Get Your Free Audiobook
-
Basic Economics, Fifth Edition
- A Common Sense Guide to the Economy
- Narrated by: Tom Weiner
- Length: 23 hrs and 47 mins
- Categories: Money & Finance, Economics
People who bought this also bought...
-
Economics in One Lesson
- Written by: Henry Hazlitt
- Narrated by: Jeff Riggenbach
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 14
Called by H.L. Mencken, "one of the few economists in history who could really write," Henry Hazlitt achieved lasting fame for his brilliant but concise work. In it, he explains basic truths about economics and the economic fallacies responsible for unemployment, inflation, high taxes, and recession.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great book to start learning about economics.
- By Deepa on 06-01-19
-
Knowledge and Decisions
- Written by: Thomas Sowell
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 20 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Story0 out of 5 stars 0
This reissue of Thomas Sowell’s classic study of decision making, which includes a preface by the author, updates his seminal work in the context of The Vision of the Anointed. Sowell, one of America’s most celebrated public intellectuals, describes in concrete detail how knowledge is shared and disseminated throughout modern society. He warns that society suffers from an ever-widening gap between firsthand knowledge and decision making—a gap that threatens not only our economic and political efficiency but our very freedom.
-
Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making
- Written by: Randall Bartlett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Randall Bartlett
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 5
Economic forces are everywhere around you. But that doesn't mean you need to passively accept whatever outcome those forces might press upon you. Instead, with these 12 fast-moving and crystal clear lectures, you can learn how to use a small handful of basic nuts-and-bolts principles to turn those same forces to your own advantage.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Top notch
- By bookreader121 on 25-12-19
-
IIMA: Day to Day Economics
- Written by: Satish Deodhar
- Narrated by: Mayur Suvarna
- Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 5
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 4
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 4
Day to Day Economics is an enjoyable, accessible, and extremely user-friendly book that explains the modern day Indian economy to the layperson. In this relevant book, Professor Deodhar explains the role of the government and its involvement in different aspects of the economy; the need for the RBI and its functions; and how taxes, stock markets, and recessions work. Day to Day Economics will help you go beyond the facts and figures in the budget and connect the trends to your daily life.
-
Applied Economics
- Thinking Beyond Stage One: Second Edition
- Written by: Thomas Sowell
- Narrated by: Bill Wallace
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
Applied Economics is an accessible guide to how our economic decisions develop. It explains the application of economics to major world problems, including housing, medical care, discrimination, and the economic development of nations. The book is based on an international view of economics, includes examples from around the world, and shows how certain incentives and constraints produce similar outcomes among disparate peoples and cultures.
-
Good Economics for Hard Times
- Better Answers to Our Biggest Problems
- Written by: Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo
- Narrated by: James Lurie
- Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 226
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 186
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 186
Figuring out how to deal with today's critical economic problems is perhaps the great challenge of our time. Much greater than space travel, what is at stake is the whole idea of the good life as we have known it. Immigration and inequality, globalisation and technological disruption, slowing growth and accelerating climate change - these are sources of great anxiety across the world. The resources to address these challenges are there - what we lack are ideas that will help us jump the wall of disagreement and distrust that divides us.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Apt Title
- By Manjeet on 26-06-20
-
Economics in One Lesson
- Written by: Henry Hazlitt
- Narrated by: Jeff Riggenbach
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 14
Called by H.L. Mencken, "one of the few economists in history who could really write," Henry Hazlitt achieved lasting fame for his brilliant but concise work. In it, he explains basic truths about economics and the economic fallacies responsible for unemployment, inflation, high taxes, and recession.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great book to start learning about economics.
- By Deepa on 06-01-19
-
Knowledge and Decisions
- Written by: Thomas Sowell
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 20 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Story0 out of 5 stars 0
This reissue of Thomas Sowell’s classic study of decision making, which includes a preface by the author, updates his seminal work in the context of The Vision of the Anointed. Sowell, one of America’s most celebrated public intellectuals, describes in concrete detail how knowledge is shared and disseminated throughout modern society. He warns that society suffers from an ever-widening gap between firsthand knowledge and decision making—a gap that threatens not only our economic and political efficiency but our very freedom.
