Understandable Economics

Because Understanding Our Economy Is Easier Than You Think and More Important Than You Know

By: Howard Yaruss

Narrated by: Howard Yaruss

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

In this entertaining and informative guide, author Howard Yaruss breaks down our economic system in a straightforward way, avoiding jargon, formulas, graphs, and other technical material so common in books on this subject. Instead, he creates a compelling and comprehensive picture of our economy using accessible analogies, real-world observations, and entertaining anecdotes.

Understandable Economics will enable listeners to answer questions such as:

• Why is inequality soaring and what can we do about it?
• Do tax cuts for the wealthy create jobs or just create more inequality?
• Where does money come from, why does it have value, and who controls it?
• What does the Fed do and how does it affect our lives?
• Could alternative currencies like Bitcoin replace the dollar?
• Is our national debt a threat?
• Why do so many people believe free trade is good if it causes some people to lose jobs?
• Why does the economy regularly turn down and how can we get it back on track?
• And many more.

Understandable Economics provides the context, tools, and foundational knowledge listeners need to thoroughly understand our economy, determine which policies would work best, and champion those policies effectively.

©2022 Howard Yaruss (P)2022 Tantor

Excellent book on economics

Excellent easy to grasp overview of economic concepts. I highly recommend this book. One of the best if you’re new to the topic or need a refresher.

great snapshot approach to economics

I like how this book gave some examples on how to solve some economic imbalances in logical ways. this book does lean a little democratic, so there is a balance between anti-rich & more efficient government spending. good read though

Great for gaining an understading of our economy

If you have ever taken a course in economics or read a few books on the subject, you will be really impressed with how clear and interesting this book is. The narrative was surprisingly easy to follow and understand. It explains things I've always wondered about or heard about, but never really understood. I think this book would appeal to people on both the left and the right of the political spectrum. I was particularly impressed by the book's refusal to bound by any ideological straight jacket (unlike so many recent books about economics and public policy). It tells it like it is. I really enjoyed listening to it and think everyone would benefit from it.

Economic made simple but not oversimplified

👍🏾 enough said. Get it listen to it. Form your own opinion. Economics can be convoluted so it's great this book sticks to relavent points.

Waste of money

One of the worst books I have ever listened to.
The author’s reading of the book and his voice is irritating.
He knows nothing about a simple explanation of the economy. He doesn’t understand it.

Sophomoric and stilted

I stopped listening after Chapter 2 due to several off-based assertions. There were several but I’ll pick on one.

Income inequality is due to a failure of “the system” a.k.a. Capitalism. This is not only untrue, but in direct conflict with his previous statements - how capitalism lifted millions of people out of poverty in the previous century. Apparently capitalism works phenomenally well (unprecedented in the history of the world according to the author) when viewed after several decades, but fails when viewed presently.

His premise fails to address the very nature of capitalism and how it accomplished all that it has - through competition and meritocracy which leverage inequality, while at the same time increasing the standard of living for everyone, and paradoxically decreasing the overall inequality.

No one on the planet goes to the store and picks the lesser product suffering from inequality to correct the "injustice". His premise ignores the real reasons for income inequality in those communities - disproportionate higher rates of - single motherhood, deadbeat fathers, child illiteracy, youth incarceration. There's no amount of free money you can throw at those kinds of issues to solve them.

Capitalism is not a free ride - there's a cost to the individual. But it provides the same way out for poor people today, as it has for millions in the past - through hard work, adding value to yourself and others, sacrifice and delayed gratification.