This series has global reach, an international cast of characters—and shows that, to paraphrase Tip O’Neil, “all economics is local.” Read seeks to explain the wide repercussions of the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990’s by following a load of potatoes around the world. Like most good stories, the series recounts even this sweeping narrative through the actions and choices of individuals. The Hutterite farmer in Idaho decides what to plant. The lunching businessman in Southeast Asia chooses what to eat. And so the world changes. Each installment begins with an individual and his or her point of view. Through narrative, we are taken on a global tour, making very local stops.

Read “The French Fry Connection,” by Richard Read

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