Reading: 2022

I read (sometimes reread) across economics, history, politics, science, and fiction, as well as other forms of writing such as doctoral theses. This page collects brief notes on books I found illuminating, enjoyable, or worth revisiting in 2022.

2022

Dune — Frank Herbert (1990)

Fiction | science fiction

A classic that turned out to be more rewarding than I expected. I am not usually drawn to science fiction, but this novel’s scale, atmosphere, and cultural layering make it an unusually rich reading experience.

The World for Sale — Javier Blas and Jack Farchy (2022)

Non-fiction | commodities | global economy

A fascinating account of how commodity traders became some of the most powerful and least visible actors in the world economy. The book is especially good at showing the murky intersection of trade, politics, corruption, and power.

Gambling on Development — Stefan Dercon (2022)

Non-fiction | development | political economy

A thoughtful and engaging contribution to development debates by someone with deep practical experience. Its core argument—that development depends on an elite bargain in favour of growth—is provocative and often persuasive.

China’s Gilded Age — Yuen Yuen Ang (2021)

Non-fiction | China | political economy

An innovative and provocative book on corruption and development in modern China. Ang’s idea of “unbundling” corruption is especially useful in explaining how rapid growth and pervasive corruption can coexist.

21st Century Monetary Policy — Ben Bernanke (2022)

Non-fiction | macroeconomics | monetary policy

One of the best books I have read on monetary policy. Bernanke combines analytical clarity with institutional and historical depth, and the result is both highly informative and remarkably readable.

Chip War — Chris Miller (2022)

Non-fiction | technology | geopolitics

An excellent guide to the history and strategic importance of semiconductors. The book is especially valuable for understanding why chips sit at the centre of contemporary economic rivalry and national-security policy.

The Cashless Revolution — Martin Chorzempa (2022)

Non-fiction | China | finance

A fascinating account of how fintech transformed everyday life in China. Particularly interesting on the rise of Alipay and WeChat Pay, and on the broader implications for finance, surveillance, and technological power.

Other books read in 2022

The following titles were also part of my 2022 reading.

Shin Gi Tai — Michael Clarke (2011); The Martial Arts of Indonesia — Donn Draeger (2020); To Paradise — Hanya Yanagihara (2022); Anxious Blackbelts — Les Bubka (2019); The Dark Side of Karate (2021); Economics of International Coal Trade — Lars Schernikau (2010); The Night Watchman — Louise Erdrich (2021); Tales of Okinawa’s Great Masters — Shoshin Nagamine (2000); Hell-Bent — Benjamin Lorr (2012); Pengalaman Pembangunan Indonesia — Widjojo Nitisastro (2010); Shorting the Grid — Meredith Angwin (2020); The New Map — Daniel Yergin (2020); A Gentleman in Moscow — Amor Towles (2019); Political Economy of Policy Reform in Developing Countries — Anne Krueger (2003); Ekonomi Indonesia di Era Politik Baru — Mohamad Sadli (2002); The Milkman — Anna Burns (2018); How China Escaped the Poverty Trap — Yuen Yuen Ang (2016); Food Politics — Robert Paarlberg (2013); New Normal, New Technologies, New Financing; Anak Bajang Mengayun Bulan — Sindhunata (2022); A Mosaic of Indonesian Energy Policy — Hanan Nugroho (2018); How the World Became Rich — Jared Rubin and Mark Koyama (2022); The Accidental Theorist — Paul Krugman (1999); Never Let Me Go — Kazuo Ishiguro (2006); Good Arguments — Bo Seo (2022); A Concise Guide to Macroeconomics — David Moss (2014); Recollections: The Indonesian Economy, 1950s-1990s — Thee et al., eds. (2003); Pemerintahan SBY-JK — Mohamad Sadli (2006); Sihir Perempuan — Intan Paramaditha (2005); Omnibus Cipta Kerja — MOF Team (2022); Slouching towards Utopia — Brad DeLong (2022); Simple Passion — Annie Ernaux (1991); The Promise — Damon Galgut (2021); The Finkler Question — Howard Jacobson (2010); Keynes: Useful Economics for the World Economy — Peter Temin and David Vines (2014); Seven Moons of Maali Almeida — Shehan Karunatilaka (2022); Reforms for Recovery — The World Bank (2022); Cynical Theories — Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay (2020); Novelist as a Vocation — Haruki Murakami (2022); A Short History of Karate — Michael Cowie and Robert Dyson (2011); International Trade: What Everyone Needs to Know — Anne Krueger (2020); Essays in International Trade - Harry Wardana (2022, Adelaide University PhD Thesis); Mati Baik-baik, Kawan — Martin Aleida (2009).