… you might like Boudreaux‘s collection of those letters in a book titled Hypocrites & Half-Wits: A Daily Dose of Sanity from Cafe Hayek. Gene Epstein offers the book a glowing review in the latest issue of Barron’s.
Is it possible to write an insightful book on economics and be funny in the process? George Mason University economics professor Donald Boudreaux, keeper of the blog CafeHayek.com, proves it’s quite possible. As author of this delightful collection of letters to editors that take aim at the hypocrisy and half-wittedness rife in media pronouncements on the dismal science, Boudreaux follows in the footsteps of Frederic Bastiat, the great 19th-century French economist who also used humor and satire to puncture commonly held myths. …
… On an issue recently made topical by Hurricane Sandy, our critic writes to economist Peter Morici about his view that Hurricane Irene would lead to positive outcomes, as Morici explained, due to the rebuilding, “the capital stock that emerges will prove more economically useful and productive.” This inspires Boudreaux to offer to come over and destroy Morici’s house and car, since newer versions will surely be “more economically useful and productive.”
Hypocrites and Half-Wits is the perfect stocking-stuffer for the friend or relative who has everything — except the economic wit and wisdom of Donald Boudreaux.
