Hypercapitalism: The Modern Economy, Its Values, and How to Change Them

With an extensive series of cartoon guides to nonfiction subjects under his belt (including the classic series The Cartoon History of the Universe), Gonick turns his attention to hypercapitalism, a talking point of 21st-century politics and culture. This volume melds a comprehensive study of economics and psychology with theory and narration by talking head Kasser (chair of psychology at Knox College). Gonick effortlessly lays out post-1945 capitalism, its evolution, and its application to contemporary business and trade, emphasizing the psychological effect and social cost of commercialism. The second half is prescriptive: a series of proposals for grassroots activism to survive in a world of marketable products and people. Accompanied with breezily quirky cartooning that cleverly fuses art and hard information, Gonick’s latest is another triumph: a new self-education classic for these troubled times. (Jan.)