It is widely believed that low levels of economic and financial education have exacerbated the effects of the current crisis. This lively book, based on an educational radio programme by RAI (the Italian public broadcasting company), is a useful contribution to a wider understanding of issues that closely involve most citizens: income (man does not live by GDP alone), growth (poverty traps), money (everybody uses it, but few know anything about it), financial crises (from euphoria to depression), and international disparity (seeking a bigger slice of the pie). Economists routinely deal with such topics but are particularly useful for society when they transcend abstract theorization and succeed in understanding reality, interceding to change it, and improving people's well-being and happiness. Clear language and a variety of examples render this book suitable for upper secondary school students, teachers, and counsellors helping young people make informed decisions for their university enrolments.

Piero Alessandrini teaches Economic Policy at the Polytechnic University of the Marche (Ancona).

Giulia Bettin is a researcher in Political Economics at the Polytechnic University of the Marche (Ancona) and an expert in international migration.

Mario Pepe is an economic and financial consultant and an expert in the field of micro-credit and credit guarantee consortiums.