Planet Money Book—a long-time listener, first-time reader’s review

I am a long-time listener of Planet Money. However, I must admit my enthusiasm for this gold standard economics podcast waned a few years ago.

“I want something more hardcore,” I told myself about five years earlier. At the time, I thought Planet Money’s theme of tackling daily problems with an economic lens was “a bit too basic” for me. I am a professional now; I need something more technical; I need something deep in the weed; “I need something more like Odd Lots!” I remember thinking. 

I was also quite disappointed that Cardiff Garcia left The Indicator, a sister podcast under the Planet Money umbrella. Some of my other beloved hosts like Jacob Goldstein and Adam Davidson also left Planet Money around that time, I decided it was time for me to move on, too.

Well, now that feels like a mistake. The realization hit me when I read their new book— Planet Money Book. It is an excellent introduction to economics and finance and reminded me why it is good to have Planet Money in our life.

As a “long-time listener, first-time reader” consuming Planet Money stories in print is a surprisingly distinct experience. I know these on-the-ground stories are REAL — a high chance that I can listen to the protagonists speak the lines in podcast format. This gives the text a tangible feeling; these stories are not merely high-level theories and readers don’t have to learn how the economy works solely from a bird’s-eye view. 

This book is about real people, like you and me, sharing the stories of how they navigate the economy.

This isn’t to say the books avoids high-level concepts. Take the chapter on gig economy, for example, which was a personal highlight. In a short 13 pages, author Alex Mayyasi wove several serious economics concepts—such as Coase’s theory of firm, asymmetric information, core competency and sectoral bargaining—into one coherent narrative about the role of gig work in the modern economy. 

Of course, we are not talking about dense formula or textbook-level walkthroughs; but they serves as a nice primer on why these concepts have real-life relevancy, especially for readers who don’t have a formal economics education and wish to take a peek of what economics can offer. 

It is always good to be reminded how much basic economics offers everyone—Economics is most powerful when it is tied tightly day-to-day life. Planet Money, both the podcast and the book, always serves as a vital reminder of this fact. 

One more thing: The Planet Money book contains plenty of interesting and education illustrations. Younger audience and visual learners will definitely love it—a feature the podcast format simply can’t offer. 😃

Note:

• All comments are based on a review copy obtained through NetGalley. 

• Planet Money Book will be available in stores on April 7.
• The Planet Money team will launch a book tour across the US in the same month, more details here.