Economix : how our economy works (and doesn't work) in words and pictures /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Everybody's talking about the economy, but how can we, the people, understand what Wall Street or Washington knows--or say they know? Read author Michael Goodwin and illustrator Dan E. Burr's New York Times bestseller Economix .

With clear, witty writing and quirky, accessible art, this important and timely graphic novel transforms "the dismal science" of economics into a fun, fact-filled story about human nature and our attempts to make the most of what we've got . . . and sometimes what our neighbors have got. Economix explains it all, from the beginning of Western economic thought; to markets free and otherwise; to economic failures, successes, limitations, and future possibilities. It's the essential, accessible guide to understanding the economy and economic practices. A must-read for every citizen and every voter.

Find teaching guides for Economix and other titles at abramsbooks.com/resources.

"Goodwin brilliantly contextualizes economic theories with historical narrative, while Burr's simple but elegant illustration employs classical techniques like caricaturing politicians and symbolizing big businesses (as a gleeful factory) to help the reader visualize difficult concepts." -- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

" This witty and elegant volume takes on a number of complex issues--in this case, economics, history and finance--and makes them comprehensible for mere mortals." -- Miami Herald

"Michael Goodwin hasn't just written a great graphic novel--he's written one that should be required for every school, newsroom and library in the United States." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Foreword (p. 4)
• Introduction (p. 6)
• Preface (p. 8)
• Chapter 1 The Invisible Hand (The Distant Past to 1820) (p. 13)
• Chapter 2 Full Steam Ahead (1820-1865) (p. 43)
• Chapter 3 The Money Power (1865-1914) (p. 73)
• Chapter 4 Things Fall Apart (1914-1945) (p. 95)
• Chapter 5 Guns and Butter (1945-1966) (p. 131)
• Chapter 6 The Era of Limits (1966-1980) (p. 163)
• Chapter 7 The Revolt of the Rich (1980-2001) (p. 197)
• Chapter 8 The World Today (2001 Onward) (p. 251)
• Glossary (p. 292)
• Further Reading (p. 295)
• Acknowledgments (p. 297)
• About the Author (p. 298)
• About the Artist (p. 298)
• Index (p. 299)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

This dense yet readable exegesis makes economics entertaining despite current financial shenanigans worldwide. Goodwin takes a chronological approach, starting with the history of banking in the 17th century. As he marches through four centuries of economic theories and theorists, he attempts to show what happened, what succeeded, and what went wrong in terms of both public and private good, with a focus on the reasons particular theories didn't pan out in real life. Confusing concepts are explained in text and in the glossary. Generally, Goodwin takes a liberal/progressive view, holding that laissez-faire approaches work best today when combined with other approaches in a "blended economy," and that a healthy economy benefits average citizens rather than predominantly favoring large corporate/financial entities. Others may not agree, but then they can create their own graphic economics texts. -VERDICT With quirky, engaging art that dramatizes the discussion well, Economix is a must have for all academic, public, and high school libraries and should be required reading for all of voting age. (Comprehensive references appear at economixcomix.com.) Note also Hill and Wang's quite good two-volume The Cartoon Introduction to Economics, organized by concept.-M.C. (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

Economics is terrifying. Even if one doesn't consider the bleak state of the current world economy, just attempting to create a mental picture of the complex systems of market forces, government agencies, and human psychologies that drive the economy can be like trying to visualize a map of the universe. But Goodwin and illustrator Burr argue that the economy is easy enough to understand if you break it down into bite-sized chunks, roughly the dimensions of a comic panel. They tell the story of the economy starting with its first documented examination by Adam Smith and working their way up to 2011. That devotion to thoroughness makes this a dense yet quite accessible read. Goodwin brilliantly contextualize economic theories with historical narrative, while Burr's simple but elegant illustration employs classical techniques like caricaturing politicians and symbolizing big businesses (as a gleeful factory) to help the reader visualize difficult concepts. If the book has a prime message, it's that the economy is quite understandable and when things go wrong, the effort and thinking of a whole society must be applied to bring everything back into line. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Michael Goodwin is a writer and editor with a degree in Chinese studies. He has lived in China, India, and now New York City.

Dan E. Burr illustrated the classic graphic novel Kings in Disguise . He lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.