"The Choice" is, quite frankly, a ridiculous book. It's so unapologetically utilitarian, and neoclassical in its adoration for the market, it reads like the finest Milton Friedman propaganda I have ever come across. At one point, Russell explains that free trade is what allows your children to pursue their dreams, and that's the least of it. Wait till you get to the last chapter, where Roberts can complain of the undeserved lowly reputation of economists - as if!

AND YET, can I say that it is a bad book? Not at all; it's brilliant. It manages to explain in a digestible form a variety of controversies surrounding free trade, from the fear of job loss to complaints about the trade deficit (complaints which can only be subsided by dealing with the difficult concept of the net financial inflow!). To say that it's perfect for non-economists doesn't cut it - it can help econ students who haven't taken courses in international trade understand what the main issues are just as well.

Some of the reviewers have complained about the lack of plot, and yes, "The Choice" doesn't really compare to the Great Gatsby. Then again, if you're considering reading this book, you're probably not expecting that anyways. If you decide to read "The Choice," it's to get educated on the limited by complete view that neoclassical economists have on the matter.