Given the recent hoo-ha over currency exchange rates (a bit of economics that affects me directly), I’ve started rereading this book, hoping to get a better handle on the whole issue, which involves, among other things, the US current account deficit, the Bank of Japan’s interventions to keep the yen weaker, the question of whether the dollar needs to be weaker (or, really, how soon the dollar should be weaker), and if 80’s-style trade protectionism will make a comeback. The Economist magazine devoted much of its recent Survey on the World Economy to this (last week’s issue, still at your local library if you’re interested), and so did Bloomberg News columnist William Pesek in a recent column.

Much of this stuff, is, admittedly, over my head, but I know enough to be bothered by some neo-protectionist rhetoric I’m hearing from folks back in the States. Give me some time, I might even be able to articulate my concerns.