According to The New York Times, Noam Chomsky is "arguably the most important intellectual alive." But he isn't easy to read . . . or at least he wasn't until these books came along. Made up of intensively edited speeches and interviews, they offer something not found anywhere else: pure Chomsky, with every dazzling idea and penetrating insight intact, delivered in clear, accessible, reader-friendly prose. Published as four short books in the famous Real Story series--What Uncle Sam Really Wants; The Prosperous Few and the Restless Many; Secrets, Lies and Democracy; and The Common Good--they've collectively sold almost 600,000 copies. And they continue to sell year after year after year because Chomsky's ideas become, if anything, more relevant as time goes by. For example, twenty years ago he pointed out that "in 1970, about 90% of international capital was used for trade and long-term investment--more or less productive things--and 10% for speculation. By 1990, those figures had reversed." As we know, speculation continued to increase exponentially. We're paying the price now for not heeding him them.

An eye-opening introduction to the timelessly relevant ideas of Noam Chomsky, this book is a penetrating, illusion-shattering look at how things really work from the man The New York Times called "arguably the most important intellectual alive." Offering something not found anywhere else: How the World Works is pure Chomsky, but tailored for those unfamiliar to his work. Made up of meticulously edited speeches and interviews, every dazzling idea and penetrating insight is kept intact and delivered in clear, accessible, reader-friendly prose. Originally published as four short books in the famous Real Story series--What Uncle Sam Really Wants; The Prosperous Few and the Restless Many; Secrets, Lies and Democracy; and The Common Good--they've collectively sold almost 600,000 copies. And they continue to sell year after year after year because Chomsky's ideas become, if anything, more relevant as time goes by. For example, it was decades ago when he pointed out that "in 1970, about 90% of international capital was used for trade and long-term investment--more or less productive things--and 10% for speculation. By 1990, those figures had reversed." As we know, high-risk speculation continues to increase exponentially as corporations continue to push the free market economy--but only for the power they offer to the wealthy, not to benefit all people.