I got my copy of Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-First Century just over a month ago and have been impressed and intrigued by it.
I've been meaning to offer review-coverage but, quite honestly, have been a bit overwhelmed by the attention it's received (and have to wonder whether I can really add anything to what's already out there).
Now it's number one at Amazon, apparently/possibly publisher Harvard University Press' biggest seller ever ... and a book in translation !
(See their publicity page, or get your copy at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.)
Leaving aside the economic arguments -- already debated ... well, yes, ad nauseam (though, yes, it's important enough that it's worth continued debate) -- one thing has struck me about the coverage is ... the claims about how big a book it actually is.
Consider the various claims:
- a lengthy (577 pages) study
- 577 pages of text, 75 pages of notes
- 640 pages
- Piketty's 671-page tome
- Piketty's 685-page tome
- 696 pages
- 700-page book
- more than 700 pages long
So what's the deal with the Piketty ? The Harvard University Press edition is the only English-language edition. It has:
- 2 pages of Acknowledgments (pp.vii-viii)
- 577 pages of text (pp. 1-577)
- 77 pages of notes (pp. 579-655)
- 8 pages of 'Contents in Detail (pp. 657-664)
- 5 page listing 'Tables and Illustrations (pp. 665-669)
- 15 pages of an Index (pp. 671-685)
Anyway, don't let yourself be put off by .... however many pages there are -- it's surprisingly/agreeably readable. Add a Comment