Publisher: Abrams ComicArt

Release Date: September 1, 2012

Price: $19.95

Creators: Michael Goodwin (author) and Dan E. Burr (illustrator)

Format: 304 pages, Black & White, Trade Paperback

ISBN: 978-0-8109-8839-2

Age Rating: Not Rated by Publisher

ICv2 Rating: 4 Stars out of 5

 

This is an impressive work of nonfiction in graphic form, presenting an explanation both of classical economic theory and modern business theory, translated for the layman.  Its only weakness is that some will see it as choosing political sides in the sections on the modern economic situation of the world, but the author has done his homework in making those choices.  This is not a knee-jerk political book trying to explain economics, it's a solid economics book that is trying to explain the interaction of money and power.

 

One of the greatest strengths of the book in this form is that it's hard to think of cartoony information as being too complex.  So, Goodwin and Burr manage to explain things like the theories of Alan Greenspan and the basic concepts of Adam Smith without sounding like a dry classroom lecture.

 

The first two hundred pages of Economix could actually be used as a beginning textbook in economics.  After that, it gets more into current events, politics and controversy, but even that is well reasoned and interesting.  Those with an open mind will learn something about the way money works, even if they disagree with the political conclusions.

 

For teens and adults, due to vocabulary and subject matter.

 

--Nick Smith: Librarian Technician, Community Services, for the Pasadena Public Library in California.