-
Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making
- Written by: Randall Bartlett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Randall Bartlett
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 5
Economic forces are everywhere around you. But that doesn't mean you need to passively accept whatever outcome those forces might press upon you. Instead, with these 12 fast-moving and crystal clear lectures, you can learn how to use a small handful of basic nuts-and-bolts principles to turn those same forces to your own advantage.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Top notch
- By bookreader121 on 25-12-19
-
IIMA: Day to Day Economics
- Written by: Satish Deodhar
- Narrated by: Mayur Suvarna
- Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 5
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 4
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 4
Day to Day Economics is an enjoyable, accessible, and extremely user-friendly book that explains the modern day Indian economy to the layperson. In this relevant book, Professor Deodhar explains the role of the government and its involvement in different aspects of the economy; the need for the RBI and its functions; and how taxes, stock markets, and recessions work. Day to Day Economics will help you go beyond the facts and figures in the budget and connect the trends to your daily life.
-
Applied Economics
- Thinking Beyond Stage One: Second Edition
- Written by: Thomas Sowell
- Narrated by: Bill Wallace
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
Applied Economics is an accessible guide to how our economic decisions develop. It explains the application of economics to major world problems, including housing, medical care, discrimination, and the economic development of nations. The book is based on an international view of economics, includes examples from around the world, and shows how certain incentives and constraints produce similar outcomes among disparate peoples and cultures.
-
Good Economics for Hard Times
- Better Answers to Our Biggest Problems
- Written by: Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo
- Narrated by: James Lurie
- Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 226
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 186
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 186
Figuring out how to deal with today's critical economic problems is perhaps the great challenge of our time. Much greater than space travel, what is at stake is the whole idea of the good life as we have known it. Immigration and inequality, globalisation and technological disruption, slowing growth and accelerating climate change - these are sources of great anxiety across the world. The resources to address these challenges are there - what we lack are ideas that will help us jump the wall of disagreement and distrust that divides us.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Apt Title
- By Manjeet on 26-06-20
-
The Wealth of Nations
- Written by: Adam Smith
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 36 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 5
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 5
The foundation for all modern economic thought and political economy, The Wealth of Nations is the magnum opus of Scottish economist Adam Smith, who introduces the world to the very idea of economics and capitalism in the modern sense of the words.
-
Naked Money
- A Revealing Look at What It Is and Why It Matters
- Written by: Charles Wheelan
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12
Consider the $20 bill. It has no more value, as a simple slip of paper, than Monopoly money. Yet even children recognize that tearing one into small pieces is an act of inconceivable stupidity. What makes a $20 bill actually worth $20? In the third volume of his best-selling Naked series, Charles Wheelan uses this seemingly simple question to open the door to the surprisingly colorful world of money and banking.
-
Capital in the Twenty-First Century
- Written by: Thomas Piketty, Arthur Goldhammer - translator
- Narrated by: L. J. Ganser
- Length: 24 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 10
What are the grand dynamics that drive the accumulation and distribution of capital? Questions about the long-term evolution of inequality, the concentration of wealth, and the prospects for economic growth lie at the heart of political economy. But satisfactory answers have been hard to find for lack of adequate data and clear guiding theories.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Magnum Opus!
- By Satyajit D. on 01-05-21
-
Naked Statistics
- Stripping the Dread from the Data
- Written by: Charles Wheelan
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 77
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
From batting averages and political polls to game shows and medical research, the real-world application of statistics continues to grow by leaps and bounds. How can we catch schools that cheat on standardized tests? How does Netflix know which movies you'll like? What is causing the rising incidence of autism? As best-selling author Charles Wheelan shows us in Naked Statistics, the right data and a few well-chosen statistical tools can help us answer these questions and more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Statistics explained with Stories
- By Frequent shopper on 04-03-19
-
Why Nations Fail
- The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty
- Written by: Daron Acemoglu, James A. Robinson
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 138
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 116
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 116
Brilliant and engagingly written, Why Nations Fail answers the question that has stumped the experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine?
