Talking to My Daughter About the Economy

A strong 3.5 stars. As someone who didn't study economics but has become interested and eventually fascinated by it over time, I found Varoufakis' exploration of economic theory via simplistic language and vivid story telling to be a really entertaining and informative read.

Outstanding. I'd love actually to get my daughter (15) to read this, but it's unlikely I suppose.

I might just read it again in a year or so, as I'm a bear of very little brain and it would do me some good I think. I'm not saying it's a difficult book — quite the opposite in fact, but I find these concepts a little challenging to grasp fully.

Highly recommended and thank you Waterstone's for having this as a book of the month, else I wouldn't have seen it.

The books is very approachable in explaining concepts like state debt and unemployment. I don't regret reading it and can even recommend with an important caveat: it is poisoned with etatism. Varoufakis sees the state as an ultimate solution to all the problems, while most of the times it is exactly the source of these problems. To be fair he does mention the inherently unbreakable bond between bankers and politicians couple of times, but still justifies strong state existence. He even sees the wise state as a solution for bitcoin-related scums. Who else gonna help us poor little bastards to live our lives if not the almighty state, right? (No)

Interesting but completely biased point of view. From the perspective of simplifying concepts it's great but when you bias those explanations with your political view it loses a little of its appeal as a narrative. Nevertheless the author never hides he is influenced by his origins and political views so you get what is promised.

How economic surplus jumpstarted the economy and inequality, how the labor market was created, how we evolved from societies with markets to market societies, how debt is what fuels profit seeking, how banks profit from bubbles and never pay for their faults, how increased automation would trip on less purchasing power, all the way up to the great debate if commodification of everything or democratization of everything (money, the environment) would solve all our worries.

Varoufakis addresses this engaging tour of the history of the economy and capitalism at his then-adolescent daughter. It's lucid, yet not oversimplified, I've learned a lot, and still think, I should probably revisit it again.