Outrageous Fortunes

A HARVARD-TRAINED ECONOMIST's STARTLING PREDICTIONS REVEAL the KEY CHALLENGES of the DECADES AHEAD - and HOW BEST to MEET THEM. As we deal with the aftermath of the financial crisis, many of us are focused on forecasts for the next week, month or quarter. Instead we should be asking what the global economy will look like in years to come: where will the long-term risks and opportunities arise? These are the questions Daniel Altman confronts in this provocative and indispensable book. The fate of the global economy, Altman argues, will be determined by deeper factors than those that move markets from moment to moment. He brings together hidden trends, social pressures and policy endgames to make twelve surprising but logical predictions. His forecasts also raise a pressing question: with so many challenges awaiting us, are our political and economic institutions up to the task? Outrageous Fortunes tells which industries will grow, which economies will crumble, which investments will pay off, and where the next big crisis may occur. This is an essential guide to the road ahead. 'Daniel Altman has something to tell you: the world may not turn out the way Thomas Friedman expects. Outrageous Fortunes is provocative, fast-moving, authoritative and imaginative.' - TIM HARFORN, the Undercover Economist 'His analysis is thoughtful and compelling and should be required reading for those interested in creating a better world for our offspring.' - HAL R. VARIAN, chief economist at Google 'If the past two years have taught us anything, it is the importance of counter-intuitive thinking. Anyone who wants to get smart on globalization's fate must read this book.' - PARAG KHANNA, the Second World and How to Run the World