Episode · Conversations with Tyler · 2023-02-22
Tyler Cowen & Brad DeLong: books mentioned on Conversations with Tyler
Brad DeLong on Intellectual and Technical Progress
Brad DeLong, professor of economics at UC Berkley, OG econ blogger, and Tyler's Harvard classmate, joins the show to discuss Slouching Towards Utopia, an economic history of the 20th century that's been nearly thirty years in the making.
Tyler Cowen discussed A Farewell to Alms by Gregory Clark and The constitution of liberty by Friedrich A. von Hayek. Brad DeLong recommended Red Plenty by Francis Spufford, and discussed The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
-
A Farewell to Alms
Discussed“about a decade ago you and I did a symposium with Greg Clark I think it was at UC Davis and we talked about his book farewell to alms”
Where to get it
-
The constitution of liberty
Friedrich A.
Discussed“now when I read High X constitution of Liberty I see a thinker who favored a social welfare state single-payer health insurance and vigorous application of antitrust law”
Where to get it
-
The Magic Mountain
Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain is a monumental early twentieth-century philosophical novel that follows a young engineer named Hans Castorp during an extended, transformative stay at a tuberculosis sanatorium in the Swiss Alps.
Discussed“What's your favorite novel I would still say it's Thomas mom's the Magic Mountain”
Where to get it
-
Red Plenty
Red Plenty by Francis Spufford is a celebrated novel that offers a fictionalized account of Soviet economic history and industrial planning during the Khrushchev era.
Recommended“that in novels and movies there's too much intent and not enough invisible hand oh I would actually say red plenty I would say red plenty by Francis buffard is a wonderful novel about economics”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“and he this year has out a long-awaited New York Times best-selling book slouching towards Utopia an economic history of the 20th century”
“since then he's had other books The Sun Also Rises For Whom the Bell Turf rolls”
“and again everyone the new book is slouching towards Utopia an economic history of the 20th century”