THE UNDERCOVER ECONOMIST By Tim Harford Little, Brown Pp: 278 Price: Rs 494

If a book like Tim Harford's the undercover Economist had been available in the late 1970s in place of the many-not all-dry tomes on economics that I had to labour through for an undergrad course, then perhaps I would have chosen to study that subject a little more assiduously in college than I did. Of late, more economists have been writing pop books on the subject than ever before. And quite in keeping with another book that scorched up the sales chart, Freakonomics (by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner), The Undercover Economist offers simple insights into how almost everything in the economy works.

Harford, who writes a couple of columns (one of them is eponymous with the title of his book) and economics editorials for the Financial Times, uses Ricardo's Theory of Rents as the starting point to demonstrate how the 19th century thinker's work on farmland and rents can be the basis to explain everything-from why a Starbucks (or a Barista) can charge a customer a hefty premium for his cappuccino to why multiplexes in malls can price popcorn at near-extortionate rates, which movie-goers are happy to pay.

Unlike Freakonomics, which dealt with subjects like drug peddlers, sumo wrestlers and others on the periphery of the economy, Harford focuses on more mainstream issues-the power of scarcity, pricing and protectionism, trade and tariffs-using everyday examples like the price of a cup of coffee or a poker game or traffic congestion. Some readers may find some of Harford's ideas too simplistic; yet others may be turned off by his views on sweatshops in China or elsewhere-Harford makes a case that they benefit all the stakeholders-or on how self-serving dictators in African countries like Cameroon actually foster economic development. Still, Harford is able to shape mundane examples into an excellent and breezy read without talking down to his audience or taking refuge behind jargon or complex theories.

The Undercover Economist is a book you must pick up if you want a fresh perspective on how basic ideas in economics can help in answering the most complex and perplexing questions about the world around us. The only downside of the book: it could be a bit too basic for more seasoned readers of economics. But then, it won't be wrong to believe that there are far fewer of those than lay readers, thus assuring that, in this case, Harford's book enjoys the power of scarcity that the only coffee bar at a subway station does during rush hour. At least till the next pop economics book comes along.

ONE LAND, ONE BILLION MINDS By Ramanujam Sridhar Productivity & Quality Publishing Pp: 400 Price: Rs 850

For a book with an imposing title, One Land is surprisingly breezy. There are no heavy-duty advertising or marketing (A&M) theories, no it-changed-the-world case studies, or even breathless descriptions of the writer's own successful A&M campaigns. Instead, Sridhar, who now runs a Bangalore-based branding and communications company called brand-comm, packs the book with everyday experiences and insights drawn from his 23-year-long stint in the industry. Like the man himself, the book is chatty, ingenuous and humorous, never making the mistake of taking itself too seriously. Reading One Land, it becomes evident that Sridhar never meant it to be an academic work, but an elaborate diary that would just talk to its readers. Possibly because of that, Sridhar does get carried away once in a while. For example, his opening chapter on branding asks the reader if she remembers the Tamil film Thiruvilayadal. Excuse me? Obviously, Sridhar forgets that he's writing for a national audience. Overlook such minor quirks, and One Land offers something for every A&M professional.