Illustrating Economics: Beasts, Ballads and Aphorisms

This volume is a sampling of quips, verses, drawings, andeven the music of one of the most original and versatileminds of the twentieth century, Kenneth Boulding prominenteconomist, lecturer, and author.The driving force behind Kenneth Boulding’s widerangingbook is that he truly en joys all that he does.Indeed, his greatest accomplishment may very well bethat he was a profoundly happy man. This is reflected inworks that are laced with beauty, wit, and extraordinaryimagery-works that are often composed and appearedin the most unexpected of places. In the midst of oneof the classic textbooks of his generally staid profession,Economic Analysis, Boulding introduced the "bathtub theorem."Illustrating Economics: Beasts, Ballads and Aphorismsis a collection of similar instances and, as such, it is fun.The reader should be advised that the book containstraps. Boulding coats his ideas with sugar to please hisaudience as well as promote consumption. He describespeace as "a drab girl with an olive branch corsage whomno red-blooded American (or Russian) could conceivablywarm up to." The reader smiles at the recognition of thetruth inherent within the image and ponders the ironyof why so fine a state as peace should be regarded asdull, and so ugly a condition as war should be regardedas romantic. This book is for enjoyment, but it shouldcarry the following warning: Caution-Reading this maybe stimulating to your intellect.