Connected: 24 Hours in the Global Economy (Hardcover)

by Daniel Altman (Author) "ERICSSON AND NAPSTER TO UNVEIL ONLINE MUSIC SERVICE" WHEN DOES WORKING TOGETHER REALLY WORK? A scratched-up old train pulls in to the small station at..." (more)
Key Phrases: eign companies, biggest economy, euro area, United States, European Union, World Bank (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Altman's overview of the world's economic workings is useful and informative, though surprisingly dutiful considering the author's promise of a "whirlwind tour." Moving briskly between topics—pegged to an hour-by-hour timeline gimmick—he discusses many concepts: exchange rates, trade deficits, international deals, currency markets, corruption, financial derivatives, technological innovation, the importance of oil. While addressing the outsized role of the U.S., Altman offers valuable glimpses of key foreign economies and leaves us with a solid understanding of how they fit into "the world trading system." "If you want to cope with connectedness," journalist Altman writes, "you have to be as connected as you can—in other words, you have to pay attention to what's happening in the rest of the world." Granted, anyone who's already paying attention will find much of the book's information somewhat remedial. And Altman's attitude toward globalization is so studiously evenhanded and argument-free that the reader may long for the glossy zeal of an advocate like Thomas Friedman or a detractor like Lou Dobbs. Still, as global macroeconomic primers go, this is a quick read that reminds us that we're all in this together—and that many of us have an awful lot to learn to keep up with the global economy. (May 1)
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Review
"...veteran journalist Altman describes the people, deals and issues that helped shape the international economy...Invaluable reading for Globalization 101." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Altman's book offers a Wall-Street-smart and yet deeply intellectual understanding of our amazingly complex and dynamic world economy." -- Robert Shiller, Professor of Economics and Finance, Yale University; Chief Economist, MacroMarkets LLC; and author of Irrational Exuberance

"Dan Altman...makes the subject come alive, as only a gifted journalist can...Buy, read and enjoy while getting instructed." -- Jagdish Bhagwati, University Professor, Columbia University, and author of In Defense of Globalization

"Daniel Altman cleverly serves bite-size, tasty portions of economic insight that will leave readers hungry for more." -- Sylvia Nasar, author, A Beautiful Mind

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374135320
• ISBN-13: 978-0374135324
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #683,966 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I can never read the world business news the same way again., July 26, 2007

By	Reg Nordman "(K)nights on the Road" (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the penultimate insiders view of the world economy as Altman ( a serious business journalist with a PhD.), lets you peek inside the worlds of a dozen decision maker/influencers/ordinary people in many countries, in the same24 hr period. Fascinating and much more insightful than The World is Flat. I can never read the world business news the same way again. It caused me to renew my online The Economist subscription. I appreciated the inside views on currency exchanges, credit and inflation. The story of Haier in China - delightful vignettes. I had forgotten how much Japan lacked competition until pointed out by Altman. The background on why the US will continue to force its dollar lower is worth the book price. The story about the plight of Chinese peasants really pulls at your gut. A must read, it is topical, thought provoking and appropriate for our market planning.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Required reading for every citizen of the global economy (that means you), June 14, 2007

By	Jessica Lux (Rosamond, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Economist Daniel Altman's book is a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the global economy. With tangible examples, opinions from the executives, worker bees, and the guys on the street, and detailed anecdotes ripped straight from the headlines of the dot com boom and beyond, Altman's essays make abstract concepts authentic. His gives context to big macroeconomic vocabulary terms and provides a framework in which the reader can develop his or her own opinion on hot button issues. Altman gives examples and raises enough probing questions that the reader will walk away with a profound appreciation for the lack of black/white good/bad thinking when it comes to globalization.

The story of the global economy is told via 14 snapshots (chapters) of action around the world on one day--June 15, 2005. The chapters range in topic from corporate mergers to anticompetitive practices to currency markets to U.S. dominance. Each chapter is a well-developed stand-alone essay. The weak point is the gimmicky nature of the book--using a time-stamped first-person journal entry from a global market "player" in each chapter to expound upon the topic at hand. The first-person entries add nothing to Altman's already well-crafted text, and by chapter 14, they are a tedious distraction from an otherwise excellent book.

Altman's book is a quick read full of necessary history, politics, and economics for every citizen of the modern world.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You do the Thinking: Lessons on Global Economics, November 11, 2007

By	Dennis DeWilde "The Performance Connection" (Cleveland area, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

By now, we all know that "The World is Flat", and globalization (whatever that really means), is a fact, like it or not. But do we really understand global connections? In this interesting production of 14 magazine formatted articles - interjected with educational pieces on credit markets and currency, world stock markets, and oil's economic importance - economic writer, Daniel Altman asks the reader to do some thinking about how the global economics work. Altman asks 14 different questions with regard to global economics, and then does some educating on the subject using real time (15 June 2005) situations to argue both sides of the question.

If you are interested in, "Who really controls the world's money supply?" or, "Is immigration a luxury or a necessity?" then you will find this book of interest. Altman does not attempt to connect the dots for you, but the questions and the stories should give you `food for thought' about the development of our global economy. As the book is constructed using an article format, it is an easy read, even if the subjects are a bit on the `heavy' side. If you are a fan of The Economist magazine, this is a book for you.

Dennis DeWilde, author of
"The Performance Connection"