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Too long for it's own good
- By Manpreet Singh on 27-12-20
-
The Crime Book
- Big Ideas Simply Explained
- Written by: DK, Peter James
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1
From Jack the Ripper to the modern-day drug cartels, discover the most notorious crimes and criminals in history. With a foreword written and narrated by best-selling crime author Peter James, The Crime Book explores over 100 crimes and examines the science, psychology and sociology of criminal behaviour. Hear the gory details of each crime and how they were solved, with renowned quotes and detailed criminal profiles letting you delve into the criminal mind.
-
Option Volatility and Pricing
- Advanced Trading Strategies and Techniques
- Written by: Sheldon Natenberg
- Narrated by: Douglas Martin
- Length: 14 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
The best-selling Option Volatility & Pricing has made Sheldon Natenberg a widely recognized authority in the option industry. Clear, concise, and comprehensive, the second edition of Option Volatility & Pricing is sure to be an important addition to every option trader's library - as invaluable as Natenberg's acclaimed seminars at the world's largest derivatives exchanges and trading firms.
-
The Great Economists
- How Their Ideas Can Help Us Today
- Written by: Linda Yueh
- Narrated by: Linda Yueh
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3
Since the days of Adam Smith, economists have grappled with a series of familiar problems - but often their ideas are hard to digest, before we even try to apply them to today's issues. Linda Yueh is renowned for her combination of erudition, as an accomplished economist herself, and accessibility, as a leading writer and broadcaster in this field; and in The Great Economists she explains the key thoughts of history's greatest economists, how their lives and times affected their ideas, how our lives have been influenced by their work, and how they could help with the policy challenges that we face today.
-
China's Economy
- What Everyone Needs to Know®
- Written by: Arthur R. Kroeber
- Narrated by: Paul Heitsch
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 17
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
China's Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know® is a concise introduction to the most astonishing economic growth story of the last three decades. In the 1980s, China was an impoverished backwater, struggling to escape the political turmoil and economic mismanagement of the Mao era. Today it is the world's second biggest economy, the largest manufacturing and trading nation, the consumer of half the world's steel and coal, the biggest source of international tourists, and one of the most influential investors in developing countries from southeast Asia to Africa to Latin America.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
To understand why China is growing
- By saurabh on 17-06-21
-
The Psychology of Money
- Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness
- Written by: Morgan Housel
- Narrated by: Chris Hill
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,847
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,244
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,242
Money - investing, personal finance, and business decisions - is typically taught as a math-based field, where data and formulas tell us exactly what to do. But in the real world people don’t make financial decisions on a spreadsheet. They make them at the dinner table, or in a meeting room, where personal history, your own unique view of the world, ego, pride, marketing, and odd incentives are scrambled together. In The Psychology of Money, award-winning author Morgan Housel shares 19 short stories exploring the strange ways people think about money.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Unmissable !
- By Sanya on 29-10-20
-
Discrimination and Disparities
- Written by: Thomas Sowell
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3
Discrimination and Disparities challenges believers in such one-factor explanations of economic outcome differences as discrimination, exploitation, or genetics. It is listenable enough for people with no prior knowledge of economics. Yet the empirical evidence with which it backs up its analysis spans the globe and challenges beliefs across the ideological spectrum.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Thomas Sowell's Brilliance is Unmatched
- By Anonymous User on 01-05-21
-
The Black Swan, Second Edition: The Impact of the Highly Improbable: With a new section: "On Robustness and Fragility"
- Incerto, Book 2
- Written by: Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Narrated by: Joe Ochman
- Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principal characteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact; and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appear less random, and more predictable, than it was. The astonishing success of Google was a black swan; so was 9/11. For Nassim Nicholas Taleb, black swans underlie almost everything about our world, from the rise of religions to events in our own personal lives. Elegant, startling, and universal in its applications, The Black Swan will change the way you look at the world.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
A disaster if applied to reality
- By Anonymous User on 13-08-19
Publisher's Summary
In this fifth edition of Basic Economics, Thomas Sowell revises and updates his popular book on commonsense economics, bringing the world into clearer focus through a basic understanding of the fundamental economic principles and how they explain our lives. Drawing on lively examples from around the world and from centuries of history, Sowell explains basic economic principles for the general public in plain English.
