Surprised Again! The COVID Crisis and the New Market Bubble

Published in Library Journal:

by Alex J. Pollock & Howard B. Adler

Paul Dry. Nov. 2022. 222p. ISBN 9781589881655. pap. $21.95. ECONOMICS

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As former senior officials of the U.S. Department of Treasury under the Trump administration, Pollock (Finance and Philosophy: Why We’re Always Surprised) and Adler are qualified to synthesize complex financial behaviors into digestible chapters; the graphs they include are excellent. This book analyzes prime money market funds, cryptocurrencies, mortgages, municipal debt, pension debt, and student loans, in regard to their pre and current pandemic behavior. Each chapter serves as a primer and an update of each category. The authors argue that all finance is political finance, and they believe that predicting financial market behavior is ineffective, since many times those forecasts are wrong or surprising. Salient points are emphasized with a “Dear Reader” salutation that is both annoying and effective, as the examples in those paragraphs are essential for understanding. The chapters on prime market funds and cryptocurrencies are especially enlightening due to their exploration of regulations, both real and theoretical, that influence their behavior. Although the book is designed to be read in sequence, readers looking to delve into these topics beyond daily media coverage will be able to start at the chapter they’re most interested in.

VERDICT A helpful and insightful analysis of current economics.

Reviewed by Tina Panik , Nov 01, 2022