About the Author

Alan Greenspan was born in 1926 and reared in the Washington Heights neighbourhood of New York City. After studying the clarinet at Juilliard and working as a professional musician, he earned his BA, MA and Ph.D. in Economics from New York University. In 1954, he co-founded the economic consulting firm Townsend-Greenspan & Co. From 1974 to 1977, he served as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Gerald Ford. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan appointed him Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, a position he held until his retirement in 2006.

Reviews

Greenspan, best known for his long tenure as chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board (the Fed), shares with listeners the story of his life, albeit in a rather reserved fashion, and his craggy wisdom and insights into the state of today's global economy. Greenspan divides his material into two parts. In the first part, he offers a fascinating look into his early youth in New York, budding musical talent (on clarinet and saxophone) during the big-band era, lengthy formal education at New York University, and, most important, unique insider's perspective on the Fed during his tenure. In the second part, he includes his analysis of today's current affairs and global economy, revealing his view of the universals of economic growth, his perspective on the economies of today's major countries and regions of the world, and his take on how current economic trends will play out in the future. The deep bass narration by Robertson Dean nicely fits the seriousness of the material, although some listeners may need a few moments to adjust to the monotone delivery. The scholarly, densely packed style of the material may also result in calls for the best-selling hardcover edition. Nevertheless, this is highly recommended for larger public libraries and academic libraries supporting a business and economics curriculum. [Penguin Audio also has a version available: 9 CDs. abridged. 11 hrs. 2007. ISBN 978-0-14-314260-7. $34.95.--Ed.]--Dale Farris, Groves, TX Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.