In the next twenty years the world economy will enjoy one of its strongest periods of growth. Greater innovation and technical change will increase opportunities. Life expectancy, income and educational standards will rise. The West's share in the global economic cake may get smaller, but there will be more cake than ever before.

These are the predictions of Gerard Lyons, a leading international economist who spent nearly thirty years working in the City. He is now the chief economic adviser to the Mayor of London. Over the last quarter-century he has been ahead of the game in predicting the major economic trends that we now take as a given.

The Consolations of Economics is a lucid and accessible expert's attempt to look objectively at the changing global economy - what is happening and what it means. He shows how we can embrace change, rather than hide from it. The results are fascinating, refreshing - and unusually cheering.