The Phoenix Economy

From Slate Money podcast host and Axios chief financial correspondent Felix Salmon comes a book of combined history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, urbanism, and climate science, tackling the most pressing and vexing questions about what American society and its economy will look like in a post-pandemic future.

The coronavirus pandemic created a strange new world—Salmon calls it “the New Not Normal”. Transformations wrought by the pandemic—economic, social, political, and more—are all around us, and we need a way to grasp their consequences, many of which are surprisingly positive.

The Phoenix Economy explores the aftereffects of the pandemic and its ramifications, helping us to make sense of the most disorienting and devastating event of our lifetimes. Salmon examines the critical aspects of our lives that have been transformed by Covid in three parts: Time and Space, Mind and Body, and Business and Pleasure.

Salmon’s keen observations, on everything from meme stocks to lobster rolls, are backed by a deep understanding of financial markets and the quirks of human behavior. His clear-eyed perspective on human and economic events, combined with his considerable analytical and observational skills, make The Phoenix Economy an insightful, fast-paced read.

The Phoenix Economy is essential for everyone wanting a better understanding of the near and long-term effects of this new era and what they portend for our lives. It’s a penetrating insight into what happened—and, more importantly, what lies ahead.