Are you ready to relive 2020? That’s what Adam Tooze is offering as he tells the story of Covid-19 through the spectacular and terrifying economic consequences created by the global health crisis. For many, the answer will be a simple no. But for others looking to make sense of an utterly surreal year, Shutdown might seem an obvious place to start.
Unfortunately, the book offers less analysis and more ranting than would normally be expected from an economic digest — especially one written about one of the most startling shocks to the economy the world has ever seen.
Some readers may like the rant. If you’re of the opinion that ‘narcissist-in-chief’ Donald Trump, the ‘flat Earth brigade’ Republican party and politicians obsessed with ‘Brexit psychodrama’ are the major culprits of the pandemic, Tooze’s narrative will be comforting, perhaps even therapeutic. But anyone looking for a more rounded take on the Covid blame game will find Shutdown sorely lacking in nuanced perspective.
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