Tag: EconTalk

Amity Shlaes on the Great Depression

EconTalk | 4 June 2007 | 1h 05m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Amity Shlaes about her book, The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression. Covers Herbert Hoover, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the economics of the New Deal and the class warfare of the 1930s.

Susan Houseman on Manufacturing

EconTalk | 21 October 2019 | 1h 16m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Susan Houseman of the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research challenging the standard narrative about the US manufacturing sector. Houseman argues that conclusions about the growth of manufacturing are driven overwhelmingly by computer production while the rest of manufacturing has been stagnant. She also argues that productivity has a small role in reducing manufacturing employment and that trade has been the main cause of employment reductions.

David Deppner on Leadership, Confidence, and Humility

EconTalk | 2 September 2019 | 1h 16m | Listen Later | iTunes
Can a great leader or manager be humble in public? Or is exuding confidence, even when it may not be merited, a key part of leadership? David Deppner and Russ Roberts discuss how best for a leader to balance the need for humility and honesty with their followers’ need to be inspired by a confident leader.

Cathy O’Neil on Weapons of Math Destruction

EconTalk | 3 October 2016 | 1h 11m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Cathy O’Neil about the ideas in Weapons of Math Destruction. Argues that the commercial application of big data often harms individuals in unknown ways and that the poor are particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Examples discussed include prison sentencing, college rankings, evaluations of teachers, and targeted advertising. O’Neil argues for more transparency and ethical standards when using data.

Andrew Roberts on Churchill and the Craft of Biography

EconTalk | 26 August 2019 | 1h 10m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Andrew Roberts about the life of Winston Churchill and the art of biography. How did Churchill deal with the mistakes he inevitably made in a long career? Was he prescient or just the right man in the right place at the right time? Was he an alcoholic? Did he suffer from depression? Drawing on his biography of Churchill, Andrew Roberts answers these and other questions in this wide-ranging conversation that includes a discussion of the mechanics of writing a 1000 page book on a man who has had over 1000 biographies written about him already.

Tyler Cowen on Big Business

EconTalk | 19 August 2019 | 1h 06m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Tyler Cowen about his book, Big Business, which argues that big corporations in America are underrated and under-appreciated. Strays widely with a deliciously contrarian take on many subjects including the advantages of social media.

Andy Matuschak on Books and Learning

EconTalk | 7 August 2019 | 1h 06m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with Andy Matuschak about his essay Why Books Don’t Work. Matuschak argues that most books rely on transmissionism, the idea that an author can share an idea in print and the reader will absorb it. And yet after reading a non-fiction book, most readers will struggle to remember any of the ideas in the book. Matuschak argues for a different approach to transmitting ideas via the web including different ways that authors or teachers can test for understanding that will increase the chances of retention and mastery of complex ideas.

Chris Arnade on Dignity

EconTalk | 22 July 2019 | 1h 21m | Listen Later | iTunes
Interview with photographer, author, and former Wall St. trader Chris Arnade about his book, Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America. Arnade quit his Wall Street job and criss-crossed America photographing and getting to know the addicted and homeless who struggle to find work and struggle to survive. Discusses what Arnade learned about Americans and himself.