My EconTalk podcast with Russ Roberts about books and reading
Intellectual omnivore Tyler Cowen of George Mason University and EconTalk host Russ Roberts talk about their reading habits, their favorite books, and the pile of books on their nightstands right now.
And a transcription is offered for the first half hour. Here is one early excerpt:
Russ Roberts: Yeah, yeah. You don’t give away–do you lend books out?
Tyler Cowen: Not very often. I don’t own many books. So, I collected books in great numbers when I was an undergraduate, mostly history of economic thought. I thought I would build up this incredible collection of the great economics masterworks. But then I started moving around, and then I moved to Germany for a year and I’m, like, ‘This is not going to work.’ So, what I will do–there’s some economic historians in my department. If I get a history book, I will give it to them because I know they won’t necessarily read it. They’ll use it or not use it for reference. And I don’t feel I’m tricking them into reading a book. But I would be very reluctant to give you a book, Russ. Not that I don’t love you or like you, or both, but I would feel that you would feel obliged to read the book. Correct?
It is immoral to give away books unless you truly feel the recipient should read them!
I enjoyed this segment too:
Russ Roberts: You’re a lunatic.
Recommended.