John Cassidy

Can you find the pointy end of a pencil? Then you can draw! Start with a Scribble will banish your inner critic and kick-start your inner genius, as you learn to capture the spirit of things with a little how-to and a lot of just-do. An artist-quality pen and two watercolor pencils (red and black) are included. Inside, you’ll find: Prompts to inspire you (e.g., “emotional rabbits”)Doodles to finish (“Mrs. Thudkins takes her floppaterasis for a walk”)Techniques to try (only when the mood strikes you), from shading to perspectiveAnd plenty of wide-open space to play around in. Sir Quentin’s sage advice appears throughout, from “it’s best to name your animal after you draw it” to “don’t worry too much yet about ankles.” The most important lesson? YOU are the only person qualified to express your unique you-ness. Publisher’s note:Start with a Scribble is an updated North American edition of Drawing for the Artistically Undiscovered (Klutz, 1999).

At a time when we are faced with fundamental questions about the sustainability and morality of the economic system, Capitalism and Its Critics provides a kaleidoscopic history of global capitalism, from colonialism and the Industrial Revolution to the ecological crisis and artificial intelligence. John Cassidy tells the story through the eyes of the system’s critics across the globe: from eighteenth-century weavers who rebelled against early factory automation to Eric Williams's paradigm-changing work on slavery and capitalism, to the Latin American dependistas, the international Wages for Housework campaign of the 1970s, and the modern degrowth movement; from familiar figures like Smith, Marx, Luxemburg, Keynes, Polanyi to the lesser-known voices such as William Thompson, the Irish proto-socialist whose work influenced Marx; Flora Tristan, the French proponent of a universal labour union; John Hobson, the original theorist of imperialism; and J. C. Kumarappa, the Indian exponent of Gandhian economics. Blending biography, panoramic history, and lively exploration of economic theories, Capitalism and Its Critics illuminates the deep roots of many of the most urgent issues of our time.

A Financial Times Most Anticipated Book of 2025 A Publishers Weekly Top 10 Book of 2025 A sweeping, dramatic history of capitalism as seen through the eyes of its fiercest critics. Capitalism has long been understood as a driving force behind the biggest political, economic, and social dislocations of our time. But in this sweeping, kaleidoscopic history of the economic system that has shaped our world, the Pulitzer Prize finalist John Cassidy adopts a bold new approach: he examines global capitalism through the eyes of its critics. From the English Luddites, who rebelled against early factory automation, to communists in Germany and Russia in the early twentieth century, Latin American dependistas, the international Wages for Housework campaign of the 1970s, and the modern degrowth movement, this absorbing narrative traverses the globe. It visits with familiar names--Smith, Carlyle, Marx, Luxemburg, Keynes, Polanyi--but also focuses on many lesser-known figures, including William Thompson, the Irish proto-socialist whose work influenced Marx; Flora Tristan, the French proponent of a universal labor union; John Hobson, the original theorist of imperialism; J. C. Kumarappa, the Indian exponent of Gandhian economics; Eric Williams, the Trinidadian author of a famous thesis on slavery and capitalism; and Joan Robinson, the Cambridge economist and critic of the Cold War. Blending rich biography, panoramic history, and lively exploration of economic theories, Capitalism and Its Critics tells an expansive story that illuminates the deep roots of many of the most urgent issues we face today, from widening inequality and the ecological crisis to technological transformation and resurgent authoritarian politics.

A sweeping history of capitalism as seen through the eyes of its fiercest criticsAt a time when we are faced with fundamental questions about the sustainability and morality of the economic system, Capitalism and Its Critics provides a kaleidoscopic history of global capitalism, from colonialism and the Industrial Revolution to the ecological crisis and artificial intelligence. John Cassidy adopts a bold new approach: he tells the story through the eyes of the system’s critics. From eighteenth-century weavers who rebelled against early factory automation to Eric Williams's paradigm-changing work on slavery and capitalism, to the Latin American dependistas, the international Wages for Housework campaign of the 1970s, and the modern degrowth movement, this absorbing narrative traverses the globe. It looks at familiar figures – Smith, Marx, Luxemburg, Keynes, Polanyi – from a fresh perspective, but also focuses on many less familiar, including William Thompson, the Irish proto-socialist whose work influenced Marx; Flora Tristan, the French proponent of a universal labour union; John Hobson, the original theorist of imperialism; and J. C. Kumarappa, the Indian exponent of Gandhian economics. Blending biography, panoramic history, and lively exploration of economic theories, Capitalism and Its Critics illuminates the deep roots of many of the most urgent issues of our time.

