• Popular Economics

  • What the Rolling Stones, Downton Abbey, and LeBron James Can Teach You About Economics
  • By: John Tamny
  • Narrated by: Daniel Penz
  • Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (99 ratings)

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Popular Economics  By  cover art

Popular Economics

By: John Tamny
Narrated by: Daniel Penz
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Publisher's summary

Forbes editor John Tamny uses entertaining stories from sports, movies, popular culture, and famous businesses to demonstrate the basic principles of economics. The Rolling Stones, the Dallas Cowboys, and Paris Hilton become examples of good and bad tax policy. The Godfather, Gone With the Wind, and The Sopranos reveal the downside of antitrust regulation while the Michigan Wolverines' 2007 loss to Appalachian State explains why regulations often fail to achieve their intended purposes. NBA star LeBron James' exploits on the basketball court illustrate free trade and comparative advantage while the cooking of chicken wings makes the case for a stable dollar.

Popular Economics is an everyman's guide to how money really works - a lesson politicians try (and fail) to grasp every day.

©2015 John Tamny (P)2015 Regnery Publishing

What listeners say about Popular Economics

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infers conclusions from hand picked examples...

Would you try another book from John Tamny and/or Daniel Penz?

Never ever from John Tamny, can I please have my money back.
Well narrated by Daniel Penz

Has Popular Economics turned you off from other books in this genre?

I was looking for a book that might challenge believes about economics that I am holding. I will actually look for a different book in the same genre despite John Tamny

Any additional comments?

John Tamny concludes a bunch of bullshit without any statistical evidence or apparent logic from telling hand-picked stories. The stories aren't great or exciting either and he gets it all so backwards. It becomes very clear that he is somewhat challenged intellectually. Beware of this book it is an insult to intelligence independent of what your prior thoughts are on related topics. I should have researched the book more but I needed a new read and audible recommended it... Don't buy this please!

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7 people found this helpful

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Will go down as a 'Great' book in economics.

John's logic is good and conclusion match the outcomes we see interference in markets and fee choice. He made clear how governments do not create wealth and compete with the private sector by applying taxes and soaking up credit that could be used to improve our life and standard of living.
My only criticism is for more data. But it's absence makes the book an easy read and easy to understand.

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5 people found this helpful

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amazing modern book on economics

Every millennial should read this book. ...entertaining, informative, revolutionary...a masterpiece at educating while trekking great stories.

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5 people found this helpful

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Bravo

Concise, informative, accurate, and influential. A book I definitely recommend and a book I definitely will read again. He can change your opinion about trade deficits, inflation, gold, and how government impedes peace and prosperity by manipulating economics through monetary policy. Get ready to unlearn a lot of what you thought you knew if you happened to have been educated in a government school and have not been otherwise influenced by liberty minded thinkers. Well done.

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4 people found this helpful

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Clear and informative common sense

This book uses every day examples to explain Economics that anyone can understand. Great narration.

Highly recommend to anyone interested in understanding Economics.

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4 people found this helpful

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Good stuff

Although I disagree with his idea that deficits don't matter, Tamny has some very good insights into economics.

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3 people found this helpful

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Good info

It was well done, simple and made sense. Great for those who are not as economical savvy and even those that are.

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3 people found this helpful

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Tea partiers will love this book

Perhaps this book gets deeper and more realistic in the second half, but I couldn't stand to listen to the author's many unfounded assertions that if we just get rid of taxes and let people serve their self interests all will be well with the economy. A number of years of behavioral economics research has taught us that people don't behave like the ideal "econ" society from Adam Smith's theories. Yet this author makes this assumption repeated to "prove" his points. If you are a fan of the tea party political movement, you will think this book is outstanding.

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2 people found this helpful

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Deceptive description - Far right wing nonsense

Reading the description, I was expecting something akin to Freakanomics. Wow was I deceived.

This book is a love letter to debunked, right-wing/libertarian/conspiratorial nonsense about the gold standard, the evil, evil fed and voodoo economics. Steve Forbes wrote the forward. That is pretty much all you need to know.

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Looking to understand economics? Look no further

Exceptionally well written with high quality insight to true economics. You're better off reading this book than taking a litany of college economics courses.

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1 person found this helpful