Economix

I am FLOORED by how much I enjoyed reading this! I have an embarrassingly minimal grasp on basic economics. Like one time I confessed to a friend that I didn't really understand what a stock was, and he very patiently explained it to me, and I said, that sounds like it should be illegal?? So that's like, where I was starting from.

This is SUCH an impressive feat of writing. Goodwin is so, so good at breaking things down and explaining them, and ALSO it's funny?? I know. I know. I don't even understand how he did it.

I appreciated that it was narrated by a cartoon Goodwin who spoke openly about where things he was saying might be perceived to have a political bias. (Though it must be stated that politically speaking, Goodwin and I seem to be pretty much on the same page.)

It's also very centralized on the US economy (that's the “our” in the title; sorry, other countries) but he does spend more time on the IMF and developing nations than I might have expected.

I'd recommend this to curious teens or adults. And to anyone who doesn't understand why the stock market is legal.

Although it is clear that Goodwin has a clear end-point in mind, and therefore an agenda he wants to pursue, it is also clear that he has authored a really worthwhile book. I kind of resent being led too obviously to a conclusion, but his conclusion is difficult to avoid, I think. And I appreciate that he seems to say, although without making it quite this clear, “No one school of economic thought is entirely sufficient in itself.”

Book provides very simple overview about how economics work. Many things are oversimplified, however, in form of comix it is almost impossible to go into more detail. Nevertheless, the book provides solid theory about what went wrong and what went right in history of modern economies. The only other downside was black&white drawings which, if colored, would provide great aesthetic experience, as well.