Book reviews
Book notes: Unfinished business, by Tamim Bayoumi
Anand Sinha praises Bayoumi’s analysis of how the euro crisis and US housing crash were, in fact, intertwined
Book notes: China’s Great Wall of Debt, by Dinny McMahon
McMahon is too pessimistic about the chances of China managing to get its great wall of debt under control, writes Michael Taylor, but he is undoubtedly right about the scale of the challenge
Book notes: Edge of chaos, by Dambisa Moyo
John Chown applauds Moyo’s analysis of how the current democratic framework is failing
Book notes: Unelected power, by Paul Tucker
Tucker’s well-argued text sets out a set of principles for those in unelected positions of power to ensure they continue to act for the benefit of the general public, but Reddell says it is a shame more attention is not paid to smaller central banks
Book notes: I do what I do, by Raghuram Rajan
This collection of speeches and commentary sheds light on how the ‘rockstar’ central banker operated, but it reveals little in the more controversial areas of Rajan’s governorship
Book notes: The paradox of vulnerability, by John Campbell and John Hall
Quality of national institutions vital to handling financial crises, say authors
Book notes: A diary of the euro crisis in Cyprus
Panicos Demetriades’ book tells the inside story of the Cypriot crisis and how battles over central bank independence led ultimately to his resignation
Book notes: Respectable banking, by Anthony Hotson
The author’s sensible goal of “respectable banking” is admirable, but the recommendations would not all help to achieve this
Book notes: How global currencies work, by Barry Eichengreen, Arnaud Mehl and Livia Chiţu
A comprehensive introduction to the history of global reserve currencies, with analysis of how advances in technology and the structure of trade have reshaped the landscape
Book notes: The End of Theory, by Richard Bookstaber
Bookstaber provides an entertaining introduction to agent-based modelling – a potential new front for economics
Book notes: Money in the Great Recession, by Tim Congdon
A stimulating collection of papers on the monetarist theory that had central bankers in late 2008 focused on boosting the quantity of broad money “the Great Recession would not have happened”
Book notes: The Right Balance for Banks, by William Cline
An interesting analysis of optimal capital requirements for G-Sibs, examining whether Basel III requirements will be enough to stem another financial crisis
Book notes: Hole in the Wall, by James Shepherd-Barron
Cash machines have changed the way cash is managed, but is there a future for such machines in a world looking to go cashless?
Book notes: Econometrics as a Con Art, by Imad Moosa
Every central bank should have a copy of this interesting study, which holds common econometric practice under the microscope, writes Graham Bannock
Book notes: Advice & Dissent: My Life in Public Service, by YV Reddy
An engaging look into the private life and career of a former governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and arguably one of the best central bankers of the twentieth century, YV Reddy
Book notes: The Myth of Independence, by Sarah Binder and Mark Spindel
Politicians would do well to heed the authors’ lessons, but their economic analysis could be stronger, writes Niels Bünemann
Book notes: The Limits of the Market, by Paul de Grauwe
De Grauwe has produced a concise analysis into how markets and governments react with one another; but his lack of familiarity with the history of economic thought is surprising
Book notes: The Spider Network, by David Enrich
A thrilling exploration of how currency trader Tom Hayes and confederates managed to corrupt the UK banking system in what has become one of the largest financial scandals in history
Book notes: The Tides of Capital, by Julia Leung
This “stimulating read” offers a unique perspective on how Asian countries have developed economically over the past 20 years. More interesting is Leung’s unintentional revelation that they still have a 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, hoping to shift the political debate on debt
Book notes: Fed Up, by Danielle diMartino Booth
A “fascinating but annoying” account by a US Federal Reserve insider who openly criticises the culture of the US central bank and policy decisions made by the institution leading up to and following the financial crisis
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, taking a close look at the hurdles it has overcome and what obstacles remain in its way to competing on the global stage
Book notes: Bankers, Bureaucrats and Central Bank Politics, by Christopher Adolph
An interesting, if slightly dated, analysis of those who made monetary policy decisions in advanced economies between 1950–2001, attempting to understand whether personal background influences decision-making