• The Great Escape

  • Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality
  • By: Angus Deaton
  • Narrated by: Matthew Brenher
  • Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (248 ratings)

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The Great Escape

By: Angus Deaton
Narrated by: Matthew Brenher
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Publisher's summary

The world is a better place than it used to be. People are healthier, wealthier, and live longer. Yet the escapes from destitution by so many has left gaping inequalities between people and nations.

In The Great Escape, Angus Deaton - one of the foremost experts on economic development and on poverty - tells the remarkable story of how, beginning 250 years ago, some parts of the world experienced sustained progress, opening up gaps and setting the stage for today's disproportionately unequal world. Deaton takes an in-depth look at the historical and ongoing patterns behind the health and wealth of nations and addresses what needs to be done to help those left behind.

Deaton describes vast innovations and wrenching setbacks: the successes of antibiotics, pest control, vaccinations, and clean water on one hand and disastrous famines and the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the other. He examines the United States, a nation that has prospered but is today experiencing slower growth and increasing inequality. He also considers how economic growth in India and China has improved the lives of more than a billion people. Deaton argues that international aid has been ineffective and even harmful. He suggests alternative efforts - including reforming incentives to drug companies and lifting trade restrictions - that will allow the developing world to bring about its own great escape.

Demonstrating how changes in health and living standards have transformed our lives, The Great Escape is a powerful guide to addressing the well-being of all nations.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2016 Angus Deaton (P)2016 Blackstone Audio

What listeners say about The Great Escape

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    1 out of 5 stars

not worth listening

Unless the money goes to the people that the author seems to be caring for especially, this book is a waste your money. Also it is a waste of your time.
Scarcely is there any novel ideas or profound insight. I can hardly believe that this book was written by a Nobel laureate.

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5 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

Most accessible despite the seriousness of the topic

Deaton uses the story line of the movie The Great Escape to recount how advances in knowledge on health and wealth create the opportunity for some to escape the world of poverty thereby creating or deepening inequality.

This evidence based, jargon free book is refreshingly impartial in its treatment of inequality. A must read (listen) for those who care about inequality and want to do something about it.

The book contains some tables and graphics that are well enough presented but require a little imagination to mentally recreate from the verbal description.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book!

The book is great. It is my opinion that everyone should listen to this book. The speed of the reader is too slow for me (but it might be optimum for some users). Ways to rectify that:

1. Thoughts and prayers approach: Wish the reader would have read a little faster and then accept your fate.

or

2. Politely ask amazon that they build an iphone audible app that will give the listeners an option to listen at speed of 1.10x or 1.15x. The 1.0x speed is too slow. 1.25x speed is too fast.

or

3. Buy an Android phone on which such options are available for the Audible app.

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listening changed my understanding

I have the book but as casual reading it is out of my comfort zone. I decided to give it a try on audio format and it's been easier to understand. I can "skip" the graphs and challenging sections by just listening passively. As someone with ADHD, I feel proud for FINISHING the book! I learned that foreign aid is not always helpful, I understand as explained by a Nobel laureate instead of the summary by stranger on social media.

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Math errors?

The professor that got a 1% raise on 50k got a $500 raise - not a $1000 raise. Still listening to the rest of the book but I was a bit taken aback by this obvious error.

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Typical duality

The contents appear to be written by at least two people with opposite perspectives and identities. One uses the empty rhetoric of "democracy/democratic Westerners" to bring about the idiotic capitalist propaganda. The other o other writers or editors appear to have one foot on the Earth and sometimes the two feet when touch with feathers reality. Poverty and inequality has the source in the prevailing nature of the dominant economic system that has reigned since 1501 (although since the Middle Ages we already see capitalist relations).

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    4 out of 5 stars

Good read with a misleading subtitle

The subtitle of this book made me think the author would be more elucidative about the technical subjects of the original of inequality. Instead it just touched the topic by talking about things that are common knowledge. It's a good reading nonetheless. Narration is pretty good.

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Must listen

This is a great book for researchers or people with some knowledge on economics and who like to know more about inequality in the world. Excellent book.

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A great reflection and direction for the future

In a world gone mad, it's was good to listen (and read) a thorough reflection of economic development around the world, and it's impact on poverty, health and well-being. No matter the side of the fence you are on, The Great Escape is a must.

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really interesting and enlighten book

A new and realistic way to see and understand the mechanics of the world . It is inspiring and most be an obligated subject of study for everyone, specially any person that expect to be involved in politics, today or in the near future.

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