Australia on June 11, 2024
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Really liked the way the book is written. Not boring, rather very captivating. There are sections with balanced humor. Overall, well written and highly recommended to ones interested in learning about economics as a layman.
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