IMF Summer Reads

IMF Blog, August 13, 2021

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Publication: IMF Summer Reads
By: The Editors
Date: August 13, 2021
Purpose: Curated additions to a summer reading list based on recent book reviews by editors at Finance & Development (F&D). Emphasis on books that bring new thinking, perspective from the past, inspiration, and motivation to act.

Rebellion, Rascals, and Revenue: Tax Follies and Wisdom through the Ages — Michael Keen and Joel Slemrod
- Review excerpt (Richard Bird): “This is a rare find that can and should be read and enjoyed not only by experts but by anyone who has ever had questions about taxation. As Michael Keen (of the IMF) and Joel Slemrod (University of Michigan) show, ‘taxes are us’ in the sense that everywhere and always, they change and develop with the times.”

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men — Caroline Criado Perez
- Review excerpt (Kalpana Kolchar): “Criado Perez emphasizes that the ‘male unless indicated otherwise’ approach to all aspects of life and the myth of ‘male universality’ are not malicious or even deliberate, but are the product of thinking that has been around for millennia.”

The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics — Tim Harford
- Review excerpt (Louis Marc Ducharme): “Building on well-researched examples across domains and time, Harford reminds us of key steps to take when analyzing a series of statistics, including maintaining some distance so as not to be influenced by our biases and personal experiences, which may not be representative; pausing and reflecting before coming to a conclusion; and, as a detective would, asking simple questions (What are we trying to measure? What is the sample or universe used?) to get a sense of context and perspective.”

Boom and Bust: A Global History of Financial Bubbles — William Quinn and John D. Turner
- Review excerpt (Fabio Natalucci): “From the Mississippi and the South Sea bubbles of the early 1700s to the subprime and Chinese excesses of the 2000s, Boom and Bust: A Global History of Financial Bubbles provides a fascinating guide through a historical journey of speculative financial crises.”

Angrynomics — Eric Lonergan and Mark Blyth
- Review excerpt (Antonio Spilimbergo): “Despite what its title may suggest, Angrynomics is about more than just anger and economics. In fact, it’s composed of three interrelated topics: a history of capitalism over the past 150 years, an analysis of the current discontent (the anger), and a set of proposals for the future.”

F&D tradition: Features articles by authors of new, thought-provoking books.
- Example cited: “What We Owe Each Other” by Minouche Shafik, based on her book. Shafik argues that “harnessing everyone’s talents is not just an issue of fairness; it is also good for the economy,” and calls for a new social contract fit for the 21st century.

IMF Summer Reads — The Editors, August 13, 2021