This is a beautifully written and engaging book describing Basu's years as chief economic adviser to the Government of India. An Economist in the Real World reveals a brilliant and lively mind combined with a compassionate humanity. But more than that, it conveys an understanding of the rich complexities of India, the challenges and the hopes of this great subcontinent with more than a billion people. A must-read for anyone interested in either development or India—or who simply wants to learn about the adventures of an academic entering the terrain of high-stakes politics.
Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2001
An Economist in the Real World is a book of tales regarding what economic policy looks like from the inside out. It is also a book of interpretation, in which Basu's reflections explain in a deep way why economic policy so frequently goes wrong. Like all great books, and especially those that are a lot of fun, it is to be read, and appreciated, by many different audiences and at many different levels.
George Akerlof, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2001
Kaushik Basu offers a unique perspective on India's economic development that is both analytically rigorous and deeply personal. He speaks with authority as a noted economic theorist who has been chief economic adviser for the Government of India and chief economist for the World Bank. If you want to understand the great problems and successes of economic development in our time, this book is a good place to start.
Roger Myerson, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2007
When a top-notch theorist is given a leading policy post, we anticipate getting interesting musings on the application of economics to politics. But when that post concerns as complicated and chaotic an economy as India's, the reflections turn out to be utterly fascinating.
Eric S. Maskin, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2007
One of the important lessons of this wonderfully interesting book is that sophisticated economic reasoning can be very fruitfully used to tackle extremely complex practical problems. Since that powerful lesson comes here accompanied by wit and humor—typical of Basu's writings—the reader is at once entertained and amused as well as illuminated. It is hard to ask for more.
Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 1998
From my corporate perch, I approach tomes on economics with some trepidation. However, An Economist in the Real World turns out to be a treat. Filled with careful deductive reasoning and free of jargon, it is an important book that urges government, corporations, and civil society to come together to tackle India's problems and realize India's full potential.
Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group