This is a book about how economists view the world. In fact,there might be an economist sitting near you right now. You might not spot him - a normal person looking at an economist wouldn't notice anything remarkable. But normal people look remarkable in the eyes of economists. What is the economist seeing? What could he tell you, if you cared to ask? And why should you care?

Harford writes like a dream - and is also one of the leading economic thinkers of his generation. From his book I found out why there's a Starbucks on every corner, what Bob Geldof needs to learn to make development aid work properly, and how not to get duped in an auction. Reading The Undercover Economist is like spending an ordinary day wearing X-ray goggles

Ever wondered why the gap between rich and poor nations is so great,or why it's so difficult getting a foot on the property ladder, or how to outwit Starbucks? This book offers the hidden story behind these and other questions, as economist Tim Harford reveals how supermarkets,airlines and coffee chains - to name just a few - are vacuuming money from our wallets. Written with a light, humorous touch but backed up by the latest economic research, this eye-opening book delightfully exposes the forces that shape our day-to-day lives, often without our knowing it.

Most people think economics is boring, difficult and irrelevant. In fact,economics is fascinating, comprehensible and highly relevant. As Tim Harford demonstrates brilliantly in this enjoyable book, the powerful underlying ideas of economics can, in the hands of the right person,illuminate every aspect of the world we inhabit

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Who Pays for Your Coffee?

What Supermarkets Don't Want You to Know

Perfect Markets and the 'World of Truth'

Crosstown Traffic

The Inside Story

Rational Insanity

The Men Who Knew the Value of Nothing

Why Poor Countries Are Poor

Beer, Chips and Globalisafion

How China Grew Rich

Notes

Index