Making Sense of Dollar

by Marc Chandler

Book Overview

Has the greenback really lost its preeminent place in the world? Not according to currency expert Marc Chandler, who explains why so many are--wrongly--pessimistic about both the dollar and the U.S. economy. Making Sense of the Dollar explores the many factors--trade deficits, the dollar's role in the world, globalization, capitalism, and more--that affect the dollar and the U.S. economy and lead to the inescapable conclusion that both are much stronger...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1576603210
• ISBN13: 9781576603215
• Release Date: August 2009
• Publisher: Bloomberg Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Wish it were longer

The author seems to know how to write and to know what he is talking about. The book doesn't go to lengths telling you how the economy is just find, that is not the point of the book. The books sole purpose is to talk about the use of the dollar as currency and the myths around it. I wished the author did 2 things with this book,(1#) I wish the author would have not assumed we knew certain things, because some of the lingo that gets thrown around forced me to look a few of them up. And (2#) I wish the author would have expanded the book, it was very obvious throughout the whole book that the author could have doubled each chapter, and that might have been why some concepts were explained while others were not. But other than that I enjoyed the book and walked away understanding more about the dollar and about economics in general.

A unique book with intricate details

In "Making Sense of the Dollar", Marc debunks text book economic theories that are a century old and gives a more practical understanding of the misconceptions that surround the dollar. Whenever the U.S dollar drops in value, the media and analysts pounce on it with similar distortions. On the contrary, Marc always provides a unique counter perspective; an approach that can also be found in his book. Example: Marc deciphers the trade deficit argument and points out the reason why the United States has been running deficits, why the argument that "exports are good, imports are bad" does not apply to the U.S, and how U.S companies contribute to the trade balance. The book is full of interesting facts and figures. Marc provides evidence for his arguments and discusses various issues such as manufacturing, demographics and much more. This book is a must read for policy makers, students and investors as it will help explain the dynamics of the U.S economy through an optimistic view with hard evidence.

Cantankerous currency exposé

Marc Chandler is one of the most widely respected, prolific pundits on currency markets and foreign exchange. In this book for lay readers, he summarizes "dangerous myths" about currency markets and foreign exchange. The myths are dangerous because they can lead to the kinds of mistakes in public opinion that generate disastrous political and economic policymaking. getAbstract recommends this accessible book and finds that Chandler does an excellent job of summarizing and countering some of the most wrongheaded, naïve or confusing blunders, blinders and bewilderments that vex discourse about the dollar, the trade deficit and the economic strengths of nations.

A guide to how American Capitalism really works!

This has to be one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. It does a good job of taking the advanced global economy and breaking it down into simple points. Chandler then goes on to point out how the accounting systems and metrics we use to value and monitor things like savings and trade are way off because the system changed since the metrics were developed before WW2.

Shedding Light

Foreign exchange is a treacherous subject to navigate, difficult to predict and analyze, and most often left to expert traders and strategists. Yet that is no justificaiton for ducking out, since it is such a critical lynchpin of the entire system of global economics and internatinal relations. Marc Chandler's book takes the bull by the horns. The author addresses his topic in a compelling prose style, which communicats effectively with non-economist readers, while providing ample fodder for the most informed professionals. Chandler's lucid voice steers the reader gently through the maze of trade accounting, globalization, labor markets, monetary policy and speculation, interspersing nuanced observations and discussions with simple economic explanations of how goods and money flows traverse the world. In order to frame its message, the book uses a provocative format: it challenges a handful of forex myths, peeling back the layers of concepts frequently taken for granted as the common wisdom. For example, at the heart of the arguments, one particular chapter is bound to command attention. Is the demise of the dollar, and its threatened standing as the world's reserve currency an inevitability, as so many dollar bears have predicted in recent years? Chandler's response is a resounding no, citing, "the unique characteristics of America, such as its political stability, the depth and breath of its US Treasury markets, and its status as a superpower." He goes on to describe the dollar's other key attributes, such as its role as an invoicing currency for trade, and as a denominator of commodities. Chandler takes his own role as a educator seriously. He rises above every temptation to retreat into jargon, and consequently provides a pleasurable read, with stimulating arguments and refreshing clarity. Over the past twelve months, many investors and savers, rich and poor alike, have felt buffeted by economic currents and financial shenanigans they barely grasped. They have lost faith in both banking institutions and policy makers. A book like this pefforms a timely function. It sheds some light at a juncture when investors most need a helping hand, and teaches intellectual responsibility for understanding how the world works.