John Kenneth Galbraith: His Life, His Politics, His Economics

The life and times of America's most celebrated economist, assessing his lessons-and warnings-for us today John Kenneth Galbraith's books -- among them The Affluent Society and American Capitalism -- are famous for good reason. Written by a scholar renowned for energetic political engagement and irrepressible wit, they are models of provocative good sense that warn prophetically of the dangers of deregulated markets, war in Asia, corporate greed, and stock-market bubbles. Galbraith's work has also deeply-and controversially-influenced his own profession, and in Richard Parker's hands his biography becomes a vital reinterpretation of American economics and public policy. Born and raised on a small Canadian farm, Galbraith began teaching at Harvard during the Depression. He was FDR's "price czar" during the war and then a senior editor of Fortune before returning to Harvard and to fame as a bestselling writer. Parker shows how, from his early championing of Keynes to his acerbic analysis of America's "private wealth and public squalor," Galbraith regularly challenged prevailing theories and policies. And his account of Galbraith's remarkable friendship with John F. Kennedy, whom he served as a close advisor while ambassador to India, is especially relevant for its analysis of the intense, dynamic debates that economists and politicians can have over how America should manage its wealth and power. This masterful chronicle gives color, depth, and meaning to the record of an extraordinary life.

About the Author :
Richard Parker, an Oxford-trained economist and senior fellow of the Shorenstein Center at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, writes extensively on economics and public policy. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with his wife and children.

Review :
"Richard Parker has produced a rich, well-written and fittingly large monument to this super-sized intellectual of the 20th century." "The Globe and Mail" ""In this lively and thoughtful biography, Richard Parker sets himself the task of explaining Galbraith's career: why it was so dazzling, and why its long-term impact has turned out to be so much less than expected. The result is not only the story of a smart, witty, and important man, but also a fascinating meditation on the rise and fall of twentieth-century American liberalism."" "Foreign Affairs" ""I was initially skeptical about the book's 820 pages . . . but every detail is justified and every digression fascinating. . . . Reading Parker's comprehensive account of the 20th century's economic battles, I can't help thinking that this ought to be Galbraith's moment."" "New York Times Book Review" "Richard Parker's rich, fascinating, authorized biography of the most famous economist since John Maynard Keynes tells a terrific story actually dozens of them and opens a compelling window on the course of 20th Century American liberalism." "Chicago Tribune" " The most readable and instructive biography certainly of the century. . . . . The book is deeply and intimately informative. " William F. Buckley, " National Review"" "Richard Parker has produced a rich, well-written and fittingly large monument to this super-sized intellectual of the 20th century." The Globe and Mail "In this lively and thoughtful biography, Richard Parker sets himself the task of explaining Galbraith's career: why it was so dazzling, and why its long-term impact has turned out to be so much less than expected. The result is not only the story of a smart, witty, and important man, but also a fascinating meditation on the rise and fall of twentieth-century American liberalism." Foreign Affairs "I was initially skeptical about the book's 820 pages . . . but every detail is justified and every digression fascinating. . . . Reading Parker's comprehensive account of the 20th century's economic battles, I can't help thinking that this ought to be Galbraith's moment." New York Times Book Review "Richard Parker's rich, fascinating, authorized biography of the most famous economist since John Maynard Keynes tells a terrific story actually dozens of them and opens a compelling window on the course of 20th Century American liberalism." Chicago Tribune The most readable and instructive biography certainly of the century. . . . . The book is deeply and intimately informative. William F. Buckley, National Review "