Today I was sitting at Starbucks reading Gottfried Haberler's Prosperity and Depression. Although now outdated this book is probably the best summary of where business cycle research stood prior to the Keynesian Revolution. (I actually have a funny story about my meeting Haberler in the early 1990s). Some of the ideas of the Keynesian revolution actually draw heavily on pre-Keynesian ideas (see here) so it still has more than historical significance. Today however I was somewhat surprised by this exchange.
Woman at the Starbucks Counter: where did you get that book?
Me: which?
WATSC: that book you were reading. Where did you get it?
Me: why?
WATSC: it looks good.
Me: really?....umm I got it umm on Amazon.
WATSC: oh ok it looks really interesting.
Me : really? Why are you interested?
WATSC: why do you want to know?
Me: its just unusual. Why are you interested?
WATSC: why?
Me: I just want to know. Its a really old book from the 1930s...and I just wanted to know why you are interested in it.
WATSC: well I'm just interested in all sorts of stuff.
Me: really...well why this?
WATSC: well sometimes I suffer from bouts of depression and I thought
Me: no it's depression as in recession, depression, expansion, unemployment...not that kind of depression.
WATSC: oh (confused look)
Me: its an old book. Kind of outdated...
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