“A sprightly and clear-eyed testimonial to the value of globalization” (The Wall Street Journal) as seen through six surprising everyday goods—the taco salad, the Honda Odyssey, the banana, the iPhone, the college degree, and the blockbuster HBO series Game of Thrones.
Trade allows us to sell what we produce at home and purchase what we don’t. It lowers prices and gives us greater variety and innovation. Yet understanding our place in the global trade network is rarely simple. Trade has become an easy excuse for struggling economies, a scapegoat for our failures to adapt to a changing world, and—for many Americans on both the right and the left—nothing short of a four-letter word.
But as Fred P. Hochberg reminds us, trade is easier to understand than we commonly think. In Trade Is Not a Four-Letter Word, you’ll learn how NAFTA became a populist punching bag on both sides of the aisle. You’ll learn how Americans can avoid the grim specter of the $10 banana. And you’ll finally discover the truth about whether or not, as President Trump has famously tweeted, “trade wars are good and easy to win.” (Spoiler alert—they aren’t.)
Hochberg debunks common trade myths by pulling back the curtain on six everyday products, each with a surprising story to tell: the taco salad, the Honda Odyssey, the banana, the iPhone, the college degree, and the smash hit HBO series Game of Thrones. Behind these six examples are stories that help explain not only how trade has shaped our lives so far but also how we can use trade to build a better future for our own families, for America, and for the world.
Trade Is Not a Four-Letter Word is the antidote to today’s acronym-laden trade jargon pitched to voters with simple promises that rarely play out so one-dimensionally. Packed with colorful examples and highly digestible explanations, Trade Is Not a Four-Letter Word is “an accessible, necessary book that will increase our understanding of trade and economic policies and the ways in which they impact our daily lives” (Library Journal, starred review).
"Trade Is Not a Four-Letter Word is a clear-eyed, informative defense of the importance of free trade. If you’ve ever wondered what makes it possible to enjoy all the products that make daily life possible, this book is for you. And if you haven’t thought about trade, this engaging book will make trade a fascinating subject, one that you never knew you were interested in.” —Indra Nooyi, former CEO of Pepsi-Co
"Written by a uniquely qualified expert, this is a witty, enjoyable book that makes clear the great benefits—but difficult politics and policy choices—of international trade." —Frederick W. Smith, Founder and CEO, FedEx Corporation
“By turns practical and insightful, Fred’s indefatigable spirit, sound judgement, and depth of experience shine through in Trade Is Not a Four-Letter Word. Throughout his unique upbringing and accomplished career, which spanned a period of profound political and economic change, Fred set a standard of leadership and level-headed collaboration while dealing with the complex issues around global trade and the many ways it impacts our day-to-day lives. And these meaningful lessons about trade apply to all of us—in business and in life.” —Jamie Dimon, Chairman & CEO, JP Morgan Chase
"Think a trade war with China and the rest of the world doesn’t impact you? Think again. Fred Hochberg shows how much free trade shapes your everyday life—and what would happen if it disappeared—in this fascinating journey through the trade networks that make our lives possible. It’s the only book on trade you’ll ever need to read." —Ana Navarro, CNN Political Strategist
