FIFTY INVENTIONS THAT SHAPED THE MODERN ECONOMY

Tim Harford starts his list at the modern economy's absolute beginning--the plow. Narrator Roger Davis takes listeners through it with wit and enthusiasm, building interest in Harford's choices--such as the passport, the shipping container, and the disposable blade--and the logic behind them. He can amuse listeners with his reading of a convoluted train timetable, his voice helping to make the case for standardized time. Davis switches mood with ease. As he discusses concrete, his voice shifts from disdain for soulless buildings to delight in the Sydney Opera House, created from the same material. Davis infuses his reading with Harford's mix of marvel and cynicism toward human nature and ingenuity. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2017]