{"product_id":"the-rational-optimist-how-prosperity-evolves-isbn-9780061452055","title":"The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves","description":"\u003cp\u003e“Ridley writes with panache, wit, and humor and displays remarkable ingenuity in finding ways to present complicated materials for the lay reader.” — \u003cem\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn a bold and provocative interpretation of economic history, Matt Ridley, the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e-bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eGenome\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Red Queen\u003c\/em\u003e, makes the case for an economics of hope, arguing that the benefits of commerce, technology, innovation, and change—what Ridley calls cultural evolution—will inevitably increase human prosperity. Fans of the works of Jared Diamond (\u003cem\u003eGuns, Germs, and Steel\u003c\/em\u003e), Niall Ferguson (\u003cem\u003eThe Ascent of Money\u003c\/em\u003e), and Thomas Friedman (\u003cem\u003eThe World Is Flat\u003c\/em\u003e) will find much to ponder and enjoy in \u003cem\u003eThe Rational Optimist.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003eLife is getting better—and at an accelerating rate. Food availability, income, and life span are up; disease, child mortality, and violence are down — all across the globe. Though the world is far from perfect, necessities and luxuries alike are getting cheaper; population growth is slowing; Africa is following Asia out of poverty; the Internet, the mobile phone, and container shipping are enriching people’s lives as never before. The pessimists who dominate public discourse insist that we will soon reach a turning point and things will start to get worse. But they have been saying this for two hundred years. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYet Matt Ridley does more than describe how things are getting better. He explains why. Prosperity comes from everybody working for everybody else. The habit of exchange and specialization—which started more than 100,000 years ago—has created a collective brain that sets human living standards on a rising trend. The mutual dependence, trust, and sharing that result are causes for hope, not despair. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis bold book covers the entire sweep of human history, from the Stone Age to the Internet, from the stagnation of the Ming empire to the invention of the steam engine, from the population explosion to the likely consequences of climate change. It ends with a confident assertion that thanks to the ceaseless capacity of the human race for innovative change, and despite inevitable disasters along the way, the twenty-first century will see both human prosperity and natural biodiversity enhanced. Acute, refreshing, and revelatory, \u003cem\u003eThe Rational Optimist\u003c\/em\u003e will change your way of thinking about the world for the better. \u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“Ridley’s important book shoots down the culture of doom that stands in such stark contrast to the generally optimistic arc of human history…With simplicity, clarity, and verve, he stands up for ‘the bright side of human endeavor’ in a book that feels like an act of intellectual rebellion against the tyranny of misery gripping this young century.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAmerican Conservative\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Ridley does an impressively comprehensive job of looking at the entirety of human history through the lens of a single big idea: that of the awesome power of trade…A useful corrective to prevailing pessimism.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFelix Salmon, The Barnes \u0026amp; Noble Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA fabulous new book... I was so delighted, amused and uplifted by it that I bought a couple hundred copies and sent one to all my clients. - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDonald Luskin, Smart Money\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A superb book…Elegant, learned, and cogent…a far-reaching synthesis of economics and ecology, a triumphant new demarche in the understanding of wealth and poverty…Inspiring.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGeorge Gilder, National Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Ridley’s dazzling, insightful and entertaining book on the unstoppable march of innovation is a refresher course in human history...Great ideas spring up unexpectedly from every direction, with each new one naturally coordinating with others...” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A very good book…a rich analysis…Ridley is a cogent and erudite social critic…He bolsters his argument with an impressive tour of evolutionary biology, economics, philosophy, world history.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Dr. Ridley provides a grand unified theory of history from the Stone Age to the better age awaiting us in 2010. It’s an audacious task, but he has the intellectual breadth for it.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The chapters tracing the human story from 50,000 years ago through the seventeenth century are themselves worth the price of admission, with vivid storytelling illuminating the huge role of markets and trade in material progress…Read \u003cem\u003eThe Rational Optimist\u003c\/em\u003e for its fascinating history of trade and economics.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Chock-full of in-your-face challenges to conventional wisdom…Ridley is a sworn enemy of Cassandras and Chicken Littles. In \u003cem\u003eThe Rational Optimist\u003c\/em\u003e, he covers 200,000 years of human history to make a compelling case that over the millennia poverty declined, disease retreated, violence atrophied, freedom grew and happiness increased.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Oregonian (Portland)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Without sounding like a cockeyed optimist, \u003cem\u003eThe Rational Optimist\u003c\/em\u003e will give a reader solid reasons for believing that the human species will overcome its economic, political and environmental woes during this century.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFort Worth Star-Telegram\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Invigorating…For Mr. Ridley, the market for ideas needs to be as open as possible in order to breed ingenuity from collaboration.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTrevor Butterworth, Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eThe Rational Optimist\u003c\/em\u003e will give a reader solid reasons for believing that the human species will overcome its economic, political and environmental woes during this century.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFort Worth Star-Telegram\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A dose of just the kind of glass-half-full information we need right now…A powerful antidote to gloom-n-doom-mongering.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWashington Examiner\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This inspiring book, a glorious defense of our species…is a devastating rebuke to humanity’s self-haters.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times (London)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Original, clever and …controversial” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A mesmerizing book.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eThe Rational Optimist\u003c\/em\u003e teems with challenging and original ideas…No other book has argued with such brilliance and historical breadth against the automatic pessimism that prevails in intellectual life.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIan McEwan\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A delightful and fascinating book filled with insight and wit, which will make you think twice and cheer up.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSteven Pinker\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A fast-moving, intelligent description of why human life has so consistently improved over the course of history, and a wonderful overview of how human civilizations move forward.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJohn Tierney, New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Ridley eloquently weaves together economics, archeology, history, and evolutionary theory…His words effortlessly turn complicated economic and scientific concepts into entertaining, digestible nuggets.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBarrett Sheridan, Newsweek\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44888619385061,"sku":"NP9780061452055","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780061452055.jpg?v=1730229458","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-rational-optimist-how-prosperity-evolves-isbn-9780061452055","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}