An economist's version of The Way Things Work, this engaging volume is part field guide to economics and part expose of the economic principles lurking behind daily events, explaining everything from traffic jams to high coffee prices. The Undercover Economist is for anyone who's wondered why the gap between rich and poor nations is so great, or why they can't seem to find a decent second-hand car, or how to outwit Starbucks. This book offers the hidden story behind these and other questions, as economist Tim Harford ranges from Africa, Asia, Europe, and of course the United States to reveal how supermarkets, airlines, and coffee chains--to name just a few--are vacuuming money from our wallets. Harford punctures the myths surrounding some of today's biggest controversies, including the high cost of health-care; he reveals why certain environmental laws can put a smile on a landlord's face; and he explains why some industries can have high profits for innocent reasons, while in other industries something sinister is going on. Covering an array of economic concepts including scarce resources, market power, efficiency, price gouging, market failure, inside information, and game theory, Harford sheds light on how these forces shape our day-to-day lives, often without our knowing it. Showing us the world through the eyes of an economist, Tim Harford reveals that everyday events are intricate games of negotiations, contests of strength, and battles of wits. Written with a light touch and sly wit, The Undercover Economist turns "the dismal science" into a true delight.

蒂姆·哈福德：《金融時報》“親愛的經濟學傢”的專欄作傢。在這個專欄中，他用最新的經濟理論，為好奇心十足的讀者提供輕鬆詼諧、深入淺齣的答案。他同時還在世界銀行工作，擔任國際金融公司首席經濟學傢的主筆。之前，哈福德不但做過《金融時報》的經濟學社評作傢，還曾擔任一傢大型石油公司的經濟學傢、牛津大學的經濟學教授。他現居華盛頓。可以從http://www.timharford.com/deareconomist/上閱讀到哈福德的精彩評論。