Book reviews
Book notes: The Japanese central banking system compared with its European and American counterparts, by Yoshiharu Oritani
The book has “no equal” in reviewing new microeconomic theory for central banking
Book notes: The Bank of England and the government debt, by William Allen
Required reading for Treasury, Debt Management Office and Bank of England staff
Book notes: Economics for the common good, by Jean Tirole
The book should be well received amid the recent rise in populism
Book notes: Narrative economics, by Robert Shiller
The book is good fun to read, but some elements are a little disappointing
Book notes: After Piketty, by Heather Boushey, Bradford Delong & Marshall Steinbaum
The book leaves you with a deeper and nuanced understanding of Piketty's work
Book notes: Shadow networks, by Francisco Louçã and Michael Ash
While not all central bankers will read this book, the problems it presents should not be left to politicians to solve
Book notes: Humanomics, by Vernon L Smith and Bart J Wilson
While being authored by world-class Adam Smith specialists means this is a must-read, the value-added of the book “remains a bit vague”
Book notes: Why not default?, by Jerome Roos
A thought-provoking book that will repay the investment of any reader with an interest in sovereign debt
Book notes: Currency, credit and crisis, by Patrick Honohan
Honohan brings an analytical eye to the measures taken to avert a deep crisis in Ireland
Book notes: The third pillar, by Raghuram Rajan
Rajan sets out an ambitious – but deliberately non-radical – manifesto for reform at the local level
Book notes: Floored!, by George Selgin
Michael Reddell remains unconvinced the Fed’s introduction of the IOR prolonged the recession, but credits Selgin’s argument the IOR policy made the central bank a more powerful credit lender
Book notes: Finance and philosophy, by Alex J Pollock
A readable and useful book that provides much food for thought, and should be read widely by economists and policy-makers
Book notes: Where economics went wrong, by David Colander and Craig Freedman
Chicago economics’ gladiatorial debating style has cost the discipline dearly, the authors argue
Book notes: Democratizing Money?, by Beat Weber
This is a timely book about ‘how money really works’
Book notes: EuroTragedy, by Ashoka Mody
The former International Monetary Fund insider elegantly tells the story of the creation of the currency that has defied economics, warning that it could get “worse, much worse”
Book notes: Keeping at it, by Paul Volcker with Christine Harper
Volcker, a man who has made history, delivers a fascinating memoir, providing insights into the key lessons learned during his decades of public service, writes Jean-Claude Trichet
Book notes: Macroprudential policy and practice, edited by Paul Mizen, Margarita Rubio and Philip Turner
An important overview of the current state of thinking about macro-prudential policy, but uncertainties remain about the current allocation of financial stability responsibilities
Book notes: The Fed and Lehman Brothers, by Laurence Ball
Ball claims the Fed could have lent to Lehmans, lawfully and prudently, had it chosen to do so, writes Reddell. But agreeing the Fed could have provided liquidity support does not automatically imply it should have
Book notes: The bank that lived a little, by Philip Augar
History of British commercial bank Barclays fails to address key questions, writes Michael Taylor
Book notes: The other half of macroeconomics, by Richard Koo
Richard Koo questions whether central bank policy can work during a balance sheet recession, writes Graham Bannock
Book notes: Capitalism without capital, by Jonathan Haskel and Stian Westlake
The authors have created a compelling framework to characterise and explain the nature of intangible investments in our economies, writes Michael Reddell, but their conclusions are lacking in analysis and data
Book notes: Digital human, by Chris Skinner
Skinner provides a valuable insight into the challenges banks face as technology continues to permeate further into the financial industry
Book notes: Till Time’s Last Sand, by David Kynaston
Kynaston allows readers to develop their own understanding of how the BoE has had to refind its place in a country where the political system has migrated from commercial republic to full-franchise democracy
Book notes: American default, by Sebastian Edwards
Edwards’ book is fascinating, well written and enjoyable, and provides an account of one of the US’s forgotten chapters of history