The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford - Popular Economics - Non Fiction - Paperback

Details
Condition: New
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780349119854
Publisher: Abacus
Age Range: Adult

Overview
The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford is a brand new paperback that turns everyday moments into vivid economics lessons. From a morning cappuccino at Waterloo Station to the housing ladder, Harford shows economics as the stuff of daily life, not distant theory. Written in clear, witty prose and free of jargon or equations, this Sunday Times bestseller is ideal for curious readers, students, teachers and gift buyers who want a genuinely accessible introduction to how markets really work.

About the Book
In The Undercover Economist, Tim Harford asks the questions that ordinary life throws up and answers them with the tools of economic thinking. Who really profits from your morning coffee? Why does buying a house in a good area cost so much, and who benefits from that scarcity? Why do secondhand cars get such a bad reputation, and what does that reveal about information and trust in any market? Harford ranges from London coffee shops to the booming skyscrapers of Shanghai and the quiet canals of Bruges, uncovering the signals, incentives and hidden games behind decisions we make without a second thought. He examines price signals, scarcity, negotiation power, and how supply and demand quietly steer entire economies. There is also a serious edge: chapters explore globalisation, immigration and how China transformed itself from famine to rapid growth by embracing market forces, lifting extraordinary numbers of people out of poverty. Throughout, Harford resists textbook abstraction, instead building his argument from stories and observations any reader will recognise. The result is a book that changes how you see queues, supermarkets, job interviews and house prices alike. It has sold over a million copies worldwide and remains one of the most trusted introductions to economic thinking available, praised for making a famously dry subject feel immediate, relevant and even fun.

• Jargon-free, genuinely accessible explanations of core economic principles
• Real-world examples — coffee shops, housing, secondhand cars, supermarkets
• Explores globalisation, immigration and China's economic transformation
• Written by a trusted, award-winning economics broadcaster and journalist
• Ideal for personal reading, book clubs, students or as a thoughtful gift

About the Author
Tim Harford is an economist, journalist and broadcaster celebrated for making complex ideas approachable. He writes a senior column for the Financial Times and presents BBC Radio 4's More or Less and the podcast Cautionary Tales. Author of multiple bestselling books including Messy and How To Make The World Add Up, Harford has spoken at TED, PopTech and the Sydney Opera House. He is an associate member of Nuffield College, Oxford, and an honorary fellow of the Royal Statistical Society. In 2019 he was awarded an OBE for services to improving economic understanding.

Why You'll Love This Book
Sharp, funny and endlessly quotable, this book turns a trip to the supermarket into a lesson in strategy. It's the rare economics read that entertains as much as it informs, perfect for anyone who wants to understand the world a little better.

Please Note: Cover design may vary slightly from the image shown; you will receive the current UK edition with this ISBN.