Economics explains the world. For example, the fact that you're holding this book in your hands puts you in a special position. To many people around the globe, spending money on a book and being able to read it would seem as likely as a trip to the moon. But why can some countries afford the buildings, books and teachers they need to educate their children - and others can't? The word 'economics' might sound a bit dry, but it's really about getting to the bottom of questions like these.

This is a lively, bestselling account of the history of economics, told through events from ancient to modern times and through the ideas of great thinkers in the field. From Adam Smith to Karl Marx and the invention of money to the Great Depression, this Little History illuminates the economic forces that shape our world.