Highlights:
Oh! No! Not another book about the global financial crisis. But Aftershock (ambitiously subtitled ‘Reshaping the world economy after the crisis’) is one of the best. Philippe Legrain is that rare combination of a fine journalist with a decent grasp of economics, or perhaps that should be a first class economist who can actually write. Either way, this is a good read.
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First, it is intelligently researched and packed with interesting detail. (It has a really good index to help the more casual reader too.) Legrain has pretty much toured the world in search of local colour.
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Second, Legrain is good on the bigger picture, including the social and environmental dimensions of the economic and financial crisis and its potential solutions – something typically missing from most analysis coming from the City.
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Above all, the book is well-written. Some of the reportage is breathless and comes across as a bit naive (gushing descriptions of the buzz in Shanghai). But that is forgivable enthusiasm. This is an easy read for a train or plane journey and it ends on a refreshingly upbeat note.