Book reviews
Book notes: The Tides of Capital, by Julia Leung
“Stimulating read” offers unique perspective on how Asian countries have developed, yet still have long way to go
Book notes: Can we avoid another financial crisis?, by Steve Keen
Steve Keen challenges “mainstream” economic thinking in this concise book
Book notes: Fed Up, by Danielle diMartino Booth
A “fascinating but annoying” account by US Fed insider who openly criticises culture of US central bank
Book notes: Crash Bang Wallop, by Iain Martin
A comprehensive study of the City of London and how it became the world’s leading financial centre prior to the financial crisis and the UK’s vote to leave the European Union
Book notes: Gaining Currency, by Eswar Prasad
A detailed study into the renminbi’s journey to becoming the reserve currency
Book notes: Bankers, bureaucrats and central bank politics, by Christopher Adolph
Analysis of those in charge of monetary policy decisions in advanced economies between 1950–2001, attempting to understand the role of personal background in decision-making
Book notes: Architects of the euro, edited by Kenneth Dyson and Ivo Maes
Biographical study of 10 key players in development of EMU provides contrast to more historical analyses
Book notes: Competition and Stability in Banking, by Xavier Vives
The book highlights many important issues, but also has a few flaws
Book notes: The Nobel Factor, by Avner Offer and Gabriel Söderberg
The authors examine the politics behind the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences
Book notes: The International Monetary Fund: Distinguishing reality from rhetoric, by Graham Bird and Dane Rowlands
Strong analysis is undermined by data that looks somewhat outdated
Book notes: The man who knew: The life & times of Alan Greenspan, by Sebastian Mallaby
An extensive account of Greenspan's life and achievements, but would have benefited from a closer analysis of his relationships with comrades at the Fed
Book notes: Shadow banking in China, by Andrew Sheng and Ng Chow Soon
The authors dispel many myths about shadow banking in China
Book notes: On central banking, by Jan Qvigstad
The book reflects Norway’s intellectual history, as well as the history of Norges Bank
Book notes: The curse of cash, by Kenneth S Rogoff
A well-written book, but weak in its analysis and historical perspective
Book notes: Achieving financial stability and growth in Africa, edited by Stephany Griffith-Jones and Ricardo Gottschalk
Chown praises this comprehensive review into achieving ‘the impossible’ in low-income Africa
Book notes: Connectedness and contagion, by Hal Scott
Scott’s argument on the dangers of contagion has many appealing features
Book notes: And the weak suffer what they must?, by Yanis Varoufakis
A persuasively written book that is likely to elicit strong opinions
Book notes: The power of a single number, by Philipp Lepenies
Lepenies offers a brief but very readable treatment of GDP's political history
Book notes: Priests of prosperity: how central bankers transformed the postcommunist world
An insight into how central banking excellence was built in Eastern Europe and beyond
Book notes: The euro and the battle of ideas, by Markus K Brunnermeier, Harold James and Jean-Pierre Landau
A fascinating and informative book that offers suggestions on how differences in beliefs can be overcome
Book notes: A few hares to chase, by Alan Bollard
An interesting account of the life of engineer-turned-economist Bill Phillips
Book notes: The power and independence of the Federal Reserve, by Peter Conti-Brown
Conti-Brown offers a call to action to fix the legitimacy of the Federal Reserve System
Book notes: Lehman Brothers: a crisis of value, by Oonagh McDonald
A useful synopsis that nevertheless fails to add significantly to what was already known
Book notes: Bretton Woods: the next 70 years
A book that raises more problems than solutions