Borrow: The American Way of Debt

In this lively history of consumer debt in America, economic historian Louis Hyman demonstrates that today's problems are not as new as we think.

Borrow examines how the rise of consumer borrowing--virtually unknown before the twentieth century--has altered our culture and economy. Starting in the years before the Great Depression, increased access to money raised living standards but also introduced unforeseen risks. As lending grew more and more profitable, it displaced funds available for business borrowing, setting our economy on an unsustainable course. Told through the vivid stories of individuals and institutions affected by these changes, Borrow charts the collision of commerce and culture in twentieth-century America, giving an historical perspective on what is new--and what is not--in today's economic turmoil.

A Paperback Original

Author: Louis Hyman
Publisher: Vintage
Published: 01/24/2012
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.10w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780307741684

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 10/24/2011 pg. 47
Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2011
Library Journal 01/01/2012 pg. 110
Booklist 01/01/2012 pg. 24
Choice 08/01/2012

About the Author
Louis Hyman attended Columbia University, where he received a BA in history and mathematics. A former Fulbright scholar and a consultant at McKinsey & Co., he received his PhD in American history in 2007 from Harvard University. He is currently an assistant professor in Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, where he teaches history.