In its fourth edition, "Economics Explained" continues its announced
purpose-- to explain that mysterious thing called economics. But there
is a new urgency to the book. It is announced in the first sentence of
the introduction: "Just in case the reader-to-be hasn't noticed,
disturbing things are going on in the American economy these days."
This new edition is about these disturbing things: a trend toward
inequality of incomes, the appearance of a new "globalized" capitalism,
the "specter" of inflation. As before, Robert Heilbroner and Lester
Thurow treat these problems in language that seeks to make clear their
causes and treatments. In this straightforward, highly accessible
reference, Heilbroner and Thurow-- two of America's most respected and
articulate economists-- offer all the economics essential for becoming
an effective investor, a savvy business decision maker, or simply an
informed member of society.