The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford

The Undercover Economist by Tim HarfordWho makes most money from the demand for cappuccinos early in the morning at Waterloo Station? Why is it impossible to get a foot on the property ladder? How does the Mafia make money from laundries when street gangs pushing drugs dont? Who really benefits from immigration? How can China, in just fifty years, go from the worlds worst famine to one of the greatest economic revolutions of all time, lifting a million people out of poverty a month?

letters which are personal essays that answer the questions stated above and many

ill-tempered wife of thirteen years

And only days from his retirement

and no memory forgotten

until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed

How do you work out how likely you are to get Covid based on the official statistics

he describes how he perceives and navigates the world

and no medical records because her father didn’t believe in doctors or hospitals

Frater aims to follow the monsoon

art and imagination

And then he proposes an outrageous experiment to bring back her literary muse and meet her deadline: He’ll take her on a series of experimental dates meant to jump-start her romantic inspiration

is all too real