Best book I've read lately

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A Term at the Fed by Laurence Meyer

This book was fantastic for a Fed enthusiast. Meyer was a Governor at the Fed from 1996 until 2002. He tells some entertaining tales of discussions at FOMC meetings during those years. The accounts of his dealings with the media are particularly interesting. I remember when he first came onto the Fed and made some rather provocative statements that were reported in the Wall St. Journal. He wasn't your ordinary Governor, and that's gives the book some character. Meyer has a way of humanizing Alan Greenspan that is critical yet respectful. His upfront approach comes through in the book. Economists are by their nature storytellers, and Meyer can spin a yarn.

Be aware that it's not a long book. If you're looking for deep theoretical analysis, don't bother. If you're looking for a quick, pleasant read about a time when policy was made by the seat of your pants when the old rules stopped working and no one knew why, then this is the book for you. He tries to recount these policy discussions in a way that reflects what was known at the time rather than using too much hindsight. If you studied the economy in the 1990s, it will be a walk down memory lane.

It's about as close to a "page-turner" as an economics book can get. It passed the "student test" here as well. Our econ majors loved it.

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This page contains a single entry by William Polley published on December 1, 2004 9:47 PM.

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