A Financial Times Most Anticipated Book of 2025A sweeping, dramatic history of capitalism as seen through the eyes of its fiercest critics. At a time when artificial intelligence, climate change, inequality, trade wars, and a right-wing populist backlash to globalization are raising fundamental questions about the economic system, Capitalism and Its Critics provides a kaleidoscopic history of global capitalism, from the East India Company and Industrial Revolution to the digital revolution. But here John Cassidy, a staff writer at The New Yorker and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, adopts a bold new approach: he tells the story through the eyes of the system's critics. From the English Luddites who rebelled against early factory automation to communists in Germany and Russia in the early twentieth century, to the Latin American dependistas, the international Wages for Housework campaign of the 1970s, and the modern degrowth movement, the absorbing narrative traverses the globe. It visits with familiar names―Smith, Marx, Luxemburg, Keynes, Polanyi―but also focuses on many less familiar figures, including Flora Tristan, the French proponent of a universal labor union; Thomas Carlyle, the conservative prophet of the moral depredations of the market; John Hobson, the original theorist of imperialism; J. C. Kumarappa, the Indian exponent of Gandhian economics; Eric Williams, the Trinidadian author of a famous thesis on slavery and capitalism; Joan Robinson, the Cambridge economist and critic of Keynes; and Samir Amin, the leftist French-Egyptian economist and analyst of globalization. Blending rich biography, panoramic history, and lively exploration of economic theories, Capitalism and Its Critics is true big history that illuminates the deep roots of many of the most urgent issues of our time.

In How Markets Fail, veteran New Yorker staff writer John Cassidy offers a provocative take on the misguided economic thinking that produced the 2008 financial crisis--now with a new preface addressing how its lessons remain unheeded in the present. A Pulitzer Prize FinalistAn Economist Book of the Year A Businessweek Best Book of the Year For fifty years, economists have been developing elegant theories or how markets facilitate innovation, create wealth, and allocate society's resources efficiently. But what about when they fail, when they lead us to stock market bubbles, glaring inequality, polluted rivers, and credit crunches? In this updated and expanded edition of How Markets Fail, John Cassidy describes the rising influence of "utopian economies"--the thinking that is blind to how real people act and that denies the many ways an unregulated free market can bring on disaster. Combining on-the-ground reporting and clear explanations of economic theories Cassidy warns that in today's economic crisis, following old orthodoxies isn't just misguided--it's downright dangerous.

Yes, really! Young or old, there is an artist in each of us. If yours is hiding (perhaps behind a shred of self-consciousness?), just remember: Art is personal expression. You have your talent. Nobody else has anything like it! If you are ready to discover (or re-discover) your genius, Paint This Book! is here to help. The paints, the brush, and the watercolor paper are all included—plus irresistible encouragement and exercises from authors John Cassidy and Thacher Hurd: Work small: Quick, spontaneous strokes will happen more naturally. Trust your instincts: Watercolor can turn to mush with a lot of revision. You’re better than you think you are! Choose your techniques: You’ll learn about light and shadow (page 43), perspective (page 51), and more. But it’s up to you whether to use these skills often, or never! Either way, there are many artists who do the same. Don’t forget: Sometimes a shimmer of color on the page can look even fruitier than a realbowl of fruit. Between these covers, there are no mistakes. Just add imagination (and water)!

How did we get to where we are? John Cassidy shows that the roots of our most recent financial failure lie not with individuals, but with an idea - the idea that markets are inherently rational. He gives us the big picture behind the financial headlines, tracing the rise and fall of free market ideology from Adam Smith to Milton Friedman and Alan Greenspan. Full of wit, sense and, above all, a deeper understanding, How Markets Fail argues for the end of 'utopian' economics, and the beginning of a pragmatic, reality-based way of thinking.

These are the world's most user-tested juggling directions, taking readers from the absolute beginning (Step One: The Drop) all the way to Five-Object Juggling. The instructions are friendly, humorous and so understandable they set a still-current industry standard for anyone-can-do-it clarity. This title includes re-styled juggling cubes and storage bags.

Presents a history of the Internet stock market boom and inevitable crash, focusing on the role played by entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, Wall Street analysts, journalists, and policy makers.

Learn to draw with Quentin Blake! Quentin Blake is one of the most celebrated illustrators in the world today, and the best person imaginable to collaborate on this sketchbook with training wheels. Full of inspirational artwork, instruction and plenty of white space reserved for the artist-to-be. Pages of scribble-starters and what-to-draw ideas created by beloved artist Sir Quentin Blake (himself a master scribbler), create a funny, ridiculously-encouraging kids’ drawing book that proves that you can laugh and draw at the same time. Including: 106 page book an artist-quality sketch pen two watercolour pencils. Make, experiment and play with KLUTZ . What is Klutz? Klutz is a premium brand of book-based activity kits, designed to inspire creativity in every child. Our unique combination of crystal-clear instructions, custom tools and materials, and hearty helpings of humor is 100% guaranteed to kick-start creativity. Super-clear instructions Open-ended Creativity Rewarding Reading Skills to Build On Everything You Need