'Otteson, a philosopher, has written for non-economists the best short introduction to economics, and to a wider political economy. It is lucid, generous, open-handed yet thorough, and solidly based scientifically. Come to think of it, most economists should read it, too. They might stop using 'philosophical' as a term of contempt, and get back to an Adam-Smithian depth of understanding.' - Deirdre McCloskey, University of Illinois, Chicago

You have heard of the Seven Deadly Sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. Each is a natural human weakness that impedes happiness. In addition to these vices, however, there are economic sins as well. And they, too, wreak havoc on our lives and in society. They can seem intuitively compelling, yet they lead to waste, loss, and forgone prosperity. In this thoughtful and compelling book, James Otteson tells the story of seven central economic fallacies, explaining why they are fallacies, why believing in them leads to mistakes and loss, and how exorcizing them from our thinking can help us avoid costly errors and enable us to live in peace and prosperity.