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(New Press, ISBN 1-56584-770-9)
This is a fairly compact study of the US economy that takes a sceptical look at the claims for a "new economy" that took off in the late 90's with the dotcom boom. Henwood puts things into historical context, and also manages to explain (to a layman such as myself at any rate) the meanings behind the statistics on wealth, productivity, profits.
The chapters on Income and Finance are probably worth the price of the book on their own, but there are also chapters on Novelty, Work and Globalisation that bring a fresh look at those subjects too. Henwood is writing from a left perspective, but it's an intelligent, hard-headed, original viewpoint. Even if you disagree with him, by taking a different look at topics that are worn smooth on the news, it makes you think again.
Okay, I'm too tired to write a proper review: I enjoyed the book and I learned a lot from it. I read it because the Crooked Timber people were talking about it, so if you want learned analysis that's probably the place to go.
Posted by MFreestone at February 23, 2004 10:35 PM