Russ Roberts

Russ Roberts is a best-selling author and nationally recognized voice on economic issues. He has written books on a range of topics, from financial planning to economic policy, but he is best known for his popular Writing for Maynard series and his personal economic blog, The Onion: An Economy of Ideas. Roberts is a libertarian and an advocate of free-market economics, and his writing has been praised by the likes of Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman and former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan.

Roberts was born in Long Beach, California, and studied at the University of California Berkeley. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History, with a focus on political economy and monetary history, in 1978. He later went on to get his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago in 1982. After graduating, he worked as a professor of economics and politics at the University of Rochester, George Mason University, and Stanford University. He also served as an economic advisor to the Reagan, Bush Sr., and second Clinton administrations.

In 2000, Roberts became a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and a John and Jean De Nault Professor at Stanford University. He has also lectured throughout the world, including at Harvard, Princeton, the University of California at Berkeley and Cambridge University. He is currently the John C. Bogle Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institute and a professor of economics at George Mason University.

Roberts began writing for Maynard in 2003, a periodical journal devoted to public policy and economics, and he remains one of the journal’s most popular columnists. This writing led to the creation of his best-selling series, Writing for Maynard, which includes four books: The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism (2005), The Invisible Heart: An Economic Romance (2008), The Price of Everything: A Parable of Possibility and Prosperity (2010), and The Money Mystery: An Economics Detective Story (2012).

In 2005, Roberts also launched a personal economic blog, The Onion: An Economy of Ideas. The blog serves as a platform for Roberts to share his economic and political views, and it is regularly cited in publications such as The Economist, The New Yorker, and The Wall Street Journal. He also regularly appears on TV and radio shows such as Marketplace, The Daily Show, and NPR’s Fresh Air. In 2012, Roberts was named a columnist for the Financial Times and he has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Neustadt Prize for Economics and the Medal of Honor from the University of Rochester.

Today, Roberts is widely recognized as a leading voice on economic issues. His books offer an intelligent and accessible look at economics, combining humor and personal stories with economic theory. Through his writing, public appearances, and personal blog, he has helped to spread his unique vision of free-market economics and has even influenced public policy. His writing is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding economics and its impact on everyday life.