getAbstract Summary: Get the key points from this book in 10 minutes.

James K. Galbraith, a left-leaning economist like his famous father, John, paints a broad picture of the economic situation in 2014 and its lasting changes. He explains why many experts continue to wait for “normal” to reappear, while explaining why it will not and offering pointers on coping with an unknown future. He provides a critical survey of current economic debates, an interpretation of the financial crisis, an overview of the 1970s, and a discussion of the job-destroying aspects of the Internet and the digital technology wave. Drawing on the themes of raw material and energy, Galbraith challenges the accepted historical narrative. He elbows competing arguments aside while criticizing right-wing politics and free-market academia. Though he presents few revelations, Galbraith provides a wise, commonsense distillation and backs up the serious assertion of his book’s title. While always politically neutral, getAbstract recommends Galbraith’s viewpoint – which may prove insightful over time – to students, policy makers, investors and anyone seeking greater understanding of the functioning of the US economy.

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From THE END OF NORMAL by James K. Galbraith. Copyright © 2014 by James K. Galbraith. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.