CARTOON GUIDE TO ECONOMICS

Larry Gonick, the bestselling cartoonist behind a long line of illustrated primers, turns his pen to economics. Everything starts from one simple notion — choosing when resources are limited — and grows outward into the full landscape of the discipline.

On the micro side, readers meet rational choice, game theory and the ways markets break down. On the macro side, Gonick tackles the headline topics: GDP, inequality, joblessness, inflation and interest rates. Along the way he traces money from prehistoric gift-giving through coins and paper to today’s digital global economy, uses a donut market to make supply and demand click, and explains why a certain level of unemployment can actually be healthy.

Co-written with Vassar economist Ben Ho, the book pairs clear charts with Gonick’s dry humor, making it a friendly companion for students, teachers and curious readers alike.