Basic Economics,which has now been translated into six languages and has additional material online, remains true to its core principle: that the fundamental facts and principles of economics do not require jargon, graphs, or equations and can be learned in a relaxed and even enjoyable way.
More from the same
What listeners say about Basic Economics, Fifth Edition
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sudip
- 29-08-19
Simple and interesting
explained in very simple language keeps you interested through the narration, job well done by Author and narrator
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- M.L.
- 07-06-19
A masterpiece
All that a layman ever wanted to know about economics is covered in this book. Concepts are beautifully explained while keeping jargon to the minimum.
Loved reading this
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ashish
- 16-11-20
terrific
brilliant, super work by Sowell to make economics so sweetly accessible. Weiner's reading was smooth. Even at 2x Icould comprehend everything simply because of his awesome modulation
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Manpreet Singh
- 26-10-20
Economics is the study of 'Trade-Offs'
I can't praise this book enough. To start with the narration is very good and doesn't get monotonous.
I and economics do not have any relation in real life. I know (or rather 'knew') very little of it and therefore, I picked this book to get some insight into all the (pseudo) economics that the daily news was feeding me.
Previous reviews told me the book was good and not too technical. I was just not ready for the eye-opener this was going to be for me. It is unimaginable that a book on a niche subject could be so universal and approachable in its content.
Liked: -
1. I would've thought repeating the same line over & over is gonna be very irritating after a few pages.... however, the author puts across his point via an anecdote/ fact dive and then re-iterates 'Economics is the efficient allocation of scarce resources, which have alternative uses'. And it just adds to the impact - every time.
2. The flow of the book is good. It doesn't stay focussed on USA, it covers at least half a dozen economies at various points.
3. When you think that the author is selling you 'Free Trade' philosophy - and there's not a peep to the contrary - suddenly you have a part which deals with all the ideologies of economics - and sort of tells you that each of the ideology has a down-side - just that free trade has less of them - and most importantly are self-limiting.
4. The book covers micro to macro economics seamlessly.
5. When is about to conclude and you feel some unconnected topics were conspicuously missing - the last part deals with almost all the 'missing topics' as far I was concerned.
Cons: -
1. Personal finance is not the agenda.
2. You will need to read another book from some alternate school of economics, else you will come out of the read thinking that the only way to practice economics is 'Free Trade'
There's no downside to this book. I just couldn't think of going through a 20 hour audiobook - not knowing the first thing about economics. But I ended up understanding the subject, and also realised that it is quite intuitive, if only we apply thought rather than emotions.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Puspendra Kumar
- 08-04-19
Simple, interesting.
it's Simple and interesting. Made me more knowledgeable. Some basic knowledge though. Cleared some confusions too.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Abhishek Singh
- 28-11-20
Perfect on Clarity, Rigor, and Breadth of Coverage
Astonishingly economical purchase; I didn't imagine one book would provide me with so much value.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 09-10-20
A must read for a better world
A must read on economics for common man. Helps you to understand and review economic political policy decisions in better light.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Ramesh Karanam
- 27-08-19
Good book though few of the concepts repeated
Good book to to understand how market economy works and helps understanding the difference between intent and consequence of government policy / intervention.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nutriwish
- 14-04-19
Glad I Read This !
Amazing Book. Single most important book most of us would ever read . Just go for this, thank me later :)
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Krishna Devanur R
- 15-02-19
Interesting read
even though I agree with most points in the book, what I didn't like is pushing capitalism as panacea to everything. Never ever the evil side of capitalism has been discussed, may it be how the 8 hour work day was established, the high cost of entry barriers in certain fields, cartelization of conglomerates etc.. overall I liked the idea of presenting economics in plain English and open up certain facts and leaving the interpretation to the listener.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- M. Kunze
- 10-02-18
The most eye-opening book I have ever read
A fantastic book by a brilliant author, fantastically read by a brilliant orator.
