EconAmerica: Why the American Economy is Alive and Well... And What That Means to Your Wallet [Hardcover]

Jeff Thredgold (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 29, 2007

Praise for EconAmerica

"If you live in the real world, this book is a must-read. It is packed withusable insights into the future, the global economy, and what you and yourcompany need to know to be competitive now and in the future. Jeff Thredgold makes the dismal science a fun adventure to prepare you for not only what is coming, but how to take advantage of the great opportunities ahead."
--Terry L. Brocksyndicated columnist, marketing coach, www.TerryBrock.com

"In this insightful and practical book, Jeff Thredgold proves that 'interesting economist' isn't an oxymoron. Jeff takes the mystery out of economics and makes it easy to understand. If you want to know what's really going on in the American economy and the impact it has on your quality of living, read this book."
--Mark Sanbornspeaker and bestselling author of The Fred Factor andYou Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader

"With all the economic gloom and doom thrust upon us by the mediaand politicians, through econAmerica, Jeff Thredgold is a fresh breath ofeconomic hope--something that we all so desperately need today."
--Ed RigsbeePresident of Rigsbee Research and author of PartnerShift

"This account of history, economic data, and humanbehavior makes a compelling statement about how the Americaneconomy will prevail as globalization evolves."
--Hazel J. PankeyDirector, Conference Programs, Industrial Asset Management Council

"You continue to amaze us with your outstanding ability to present economic information in terms that everyone can understand, while also making it extremely interesting."
--JOE BELEW
President, Consumer Bankers Association

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Despite the painful shocks of sky-high energy prices, rising short-term interest rates, volatile housing markets, and global terrorism, the American economy has continued to perform well in recent years. But even as solid growth has occurred, the national media has led millions of Americans to believe that the economy is merely limping along, creating few quality jobs, and on the brink of disaster.

With econAmerica, author Jeff Thredgold sets the record straight by debunking some of today's most common economic myths—many of which have been perpetuated by the media—and presents a balanced picture of the U.S. economy and where it may be headed.

Over the course of his successful career as an economist, educator, and professional speaker, Thredgold has always had an optimistic outlook on the U.S. economy and its role within the global community. Now, in econAmerica, he shares his engaging and entertaining experiences with you and examines the fundamental factors that will affect your financial well-being for years to come.

Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, econAmerica focuses on the essential elements of a strong American economy, including the rising quality of jobs, wages, and benefits—and climbing stock prices. Along the way, it also provides clarity to critical areas within the U.S. economy—such as government and taxation, the entitlement issue, the Federal Reserve, consumer behavior, retirement realities, inflation and interest rates, and the power of incentives in the economy—that will help you make more informed financial decisions in both your personal and business endeavors. Leaving no stone unturned, econAmerica also takes the time to discuss a number of important international issues, from global competition and long-term currency fluctuations to energy availability, that continue to weigh on our economy.

Looking back over the past as well as ahead to the coming decades, this timely guide provides both the seasoned professional and those new to this arena with an understandable view of the U.S. economy. By cutting through the media hype, econAmerica offers you a clear picture of how the American economy is really performing and what that means for the future of your finances.

From the Back Cover

Praise for EconAmerica

"If you live in the real world, this book is a must-read. It is packed withusable insights into the future, the global economy, and what you and yourcompany need to know to be competitive now and in the future. Jeff Thredgold makes the dismal science a fun adventure to prepare you for not only what is coming, but how to take advantage of the great opportunities ahead."
—Terry L. Brocksyndicated columnist, marketing coach, www.TerryBrock.com

"In this insightful and practical book, Jeff Thredgold proves that 'interesting economist' isn't an oxymoron. Jeff takes the mystery out of economics and makes it easy to understand. If you want to know what's really going on in the American economy and the impact it has on your quality of living, read this book."
—Mark Sanbornspeaker and bestselling author of The Fred Factor andYou Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader

"With all the economic gloom and doom thrust upon us by the mediaand politicians, through econAmerica, Jeff Thredgold is a fresh breath ofeconomic hope—something that we all so desperately need today."
—Ed RigsbeePresident of Rigsbee Research and author of PartnerShift

"This account of history, economic data, and humanbehavior makes a compelling statement about how the Americaneconomy will prevail as globalization evolves."
—Hazel J. PankeyDirector, Conference Programs, Industrial Asset Management Council

"You continue to amaze us with your outstanding ability to present economic information in terms that everyone can understand, while also making it extremely interesting."
—JOE BELEW
President, Consumer Bankers Association

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 212 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (June 29, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470096985
• ISBN-13: 978-0470096987
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #663,644 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read and Outlook, July 23, 2007

By 

Peter R. Genereaux - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: EconAmerica: Why the American Economy is Alive and Well... And What That Means to Your Wallet (Hardcover)

Just finished reading your book from cover to cover in one sitting! Thanks for sharing your positive, clearly stated and sensible views on the outlook for us and the rest of the world!

Peter Genereaux
Founder and Retired CEO of the Utah Information Technology Council

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good news tour of the American economy., July 21, 2007

By 

Craig Matteson (Saline, MI) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: EconAmerica: Why the American Economy is Alive and Well... And What That Means to Your Wallet (Hardcover)

It is very difficult for the average person to get a handle on the American economy from the popular press. The people writing about the various issues rarely have a solid background in economics or finance, less experience in investing or managing money, and often have an unstated political bias that shades what they write.

The author of this book, Jeff Thredgold, is an unabashed enthusiast for the American economy. This book takes you through all that he sees as positive and tells you why he thinks so. Even the problems he talks about, he thinks can be managed and handled. What he wants to underscore is that far from gloom and doom, the positives about the American economy are hugely greater than its negatives.

The book is not a detailed argument about a single economic argument, but rather a tour of a number of topics. He starts with the economy in general, employment, government and deficits, entitlement programs, inflation & interest rates, the consumer, the workplace, American retirement, what he sees as guaranteed growth industries (personally, economic guarantees scare me to death), savings, investment, global issues, and some on international affairs.

All his presentations are informative for the general person, and he never gets very technical or too detailed. However, in some ways, this does shortchange some of the topics. For example, when discussing the minimum wage, he finally concludes that we can afford to give those at the bottom of our economic ladder a raise. However, he doesn't talk about other very real costs of the minimum wage to those who will not be employable at the higher wage, AND that the raise in the minimum wage is often advocated by many who themselves are paid much more than that base, but whose core pay is tied to it. However, I can see how this would be beyond the scope of this book. Still this kind of thing can distort the general reader's perspective.

So, if you want to get a broad view of the American economy that doesn't leave you looking for razor blades or some mood altering substances, or looking into emigrating to Australia, hey, this book is a good sound bit of good news.

5.0 out of 5 stars EconAmerica, October 10, 2007

By 

A. R. Dixon (Wendover, Utah USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: EconAmerica: Why the American Economy is Alive and Well... And What That Means to Your Wallet (Hardcover)

It was a great book. The book made real sense of what is happening in America. Written in a real pleasant manner and was very easy to understand. I truly felt like Jeff really knew what he was talking about. I highly recommend to read it.