What? Why?

An Explanation.

A few weeks ago, I saw this quote - from J.K Galbraith - shared by the monetary politics writer Nathan Tankus.

Suffice to say, it struck a note. I read a fair few books, and although they don’t quite go in one ear and out the other, grasping their essential concepts critically, after some time, can often feel difficult. Often I find I need a conversation before I can organise my thoughts, or feel confident in an opinion. However, that regularly involves boring the bollocks off a generously patient friend. In the end, it’s often easier to just start the next one and hope at least something is retained.

So I have decided to start writing “reviews” of the books I read, as I read them. Nothing too long, probably not much more than 1000 words each, and at least once a month (hopefully more often if I can). I make no claim to any unique insight, expertise, or originality; nor do I have any expectation of anybody reading them. That said, I’ll try to make them as accessible, interesting, and entertaining as I can, given the subject matter. Part summary, part review, part essay, part general musings; my aim will be to distill the central concept, explain why it matters, and decide whether I think it’s worth taking seriously. Really, I am publishing them to hold myself accountable: to force myself to think more carefully about what I read, what I think, and what I write. If anybody reads them, it’s just a bonus!

I usually read in economic history, historical political economy, and the history of economic and political thought. So it will be books on those topics, more often than not, that I will be writing about. They won’t necessarily be old or new, topical or esoteric, ancient or modern. They will simply be those which I have decided seem interesting, and hopefully, you might find interesting too.

The first few pieces will be on on books of a similar theme - the economic legacy of Rome - but this is largely an accident, a result of me having been travelling in Italy for five weeks. Generally, there will be no rhyme nor reason from one post to the next.

Although I can’t remember the quote, I believe Eric Hobsbawm once warned against writing until one was old enough, and well-read enough, to avoid poor historical thinking. I admire the great man immensely. But he is dead, and here is my poor attempt to think historically.