To anyone who thinks "economics does not interest me", I say: Give this book a try regardless. I promise that, unless you have read other economics books before, this one will feel truly earth shattering. It is well-written, well-researched, easily understandable by everyone and enormous in its educational value. Grab it while you can.
55 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jeff M
- 03-12-17
Astonishing brilliance
Would you consider the audio edition of Basic Economics, Fifth Edition to be better than the print version?
I haven't ready the print version. But this translates well into audio; there are no charts or graphs in this economic tome. It's simple logic, presented clearly.
What did you like best about this story?
It's hard to argue with this guy. I have to be careful and not simply accept what he says at face value. Surely there are counter points! But how can you argue with history? That's his brilliance. History repeats itself, and Sowell uses history to demonstrate fallacy. Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it
What about Tom Weiner’s performance did you like?
He has a clear voice. I would imagine reading an economics book is difficult. He does a fine job
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
When I listen to the brilliant words of Thomas Sowell I feel my mind opening up to truth. Thank you, Thomas Sowell.
Any additional comments?
This should be required reading to anyone who votes. I admit I wish I knew someone who could present counter points to this; surely there must be a counter to his obvious brilliant analysis of the fallacy of anything other than free, open markets. He makes everything seem so self evident!
28 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Palmetto Bob
- 13-05-17
Phenomenal Primer
Superior book on basic economics. Dr Sowell explains principles and gives examples that even an ol' boy with a Nebraska education can understand. Highly recommend this book to everyone, most especially to voters and potential voters. Politicians won't read it so we must...and then hold them accountable.
23 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Trenton
- 04-10-15
Phenomenal!
People say that is all the time, but this REALLY NEEDS to be required reading (listening in this case), and here is why:
Mr. Sowell expertly explains economics in this 25 hour long monster in a way that everyone can understand and enjoy. Everything he says is very well supported either using simple logic, hypothetical situations and many real world international and domestic examples.
Even if you don't agree with his explanations, you will still come out of this book with a better understanding of economics as you would have to come up with a logical reason to disagree with him, because his beautiful explanations and examples are essentially devoid of emotion, which is a very good thing.
Some of my favorite things of the book are:
- His often repeated statement is his definition of economics: Utilization of scarce resources which have alternative uses.
- His explanation of the difference between prices and costs.
- His examples of the effects of price controls.
- The absolute lack of mudslinging towards liberals, he actually operates under the assumption of people encouraging government intervention all with the best of intentions.
- His reminders how economists are known for being boring because of splashing cold water on policies due to cold hard boring facts.
This thing is almost 25 hours long, takes a while to listen to but it is like music to your ears. It's economics pure and simple and is fascinating.
Thomas Sowell for president! (Hey he's only 85, that isn't too old is it?)
93 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- d
- 29-09-17
Economics does not need to be esoteric.
This properly named book explains complicated economic concepts in simple language that anyone can understand. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the fundamental forces at work in economics and to a certain degree, society as a whole.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- B. Davis
- 17-03-15
Great Publication
This is one of the best audio books I've purchased so far. I believe it should be required reading and that the principles should be taught early in the educational system. There is a lot of information that explains a lot of economic problems - poverty and unemployment, for example - that could be eliminated through policy adjustments or eliminations. The concepts are so clearly conveyed, in fact, that it's difficult to fathom how or why any great society would implement contradictory regulations.
The narrator spoke at a pace and pitch that facilitated ease of reception of the material (this is subjective, I suppose).
50 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- helenjones
- 14-07-18
Not a Basic Economics Book
I am surprised by the flying-colour ratings. Like many others have pointed out, this book is not well supported by data and it is not a "basic economics" book as the title claims. It is a Libertarian economics book, yet nowhere in the book is this context stated. The author does not give the reader any overview of the different branches of economics. The author's claims are at best supported by anecdotes, and often not at all. Because I do not know anything about economics before this book, I found it difficult to distinguish what are commonly accepted facts and what are Libertarian-only perspectives in this book. Yet, the author claims everything that he presented in this book to be "facts".
