Tim Harford

When it comes to financial economics and current affairs, the name Tim Harford is becoming increasingly well-known. Tim Harford is an English author, columnist, and broadcaster, known for his New York Times bestsellers ‘The Undercover Economist’ and ‘The Shock Doctrine’, both of which deal with economic policies from around the world.

Since he started contributing to major publications, Tim Harford has provided readers with an insight into the “rational” facets of economics in various forms. In ‘The Undercover Economist’, for instance, he offers up a straightforward and engaging look into the economics of everyday life. Harford masterfully explains how the decisions we make in our daily life, either consciously or unconsciously, shape the way we live and the economy as a whole.

In ‘The Shock Doctrine’, Harford focuses on the ways in which economic policies are used to shape society. In the book, Harford demonstrates how governments, operating in unseen and sometimes destructive ways, can influence the way people think and behave. He also argues that economic policies, if not well thought out, can lead to disastrous consequences.

Harford is widely respected by experts and academics in economics, due to his ability to make complex topics understandable for the general public. In ‘The Undercover Economist”, Harford offers readers a chance to get to grips with economic theory in a non-technical language. Similarly, in ‘The Shock Doctrine’, he takes readers through the unsettling history of economic ‘shock therapy’, and its implications.

Harford's work has also received critical acclaim for attempting to bridge the divide between academia and the public. His dedication to making complicated economic matters accessible to readers has earned him numerous awards, including being named as Business Book of the Year 2008 by the Financial Times.

On top of his writing, Tim Harford is a respected broadcaster, appearing regularly on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service. His Radio 4 show ‘More or Less’ attempts to make sense of all the statistics reported in the news, while his BBC World Service programmes explore the themes laid out in his books.

As an author, Tim Harford has also seen success with his other titles, such as ‘Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure’ and ‘Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy’. In ‘Adapt’, Harford examines how organisations learn and how they can use the mistakes and successes of their past to inform the decision that they make in the present.

Meanwhile, ‘Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy’ explores the impact of technological advances on the world economy. In the book, Harford looks at the development of the internet, the stock market, and even the introduction of credit cards, in an attempt to explain how these have created the economic landscape we have today.

In short, Tim Harford is an acclaimed and respected author who has used his books and broadcasting career to help bridge the gap between economics and the public. His ability to explain complex ideas and policies in a digestible manner has earned him many awards, and his work continues to shape the world of economics.