The Occupy Handbook - by Janet Byrne (Paperback)

About the Book

Some of the greatest economic minds and such incisive cultural commentators as Paul Krugman, Michael Lewis, Robert Reich, Amy Goodman, and Barbara Ehrenreich, capture the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon to give readers an on-the-scene feel for the movement.

Book Synopsis

Analyzing the movement's deep-seated origins in questions that the country has sought too long to ignore, some of the greatest economic minds and most incisive cultural commentators - from Paul Krugman, Robin Wells, Michael Lewis, Robert Reich, Amy Goodman, Barbara Ehrenreich, Gillian Tett, Scott Turow, Bethany McLean, Brandon Adams, and Tyler Cowen to prominent labor leaders and young, cutting-edge economists and financial writers whose work is not yet widely known - capture the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon in all its ragged glory, giving readers an on-the-scene feel for the movement as it unfolds while exploring the heady growth of the protests, considering the lasting changes wrought, and recommending reform.

A guide to the occupation, The Occupy Handbook is a talked-about source for understanding why 1% of the people in America take almost a quarter of the nation's income and the long-term effects of a protest movement that even the objects of its attack can find little fault with.

Review Quotes

"A rich set of ideas for reforming the American political and economic system. Will any of these suggestions gain traction with the people who seek and hold political office? That depends entirely on you-the reader. Either we still have a vibrant democracy, capable of making sensible public policy. Or we are going down a long and very dark path."--Simon Johnson, MIT Sloan School of Management and co-author, with James Kwak, of White House Burning and 13 Bankers: The Wall Street Takeover and the Next Financial Meltdown

"A succinct body of essays by knowledgeable, sympathetic observers on the grievances of the Occupy Wall Street protestors....An educational, highly useful primer on what's broken and how to fix it."--Kirkus Reviews

"An excellent one-stop shop for analysis of the financial crisis and everything about it."--Felix Salmon, Reuters

"For those who have come to believe that economics exists only to legitimize the interests of a wealthy elite, this remarkable collection should be an eye-opener. Here we see what economics does best, which is to pursue a parsimonious and plausible set of hypotheses unblinkingly to their logical conclusion. The answers will often surprise: Did you know, for example, that the best evidence on how we should set income taxes points to tax rates upwards of 60 percent on the rich? Read the essay by Diamond and Saez (a Nobel Prize winner and a winner of the almost equally distinguished John Bates Clark Medal) for why."--Abhijit V. Banerjee, MIT, and co-author, with Esther Duflo, of Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty

"More than a scrapbook of the recent Occupy Wall Street movement, The Occupy Handbook, a compilation by our best journalists, thinkers and economists, puts the story of America's revolt against inequality in welcome historical perspective. From the barricades of 1848, to the barrios of modern Chile, to the improbable campgrounds thrown together in the shadows of New York skyscrapers, the Handbook examines the budding question of whether democracy can foster a more equal, and also a more prosperous, society. Insightful pieces by Gillian Tett, John Cassidy, Bethany McLean and many more prepare you to think about the next outbreak of outrage and activism-which is only a matter of time."--Roger Lowenstein, author of The End of Wall Street and When Genius Failed

"This fascinating collection explains why and how income and wealth inequalities have rightly climbed to the top of the policy agenda in so many countries. With multiple perspectives from both experts and activists, The Occupy Handbook contains valuable insights on the historical context, the formation of the popular movements, their impact, and what the future may hold. I suspect it won't be long before this handbook is viewed as the reference guide for understanding how an unstructured gathering of people in Zuccotti Park ended up providing the catalyst redefining policy imperatives around the world."--Mohamed A. El-Erian, CEO of PIMCO and author of When Markets Collide

"When future historians ponder why the Great Recession failed to spark a populist revolt like those of the 1890s or 1930s, they'll find a wealth of insights in this remarkable volume."--Sylvia Nasar, author of Grand Pursuit: The Story of Economic Genius and A Beautiful Mind

About the Author

Janet Byrne is an editor who has worked with Nobel Prize-winning economists, Pulitzer Prize-winning writers, and leading political figures, financial journalists, academics, and best-selling authors. She is the author of A Genius for Living: The Life of Frieda Lawrence, a New York Times Notable Book, has served as a researcher for and as a contributor to numerous books, and has written for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. She lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.