The narrator is good enough for me. Some comments said that the narrative is too slow and dull. But - may be it is because I am a non-native speaker, the pace suites me well.
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- DWR
- 10-02-15
Excellent Book on Basic Economics
Not really a "story" but it does tell the history and continuing effect of economics on our lives.
Thomas Sowell presents Economics in a very easy to understand and well illustrated way. This is the 5th edition so is up to date with current examples. There is a lot of information and a plethora of quotable quotes, so probably warrants additional listens to absorb it all.
Tom Weiner is perfect for this type of a book as he reads as one would expect an "expert" in this field might read.
A great book that I will definitely listen to again.
21 people found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Can Basaran
- 19-09-20
Super biased
Why would you pay for propaganda? No matter what your views are, paying for propaganda is not wise.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Mia
- 29-05-20
blatant propaganda
Doesn't teach economics from a neutral perspective, simply makes assertions about the efficacy of free markets and provides some economic justifications for those assertions.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Spitfires
- 06-11-19
Boring title, boring cover, amazing content!
Along with Bill Bryson's "A Short History Of Nearly Everything", Sowell's "Basic Economics" should be available to every school child in the land. It clearly explains how the people of the world interact, and why sometimes it doesn't work (spoiler - politicians). You'll learn new knowledge throughout this book. You may change your mind on some things, or have light bulb moments as to why you feel the way you do on other subjects. This is a life changer.
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Francisco
- 28-07-17
I promise you, this book will change your life.
I highly or more than highly recommend this book to anyone regardless if you are studying economic or not. The explanation are so common sense and clear you will be enlightened. I am really grateful to have taken the time to listen to it and really want to say thank you to all the people behind it and the author. You have succeed beyond your goals. I will re-listen to it couple times until it becomes a song in my head. So grateful.
25 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- F Gibb
- 15-12-18
Opinion Piece masquerading as Textbook
This is a well presented, but completely one sided economic viewpoint. It works hard to dismiss all government interventions and, instead advocates a somewhat cold hearted conservative economic policy as the only way to proceed.
That would be fine if the book was presented as an argument for hands-off economics. But it's not. It is presented as a textbook introduction to the field. As such it should present a balanced viewpoint- which sadly it fails to do.
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- MAtthew Eagles
- 20-10-20
outdated and one sided view of economics
it needs be stated clearly that this book is purely about the authors believed benefits of free market economics. He states his opinions as though they are based in scientific fact, which they are not.
I believe free market economics is the best system for most goods but the author fails to realise the complexity of our economy of society, and that for certain services we need alternative systems. He also fails to acknowledge that economics is not an exact science.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Niall R
- 01-09-19
Sowell being his excellent self again
Another exceptional book by one of the most interesting and insightful authors I've ever read.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- RSK
- 06-04-19
Informative perspective
Well reasoned and argued right of centre perspective, a little dated at times. Overall a good read though, but could be more balanced.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- CMCGROG
- 20-12-18
Very interesting if you are a nerd like me
Good for all interested in the economy, easy to understand even at 1.5x speed. Recommended.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- astromads
- 03-06-17
Fantastic
I could have listened to more of this, I never thought economics could be so interesting.
Absolutely loved it.
I would recommend everyone to read this book, gives you a better understanding of how things are not what they seem, would help pick your electoral parties as well.
The man that read this, his voice was perfect to listen to.I could probably listen to his voice from any audio book.
Gave this rating as I could not fault anything about this book.
15 people found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Antonio Ferreira
- 01-11-18
B and B book: Boring and Brainwashing
This book is a particularly boring attempt to brainwash the reader into believing that:
1. Free markets are capable of optimising all sorts of economic relations among people and companies. Any attempt to interfere with the laws of free markets can only result in terrible consequences for society.
2. Economy is a science comparable to physics or chemistry. It is precise, infallible, and deterministic in its infinite wisdom. Economists are therefore in possession of sacred knowledge, while politicians in their infinite stupidity insist on interfering with free markets, therefore spreading mayhem.
