Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life

By: Alex Mayyasi, Hosts of NPR's Planet Money

Published by W. W. Norton, Incorporated, 2026-04-07

<p>Hello, and welcome to Planet Money! Millions of listeners trust the world's leading economics podcast to explain the mysterious inner workings of the global economy and the forces that affect nearly every decision we make. Through expert research and delightful stories the Planet Money hosts help everyone see the world like an economist. In this first-ever book, Alex Mayyasi and the Planet Money team present brand new stories and insights gathered from more than a decade of reporting to explain whether AI might help you or replace you, demystify dating markets, and show how pro sports' "dumbest" contract reveals the secret to building wealth. Taking readers on adventures to a smartphone factory in Patagonia, a raisin cartel in California, and an Indigenous reservation that might just solve the housing crisis, Planet Money shows how economics shapes our world, and how we can harness key principles to make our own lives a little richer.</p>