How to Win a Trade War
28 May 2026Synopsis
'An amazing book' – Paul Krugman, Nobel laureate in economics
'Timely, witty and wise' – Tim Harford, broadcaster and bestselling author of The Undercover Economist
'A breezy, low-jargon guide' – Helen Lewis, bestselling author of The Genius Myth
A witty, essential guide to our new era of economic competition. From Soumaya Keynes, podcaster and columnist at the Financial Times and Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
We used to take trade for granted. Trillions of dollars of goods and services crossed borders each year, made possible by a global, rules-based system. Nobody paid too much attention to supply chains: they just worked.
Now, Trump’s latest tariff announcement can crash markets, ruin your pension, and sour decades-long alliances. Brexit can sever Britain from its closest trading partners. China’s export restrictions on rare earths could bring the West’s car production to a crashing halt. Curbs on trade in cutting-edge chips could determine who wins the AI race. The stakes couldn't be higher.
In this irreverent guide to our economic world, Keynes and Bown explore the history, players, and rules of trade, asking how we prepare for what the future might hold. Could trade wars lead to hot wars? What can the West learn from China?
Timely, funny and informative, How to Win a Trade War argues that the old system is dead. But what will emerge in its place? And ultimately, what is at stake for you, your country, and your company?
'Full of insight. This is critical reading for anyone trying to make sense of today's trade disputes' – Chris Miller, bestselling author of Chip War and winner of the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award
Details
28 May 2026
9781035090181Reviews
Timely, witty and wise – you could not ask for a better guide to the new economic order.
Full of insight. This is critical reading for anyone trying to make sense of today's trade disputes
Extremely entertaining and enlightening . . . Trade wars are not supposed to be fun but this book is.
An amazing book. Keynes and Bown take a subject usually weighed down by a deadly combination of economese and legalese and turn it into a breezy romp, without dumbing it down at all.