We all know that there is a certain class of economists that believe in these principles in the same way that fundamentalists believe in certain religious principles. It is because of them that economics has gained a reputation of being an unethical, ridiculously self-aggrandising, and thick-headed discipline. What is particularly irritating about this book is that it uses unbelievably redundant and circular argumentation. For example, if I argue that:
John is driving a car. He knows how to drive very well, and so he drives very fast. He has an accident when Peter is in the car, who has been admonishing against excessive speed. Obviously Peter is responsible for the accident because I already told you that John is a good driver.
Everyone with minimum intelligence could counter-argue that John might have been and probably was the one responsible for the accident! An intelligent person would want anyway to know more about the circumstances of the accident, which are not provided in a sufficient detailed way so that conclusions can be considered supported by evidence. However, this kind of argumentation is used all over the book, essentially to make us believe that free markets (the Johns) are very good for society and therefore when things go wrong is certainly because of the Peters (the politicians trying to regulate markets).
All this is unbearably superficial and poorly analysed, as these arguments omit everything that could be used to refute them.
On top of everything, the reader uses a preaching tone of voice, it feels like one is learning about economics from a drill sergeant.
A much more interesting reading for those wanting to understand economic science beyond this dogmatic approach is provided by the references below.
Jackson, T. (2009). Prosperity without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet London: Earthscan. (not yet available in Audible)
Raworth, K. (2017). Doughnut economics: Seven ways to think like a 21st-century economist. London: Random House Business Books. (already available in Audible)
70 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Pavlos Moros
- 16-11-18
Brilliant insight into thinking like an economist
Thomas Sowell speaks concicely and simply to common sense. Taken to it’s logical conclusions, each proposition put forward in this essay comes together into a set of cohesive principles to navigate the space of economics. 10/10
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Albert
- 12-03-20
Exceptional!
Highly recommended if you are prepared to stick with it; you'll gain excellent insights into economics.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alicia
- 02-03-20
Must read
This is the most eye opening book and something I believe every citizen should read. Written in plain English and with interesting and relatable examples, Basic Economics contains just the right amount of new material and repetition to embed the principles of economics.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- David Pellowe
- 03-08-17
Best economics text ever!
Really long, but really easy to listen to & understand. And wait to buy the paper version as well.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ellen
- 18-10-20
Fantastic
This book was excellent and very interesting, I really liked the international comparisons of different concepts and the statistical backing for the claims made.
The narrator was absolutely wonderful and made this book a really easy listen, it was like going on an epic quest into the land of Economics.
Such a great listen.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hermand
- 17-09-20
Thomas Sowell is an American Treasure
The amount of practical examples he gave really helped to see the validity of what he was saying and kept it from being a theoretical bland read.
My understanding has increased so much thanks to this book.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 02-09-20
Huge topic well covered
Great start for people interested in economics, or who just need a working knowledge.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Austin L.
- 29-05-20
amazing
Gave me a great insight into how economies function. The ideas presented are truly eye opening.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lucio Trohovski
- 04-11-19
Great
Very well narrated, content is set out in a way that makes the concept easier to understand and it is clear with plenty of great examples
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 17-12-18
Insightful
Sowell does a fantastic job in distilling economic concepts in a way that everyone can understand. He beautifully demonstrates how easily people fall into the fallacies of simplistic thinking. This is a book that should be read by all.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nipun S.
- 26-05-18
Great book to grad the fundamentals of economics
A must read if you are looking to understand the fundamentals of economics. The content is delivered in an easy to understand format with plenty of real world examples and facts. Though it is a long book there is never a dull moment because of the rich content that is delivered and the methodical order in which it is done - it is an easy listen.
This book is guaranteed to change the way you think and will help you foresee the long term economic implication of political decisions and actions of today. It opens up a whole new mindset that helps you think in the long term and understand how everything in interrelated. It also helps you understand fallacies and why some economies in the world thrive while others have failed.
This book will defensively expand the horizons of your thinking and help you see the big picture; and by the end of the book you'll find yourself looking at things in a much broader and practical perspective.
3 people found this helpful