This must have been an interesting conference: a multinational cast of the usual suspects (Scott Snyder, Kyongman Jeon, Aidan Foster-Carter et al.) joined by some functional area specialists (Jeffrey Pilkington, Danny Leipziger et al.) for added spice.

Among the highpoints: Heather Smith's dissection of the food situation, David Steinberg's thoughtful reflections on South Korean politics, and Holger Wolf's demolition of the myths of German unification. Anthony Michell provides a heterox view of the North Korean economy. It may not be a convincing view, but it is a welcome antidote to usual recitation of Bank of Korea figures.

Today in South Korea we have "sunshine policy" toward North Korea. But we need to know what will happen. This book has many experts from South Korea and other countries. I think that the best essay is by Professor Hearther Smith. She analyses the food situation in North Korea, using many datas. There is also an essay by Dr. Danny Leipziger from the World Bank. He describes how international institutions can help North Korea based on the experience of Vietnam. The only bad thing about this book is one of the authors refers almost only to her own researches (and one author criticizes the editor). But this is an excellent book on an important topic.

This book is a delight - the author combines serious economic and political analysis with rich knowledge of institutions and history on the Korean peninsula. Moreover, he knows how to write. He makes sophisticated arguments seem easy. For readers concerned with the future of South and North Korea, this is essential reading.

The book consists of a thorough overview of the current situation on the peninsula with a brief but insightful review of the historical processes that have brought us to this point. It distills in a accessible manner the vital insights from the author's formal models of the Korean economy. Most importantly, it weaves all of these different viewpoints into a coherent and persuasive story.

For those who try to understand the conundrum that is Korea, this book is a stiff cold wind, and entirely welcome. Indeed it is a daunting read, full of econometric and logical analyses, but Avoiding the Apocalypse : The Future of the Two Koreas repays careful reading many times over.

Aside from the rigorous analysis, however, are the three concluding chapters. The author discusses three alternative paths for North Korea's future, and reaches a conclusion. Not only is the author open-minded, but the prospect for each scenario opens up possible policy implications for all countries involved.

This book also provides useful information on South Korea, even though it is billed as a book on North Korea. In many ways, the author's reflections on Korean history and South Korean development are more useful than the North Korean sections. Before North Korea can be dispassionately analyzed, South Korean success must be analyzed.

I put down this book and reached the conclusion, that the world just may have to live with a North Korea, de-villified, but certainly dangerous, for a long time. South Korea also faces more difficulties than it realizes, and should look at North Korea as an example in negative.

Still, with all the analysis and history, the mystery that is Korea is still there in the shadows. This book does admirably well with figures and facts, but so much is misunderstood. This book does as best as any could with this emotional subject, and, hopefully, will be the basis for thought, not rhetoric.

By drawing on other-country parallels such as German unification, or the experiences of China and Vietnam as they re-engaged with the world community, "Avoiding the Apocalypse" provides interesting insights about N. Korea's future and the possible implications for the South. This book is unique among other N. Korea titles in that it is underpinned by rigorous economic analysis while, at the same time, exhibiting a sound understanding of geopolitical dynamics of the peninsula and of the interests of key player countries (S. Korea, Japan, US, China). The book presents a comprehensive analysis of N. Korea's economy and policies (past and present), and an assessment of future prospects for the Korea peninsula in light of several plausible alternative scenarios of policy developments in the North.

"Avoiding the Apocalypse" contains a wealth and depth of information Mr. Noland has obviously acquired through his research and interactions with key economic, political and military personalities in North and South Korea, Japan, the US and China. I found this book to be very well written, and in a style accessible to a general educated readership. Unusually for such a weighty book, the text includes cross-cultural sayings (i.e. proverbs) and metaphors, in addition to insider quotes, that make the book an interesting read indeed.

I recommend the book highly for anyone interested in a thorough review of N. Korea and in knowing what the current state of play is as regards N. Korea's integration into the world community of nations. If you're interested in a fresh and intellectually stimulating perspective on the events unfolding on the Korean peninsula, this is also the book for you.

Haggard has a good name in East Asia field. but this title disappointed me. it's not that scholarstic but journalistic. what are enumerated on his book is not new or insightful at all to asian specialist. if you have read articles on Asia from FT or Wall Street Journal, The Economist, You should know what I mean. at best this book is no more than enlarged The Economist.

This is an excellent resource for both political economics and Asian studies students. Following currency devaluation through the creation of the crisis and its development across the intertwined economies of Southeast Asia. Making rational decisions about Asian markets requires in-depth knowledge of the first fall to avoid the repercussive aftershocks which will continue to follow.

I found this volume useful and informative. It deals primarily with how Congress and the president shape American trade relations. It also considers the role of other domestic factors, such as interest groups. Destler explains various general approaches to the study of how American policy-makers arrive at a particualr type of trade policy. The main target audience is graduate and undergraduate students in public policy, American politics, and international political economy,

The book is execellently drafted, edited. the intellectual property is an indespensable asset for any firm and the said assets needs protection from infringement and recognition not only in the domestic market but also in the international market. The trade mark, copyright and patent is the most worthiest intellectual property and runs the show of the company in this competitive market. Patent is granted to the product aswell as the process/method of product. the value of medicine are going to shoot up if the product is patentable. If the product of the foreign goods are patented than monopoly is created and in our country (India) where only the process is patentable and product is never patentable, if the foreign goods which are patentable comes in our economy than such goods will be expensive as no other similiar/identical goods of our country can sell such goods. It may create unneccessary concentration of economic power. Trade mark is granted to the mark, logo, symbol while copyright is granted to the exclusive work and patent to the invention. Said law of all the country should be in one line then and then intellectual property can be protected in one another country. I have not purchased the said book but i have gone through the same i feel very interesting and its very pragmatic and visionary for the coming days. The same was not available in our city (Ahmedabad) in the state of Gujarat INDIA.

Eichengreen clearly demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the international financial structure. He provides conservative and realistic criticisms for the reformation of the IMF. The Institute for International Economics should be proud of his nonpartisan attempt to quantify economic and financial theory into reliable, real life circumstances. This publication, like many other publications by the institute, is overtly academic and may not represent the best option for readers with no formal backqround in economics or finance. It is perhaps most relevant for government and corporate policy makers, academics, and those with a serious interest in international finance.

After reading this book,I don't agree with the opinions of the writer,at least part of them.Through my experience in the Suotheast Asian financial Crises,this cause is only secondary one among numbers of them. Most of the west economic analysers consider that the causes of Asian Financial Crises are Capital Flows.It flew into the vulnerable economic countries and destoried their state economy. But I think that the real causes are rooted in their economic frame system.With rapid economic rate,all Southeast countries didn't care about their domestic economy turn to multi-economic frame. For a long time,Aisan countries depended on export-oriented economic, this made them effcted by the international situation greatly. So,I consider that the Crises' coming is right at its time.This is the accumulation of Asian economic shortcomings.It must come,just for the time. For a assumption: if one country's economic system frame is as well as the West such as USA or the Eurapean countries,how can the Capital flow in and destory its economy? The "Capital Flows"is just an outside reason.The essential causes are the systemic crises.

This book is a brief summary of the ideas and arguments linking FDI to development. Unfortunately, it is not as in-depth as one would expect from such a famous scholar. It is a good book to review some of the basic arguments, but is not a comprehensive study of FDI and development.