What exactly is a credit crunch? Why do footballers earn so much more than the rest of us? Which country will be the world's leading economy in 10 years' time? And how does economics affect each one of us, every day?

Edmund Conway, economics editor of the Daily Telegraph, introduces and explains the central concepts of economics in a series of 50 accessible and engaging essays. Beginning with the basic theories, such as Adam Smith's 'invisible hand' and the law of supply and demand, and concluding with the latest thinking on the links between wealth and happiness and the shape of 21st-century economics, he sheds light on all the essential topics needed to understand booms and busts, bulls and bears, and the way the world really works.

Packed with real-life examples and quotations from key thinkers, 50 Economics Ideas You Really Need to Know is a lively and relevant exploration of how economics influences every aspect of our lives, from buying a house to what you ate for breakfast this morning.