Daniel

Important message, but obnoxiously repetitive

Revisado: 11-12-23

While I largely agree with the main messages of this book, I felt like these same points could have been delivered more effectively as a 10-page brochure.
The book also has the characteristically sanctimonious and preachy tone of North American youth activists, which for many of us from other regions quickly becomes exhausting (I had to listen most of the book at 1.5 of normal speed to make it through!)

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Maggie Gyllenhaal is simply wonderful

Revisado: 03-19-22

An audio version of such a book could have easily turned out disastrous. But Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance is delightful from beginning to end.

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great core idea, but gets a bit dull

Revisado: 12-19-21

+ the narrator was in not a good in choice for a book written by such a strong voice in current economics

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A caricature that prevents deeper understanding

Revisado: 03-15-20

The author does not make the slightest attempt at recognising the nuances and complexity of the real world. Instead, the book is just another childish simplification of 'evil elites' versus "the people". While there are many real problems that justify the indignation underlying his critique, there is almost nothing to learn from this book given his overall drive to make a caricature of opposing views, when not deliberately and entirely misconstruing them.

(great narrator, though!)

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Do not expect a serious and unbiased historical account

Revisado: 07-29-17

People who want to believe that behind all of the world's problems there is always a secret group of evil men pulling strings of a master strategy, will love this book. MacLean's story is indeed entertaining, but it is not the serious historical work I was expecting. Rather, it is what Michael Munger called 'speculative historical fiction'. She clearly cherry picks bits and pieces and tries to knit together an outrageous story with easy-to-despise villains. The worst is that, in order to construct these nefarious movie characters, MacLean horribly manipulates their quotes, twisting the original meanings entirely. This is an intellectually dishonest tactic, as well as an insult to the readers and obviously to those that she misrepresent and demonize.

What bothered me the most is that MacLean usually does not grapple with the complicated philosophical challenges that cross through this story. Specially the perennial issue of balancing the will of majorities vs the rights of minorities in a democracy. Rather, she chooses to skip over any argument, and simply appeal to the currently widespread contempt for the rich, triggering an intuitive (lazy) judgement by the readers.

After listening to the book I read a review by Mike Munger, which not only delves into these points much more eloquently, but also provides a useful account of Public Choice theory. I would recommend it for anyone interested in this topic: www.independent.org/issues/article.asp?id=9115

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esto le resultó útil a 25 personas