Product Description
The classic introduction to economic thought, now updated in time for the publication of New Ideas from Dead CEOs This entertaining and accessible introduction to the great economic thinkers throughout history— Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, John Maynard Keynes, and more—shows how their ideas still apply to our modern world. In this revised edition, renowned economist Todd Buchholz offers an insightful and informed perspective on key economic issues in the new millennium: increasing demand for energy, the rise of China, international trade, aging populations, health care, and the effects of global warming. New Ideas from Dead Economists is a fascinating guide to understanding both the evolution of economic theory and our complex contemporary economy.

Amazon.com Review
Over 150 years ago, Scottish essayist Thomas Carlyle dubbed economics the "dismal science." But it certainly doesn't seem that way in the skillful hands of Todd G. Buchholz, author of New Ideas from Dead Economists. In this revised edition of a book first published in 1989, economics is accessible, relevant, and fascinating. It's even fun--for example, when he uses the cast of Gilligan's Island and Henny Youngman jokes to explain complex economic theories. "Why not have the last laugh on Carlyle by using the dead economists themselves to reverse their bad reputations and to teach the lessons they left to us?" Buchholz surveys and critiques economic thought from Adam Smith's invisible hand of the 18th century to the depression-fighting ideas of the Keynesians and money-supply concepts of the 20th-century monetarists. He also relates classic economic principles to such modern-day events as the fall of communism, the Asian financial meltdown, and global warming. Buchholz includes plenty of anecdotes about the lives of the great economists: Karl Marx, for instance, was an unkempt slob; David Ricardo, the early-19th-century English politician and economist, was among the rare economists to get rich trading stocks; and Maynard Keynes was so homely his friends called him "Snout." Here's a lively and authoritative read for those interested in the past, present, and future of economics. --Dan Ring

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 36 reviews)

Brilliant survey of the history of economics by pareto (Texas USA)

5 Stars
February 11, 2009
I am constantly amazed how little economists know about the history of their profession. They have heard (at best) of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, J.M Keynes. This survey will add to the reader's store of knowledge of an additional ten seminal thinkers.

This book started off slow, but the end was great by Lemas Mitchell (Chengdu, Sichuan (China))

4 Stars
January 28, 2009
1. There was a bit too much detail about the subjects' private lives-- however this information was somewhat useful in getting an idea of the context from which the ideas came. So.....Keynes (the aesthete) seemed to be some sort of reaction against the Victorian background from which he had come. 2. The Public Choice policy discussion was, by far, the best part of the book. The thoughts that were expressed in this chapter are ideas that I have encountered in many other contexts-- but these were a wonderful, concise exposition to the ideas and their founding fathers (Mancur Olson). There was also wonderful discussion of what they did explain and what they did not. 3. Monetary and Fiscal policy were also great. A lot of people know those words, but don't know the profound differences in the ideas that anchor these concepts ("fiscal stimulus"/"Monetary stimulus"). I counted in these people before reading this elucidating book but can at least talk conversationally about it. 4. Because this book deals with the basic schools of thought in different parts of Economics, it can give you specific places to start looking in the search for deeper information. It can also clarify the most fundamental differences between differing schools of thought. 5. On the down side, the book is not all that light to read. Most books this length I could take in about 2 afternoons of reading. But this one is of such a depth that I could read (and absorb) no more than one chapter per day. 6. There were also a few problems with the author's attempts at drollery. He could have left them out and the book would not have been diminished in any way. Other than that, this is a great book and well worth the (new) purchase price. I have a feeling that it is something to which I'll return time and time again.

Boring and disappointed by Eric Chan (Hong Kong)

1 Stars
November 01, 2008
The book is so boring that I have to leave my first review on Amazon.com. I don't know economics. I'm expecting ideas from the famous economists and how to apply their ideas in the 21st century. I'm not interested in the their lives, their childhood, their education, their friends, their abilities, etc. For example, "Marshall also realized that facts teach nothing by themselves". I'm not interested in how he teaches, I'm interested in what he teaches. I'm already bored to death before the author put some economic ideas at the end of each chapter.

Much humor from a "dismal scientist" by G. Stelzenmuller

4 Stars
August 26, 2007
Luckily, economics got that "dismal science" label a long time ago, because this book is quite the opposite. Written in both lively style and learned content, the reader will want to go through each chapter wondering "who's next on the chopping block?" And who would have expected to find this gem in a normally dry-sounding field (economics), or a self-serving field (biography). Lest anyone be turned off by the relatively un-recent publication date (1989), the author has updates covering fairly recent events. This book adds a nice thought just by itself: humor and economists. Marx and laughter. Adam Smith and mirth, etcetera. The story covers the really big names in the field in chronological order, and you just know that each personality coming up will get the same fair treatment: a description of the old economists' philosophies and systems, the good parts, the bad parts, the dumb parts, and what they said about each other. At the end, just as we figure out what the author REALLY thinks is the best economic structure, we find the answer is more along the line, "it depends." How can you not like a work like this! Dead economists. Some books are not that good, but have a great title (e.g., "Blink" or "Feel the Fear but Do It Anyway"). Many, many are the other way around, such as "Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire." "Dead Economists" is both. Do read it.

A Mixed Bag by Mark Schaal

3 Stars
December 06, 2006
This books generally delivers what it promises, a review of major thoughts from economists evaluated (somewhat) in a modern context. If that's what you are looking for, it's probably worth reading. However I had three problems with the book. First, he says some incredibly, bizarrely wrong things (quantum mechanics is not a hard science, the internet was invented by private industry, California may float away into the ocean). Even though they are topics outside of economics, they made me generally suspicious of his knowledge. Second, from some of his comments it is clear his writing has a political/philosophical bias but he never comes out and states what it is. Since I'm not an economist (after all, that's why I'm reading this book), it seems impossible to figure out what his bias is and how to correct for it. Third, perhaps a minor point, but he keeps drifting slightly off-topic in order to include a cute saying or clever remark. I mostly found this annoying, but other readers might find it helps keep the book light and fun.

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