Global Economy – DaneCobain.com

Robert Thayer – The Apology of Arthur Tresbit | Review

Title: The Apology of Arthur Tresbit

Author: Robert Thayer

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 282

Rating: 4*/5

Robert Thayer – The Apology of Arthur Tresbit

Disclaimer: While I aim to be unbiased, I received a copy of this for free to review.

This book is interesting because at first glance, I didn’t think I was going to like it. I’m not sure why – I suppose I made that age-old mistake of judging a book by its cover. Actually, I think that a trail of dominoes would have made a better cover image – it would be more visually appealing, and it would also directly reference the story. Although the current one kind of does the job, too.

This book is written in an interesting style – it’s humorous, but it’s also often informative. I feel like I learned a lot about the financial industry along the way, and Thayer actually did a pretty good job of deploying the technique of an unreliable narrator. Arthur Tresbit, the central character, is both believable and easy to sympathise with, even if he is also a bit of an idiot.

Loosely speaking, the book takes the form of Mr. Tresbit’s written apology after he accidentally brings down the global economy. I can’t actually say too much about how he does that without spoiling parts of the story line, but Thayer’s reasoning and his depiction are believable, whilst simultaneously being laughable. But the general gist is that he accidentally finds himself in the financial industry and that he brings down the entire system without meaning to. A bit like Arthur Dent, but with other people’s money to invest in pig’s teeth. Because hey – why the hell not, after all?

Austin Macauley

Click here to buy The Apology of Arthur Tresbit.

Michael Mainelli and Ian Harris – The Price of Fish | Review

Title: The Price of Fish

Author: Michael Mainelli and Ian Harris

Type: Non-Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 328

Rating: 7/10

Michael Mainelli and Ian Harris – The Price of Fish

Disclaimer: While I aim to be unbiased, I received a copy of this for free to review.

Despite the fact that this is a book about economics, you don’t have to be a financier to enjoy it. In fact, there’s a lot of value here for almost everyone who buys or sells something on a regular basis, whether you’re a stockbroker on Wall Street or a small business owner in rural Scotland. See, the whole world is complex and interlinked, and while it’s difficult to get your head around just how the global economy works in the age of the internet, this book is as good a place to start learning as any.

It can be a complicated read at times though, so you’ll want to make sure that there are no distractions before you start reading it – if you’ve got kids, there’s no chance whatsoever that you’ll be able to read it when they’re around, because it’s tough going as it is. If you understand exactly what the authors are talking about at all times then you’re a wiser man than I, but you don’t really need to worry about understanding each and every concept as long as you let the underlying principles sink in.

But don’t let that put you off, and don’t worry if the thought of reading about economics has never excited you, as long as it’s relevant. I can’t say that I’ve read loads of books about economics, and I’m sure that even the authors would agree that it’s a fairly dry subject in comparison to some others, but they’ve done a fantastic job of making it both interesting and educational, and trust me – that’s no easy task. Some of the stuff about game theory and the idea of time as a tradeable resource is fascinating, too.