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I've
never liked how basic economics is taught - too
dry, too mathematical, too detached from the real
world. So several years ago I set out to write
"economics for smart people who never studied
economics." That really was our tagline until
we realized there were even more people who
had studied economics and couldn't remember
any of it. Anyway, the end product, Naked
Economics, was published in 2003 by W.W.
Norton and now appears in seven languages. The
Chicago Tribune described the book as
"clear, concise, informative and (gasp) witty."
Who says it has to be the "dismal science"?
Then,
in 2005, I had the privilege of joining renowned
photographer Terry Evans to produce Revealing
Chicago, a tour and celebration of my favorite
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Publisher's Description (Harry N. Abrams):
Dramatic
aerial images by renowned photographer Terry
Evans celebrate one of the world's foremost cities
at the outset of the 21st century. One hundred and twenty
sumptuous four-color photographs take the reader on
a fascinating tour of Chicago and its environs in all
four seasons, revealing its unique features: its incomparable
lakefront, cutting-edge skyscrapers, and diverse residential
neighborhoods, as well as the lush farms and landscapes
beyond the city's borders.
With the population of
the Chicago region expected to increase by two million
over the next 25 years, ensuring that the city grows
in a manner that adds to rather than detracts from its
beauty, desirability, and prosperity is essential. In
Revealing Chicago, Evans's spectacular photographs and
Charles Wheelan's thoughtful text not only tell the
current story of the city but also expose the challenges-environmental,
economic, and social-it faces with continued development.
An aesthetic tour de force, this singular volume highlights
the importance of making decisions today that will enable
Chicago to sustain its prominence into the future.
Order
Revealing Chicago.
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From
Publishers Weekly:
Ever wonder what it means when the Fed raises interest
rates? Or why there are occasional fears of inflation?
To the rescue comes this simplified and chatty nontextbook
textbook. Using words rather than math, it makes economics
accessible, comprehensible and appealing. Wheelan, the
Economist's Midwest correspondent, breezily explains
the big picture, including finance, capital markets,
government institutions and more. His informal style
belies the sophisticated and scholarly underpinnings
of his subject. Wheelan champions the often-maligned
science: "Economics should not be accessible only
to the experts. The ideas are too important and too
interesting." Well before book's end, highly persuasive
yet simply illustrated concepts sway the reader. Complex
ideas are demystified and made clear, using familiar
examples, such as the price of sweatshirts at the Gap.
A chapter on financial markets compares a grapefruit
and ice cream fad diet with get-rich-quick schemes.
(He wryly offers the mantra "Save. Invest. Repeat.")
Similarly, an explanation of interest rates compares
them to "rental rates," an easy-to-grasp concept.
And to convey what the major international institutions
do, Wheelan writes: "If the World Bank is the world's
welfare agency, then its sister organization, the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) is the fire department responsible
for dousing international financial crises." Wheelan's
simplicity does not mask the detailed encapsulation
of complicated issues, such as relative wealth, globalization
and the importance of human capital. He smartly shows
that while economic consequences can be global, they
are also a part of everyday life.
Order
Naked Economics |
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