The Great Unraveling: Losing Our Way in the New Century | 
| Author: Paul Krugman
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  216 reviews
Sales Rank: 127804
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.6
ISBN: 0393058506
Dewey Decimal Number: 330.973
EAN: 9780393058505
Publication Date: September 2003
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Amazon.com Review
The Great Unraveling is a chronicle of how "the heady optimism of the late 1990s gave way to renewed gloom as a result of "incredibly bad leadership, in the private sector and in the corridors of power." Offering his own take on the trickle-down theory, economist and columnist Paul Krugman lays much of the blame for a slew of problems on the Bush administration, which he views as a "revolutionary power...a movement whose leaders do not accept the legitimacy of our current political system." Declaring them radicals masquerading as moderates, he questions their motives on a range of issues, particularly their tax and Social Security plans, which he argues are "obviously, blatantly based on bogus arithmetic." Though a fine writer, Krugman relies more heavily on numbers than words to examine the current rash of corporate malfeasance, the rise and fall of the stock market bubble, the federal budget and the future of Social Security, and how a huge surplus quickly became a record deficit. He also rails against the news media for displaying a disturbing lack of skepticism and for failing to do even the most basic homework when reporting on business and economic issues. The book is mainly a collection of op-ed pieces Krugman wrote for The New York Times between 2000 and 2003. Overall, this format works well. Krugman writes clearly about complicated issues and offers plenty of evidence and hard facts to support his theories regarding the intersection of business, economics, and politics, making this a detailed, informative, and thought-provoking book. --Shawn Carkonen
Product Description
In this collection of Krugman's most influential columns and additional commentary, he chronicles how the boom economy unravelled and how exuberance gave way to pessimism. He tells the uncomfortable turth about how the US lost its way, and offers a road map for getting it back on track.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 211 more reviews...
 A Liberal Economist on Bush's Policies. November 28, 2008
This book is a compilation of columns written by Paul Krugman mostly addressing the economy, warning of impending crises. Another words, a warning from 2004(and earlier) about what we are currently experiencing.
The author is highly critical of the current administration's use of tax cuts for the wealthy as a cure for all economic ills.
He also looks at companies "moving offshore" and using "fancy footwork" to evade paying taxes.
Another subject is the amount of money that can be either a "modest sum" if it's a tax cut for the rich or an "unsupportable burden on the budget" if it's an obligation to retirees like Social Security or a similar program.
I can see the point Mr. Krugman makes about better media sources being the business- related media like CBSMarketWatch.
He also examines how assorted administration officials, particularly the president and v.p. have aquired their wealth. Their familiarity with Enron-type accounting schemes is, well, accounted for. This is directly related to the administration's hypocritical opposition to corporate and accounting reform.
The major ingredients in formulating political debate in our country are :campaign finance, lobbying, and the power of money. Mr. Krugman demonstrates that point very well.
He views the California energy disaster as a result of market manipulation by energy producers and traders. Enron was evidently not the only trader involved.
Mr. Krugman addresses the story of his connection to Enron as a legitimate business transaction that was used as a smear tactic.
I will sum up my impression of the book with this quote form page 129.
"To an extent unprecedented in recent history, this is a government of, by and for corporate insiders. I'm not just talking about influence, I'm talking about personal career experience."
I don't agree with Mr. Krugman's opinions on globalization, but "The Great Unraveling" is an intelligent, clear, and accurate book about Bush's policies and the resulting economic disaster.
 This should have been required reading before October 2008 November 25, 2008
It is frightening how Krugman's words are so applicable to the economic crisis that is happening right now.
I had to keep checking the publication date to make sure that it was not written just in the last month.
The policies of the current administration; the shrub who's name we dare not say out loud, even in our heads;make you want to scream, and very much out loud.
My wish is that economics teachers were not so dry and predictable when I was in high school. Economics is such an important part of how our country is run, and why it is run, to just be a mountain of statistics.
Read Krugman's works, and Freakonomics to start educating yourself about how it all works.
Cheers
 Blowhard Elitist November 23, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Unfortunately, a newly awarded noble peace prize winner, further adding to his armor to attack without criticism, the opposing party politics. Nothing but a rambling Bush hit piece, only three years into his presidency, and a big government proponent. Problem is he has apparently has no offspring contributing to the "cradle to grave" society he espouses. A career without raising children? Maybe I could have as many publications in my spare time. Collection of op-eds from the NTY's that have no cohesion. Sounds like a town crier for the boy who cried wolf. No doubt to his economics knowledge, however, from the halls of academia to the street are two different gigs. Time to see if the next four years, possible eight, will corroborate what he hypothesizes about the gap betweent the rich and poor. Still a good read for the open minded from both sides of the political spectrum. One must repect his credentials, at least.
A Strong Flashlight In A World Of Foggy Numbers November 18, 2008
The early years of the Bush Administration are a blurry memory for me. Partly because nothing that was going on, from tax cuts to 9/11 to the shifting recession, made any sense to the common observer. The hall of illusions structuring the public conversations of the time were all a part of the great unraveling. Paul Krugman was one man with a strong flashlight in a world of foggy numbers. He cut through the confusing lies cast forth by the Bush team in order to show us what was really going on and where these cryptic economics would take us. It is eerie to read these articles years after we know the truth. He couldn't have hit the target more accurately with a patriot arrow. After swimming through this text I have become a true fan.
A timeless work. July 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is as relevant today as it was when it was written. Most books of this type tend to have a relatively short shelf life, but this one endures. It proves the axiom about news being the first draft of history.
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