How to Win a Trade War
A Friendly Guide to an Unfriendly World
Published on 28. May 2026
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-0350-9018-1 (ISBN)
Description
'An amazing book' - Paul Krugman, Nobel laureate in economics
'Timely, witty and wise' - Tim Harford, bestselling author of The Undercover Economist
An essential guide to our new era of economic competition. From Soumaya Keynes, podcaster and columnist at the Financial Times and Chad Bown, former Chief Economist at the US State Department under President Biden.
We used to take trade for granted. Trillions of dollars of goods and services crossed borders each year. Nobody paid too much attention: it just worked.
Now, surging oil prices can hit your mortgage. Trump's latest tariff announcement can crash markets and ruin your pension. Brexit can sever Britain from its closest trading partners. Chinese restrictions can 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, 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? How should countries defend their economies?
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?
'A breezy, low-jargon guide' - Helen Lewis, bestselling author of The Genius Myth
'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
'Timely, witty and wise' - Tim Harford, bestselling author of The Undercover Economist
An essential guide to our new era of economic competition. From Soumaya Keynes, podcaster and columnist at the Financial Times and Chad Bown, former Chief Economist at the US State Department under President Biden.
We used to take trade for granted. Trillions of dollars of goods and services crossed borders each year. Nobody paid too much attention: it just worked.
Now, surging oil prices can hit your mortgage. Trump's latest tariff announcement can crash markets and ruin your pension. Brexit can sever Britain from its closest trading partners. Chinese restrictions can 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, 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? How should countries defend their economies?
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?
'A breezy, low-jargon guide' - Helen Lewis, bestselling author of The Genius Myth
'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
Reviews / Votes
Timely, witty and wise - you could not ask for a better guide to the new economic order. -- Tim Harford, bestselling author of <i>How to Make the World Add Up</i> Full of insight. This is critical reading for anyone trying to make sense of today's trade disputes -- Chris Miller, bestselling author of <i>Chip War</i> Extremely entertaining and enlightening . . . Trade wars are not supposed to be fun but this book is. -- Duncan Weldon, bestselling author of <i>Two Hundred Years of Muddling Through: The Surprising Story of The British Economy</i> 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. -- Paul Krugman, Nobel Laureate in Economics A breezy, low-jargon guide to trade - the secret pulse of the world. -- Helen Lewis, bestselling author of <i>The Genius Myth</i> Timely and essential. The ultimate handbook for anyone hoping to navigate the baffling, nerve-wracking predicament the world economy finds itself facing today. -- Ed Conway, bestselling author of <i>Material World</i>More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pan Macmillan
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 years
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 158 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
480 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0350-9018-1 (9781035090181)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Soumaya Keynes is a columnist at the Financial Times and host of their hit podcast, The Economics Show. Previously, she spent eight years at The Economist. During this time, she also co-founded the popular Trade Talks podcast with Chad Bown.
Chad Bown is Reginald Jones Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and hosts the Trade Talks podcast. He formerly served as Chief Economist at the US Department of State in the Biden-Harris administration and as Senior Economist in the White House on President Obama's Council of Economic Advisors.
Together they are the authors of How to Win a Trade War.
Chad Bown is Reginald Jones Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and hosts the Trade Talks podcast. He formerly served as Chief Economist at the US Department of State in the Biden-Harris administration and as Senior Economist in the White House on President Obama's Council of Economic Advisors.
Together they are the authors of How to Win a Trade War.