David Wieberg

I am a non-academic but have read extensively - social sciences, history and anthropology. This book about economics is unusual in recognising that economic activity is heavily influenced by culture; it puts understanding people and what they do ahead of just looking at the numbers. Statistics are worse than meaningless if the assumptions underlying or interpreting them are wrong. (Garbage in, garbage out.) Although some of the statements are a bit too simplistic, it's likely that a more nuanced or detailed treatment would not have affected the validity of the arguments, but would have made the book over-long and potentially tedious.. It isn't. It's well written and clearly argued, making it remarkably easy to read, though not exactly light reading.. I would recommend it particularly to people who think unequal treatment of women's is not a world-shaking issue. It is.