A power-packed treatise on economics and the environment

Dr. Nancy K. Napier (*)

July 26, 2024

[BOOK REVIEW]

I have followed Quan-Hoang Vuong’s career in academics for years – his research and writings. What has intrigued and delighted me over time is the range of topics he covers and the way he seeks to blend disciplines (e.g., what can business learn from physics? How can fables help us understand economics and work?) and his willingness to push the boundaries of disciplines and arguments.

He and co-author Minh-Hoang Nguyen do it again in this power-packed book on the environment, economics, and the dangers of using existing frameworks to think about and act in the future [1].



Photo: Professor N. K. Napier (Source: Amazon)

The book Better Economics for the Earth is written for people who want to study it, though, not for those who want to get a basic understanding, so the authors may not reach all of the audiences they should. Nevertheless, they have set a strong foundation to understand the trials we face on a planet not made for continuous economic growth.

I would love to see a more accessible book on this for the lay reader who is interested. Perhaps the authors will do more of that in the future! I hope so, for all of us.

(*) Note: Professor Emerita (Boise State University) and author of numerous books, including The Bridge Generation of Viêt Nam: Spanning Wartime to Boomtime. She received two Vietnam national medals for her contribution to the US-Vietnam relations and the Vietnamese education system. Original review: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RWQTF9FF4S7PQ/

References

[1] Vuong QH, Nguyen MH. (2024). Better Economics for the Earth: A Lesson from Quantum and Information Theories. AISDL. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D98L5K44

[2] Napier NK, Ha DT. (2023). The Bridge Generation of Viêt Nam: Spanning Wartime to Boomtime. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GWT3CBH