Byzantium And The Crusades - BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT – ‘The End of Antiquity’ Book 5 in The Fall of the Roman Empire

Although I’m no longer making new episodes of this podcast, I thought you might be interested in my latest book, called The End of Antiquity, which relates particularly well to the content in this podcast since it’s about the rise of Islam in the seventh century AD and the collapse of the Roman and Persian empires.

It covers the warfare, politics, and religious upheaval of the time, but also introduces a compelling new angle: climate change.

Drawing on the latest scientific research, I examine the Late Antique Little Ice Age — a period of significant climatic cooling that struck at the heart of the Roman and Persian worlds, but — and here’s the catch — seems to have allowed Arabia to flourish. I believe this could be a crucial, yet overlooked, factor in understanding this pivotal era of history.

And you get all of that in the ebook format for only $6.99 in the US and £4.99 in the UK – not far off the price of a cup of coffee. The paperback is obviously more expensive but still not exorbitant at $13.99 in the US and £10.99 in the UK. 

The link to Amazon is here - I’d love you to take a look, and if you do read it, I’d be thrilled to hear your thoughts. And of course, if you enjoy it, a review on Amazon would mean a great deal to me.

Thank you again for your continued interest and support — it’s what makes all of my work possible.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

Audio Mises Wire - Can Econometric Models Fulfill the Role of an Economic Laboratory?

Mainstream economists claim that they can use econometric models to emulate human action and, thus, create an economic laboratory. These models, however, cannot tell us about cause-and-effect, which is vital to understanding praxeology and economic behavior.

Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/can-econometric-models-fulfill-role-economic-laboratory

The Indicator from Planet Money - What we’re reading on the beach this summer

It's time for our annual beach reading recs. Today we bring you three books, with a little economic learning to boot. Our recs:

Who is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service by Michael Lewis
El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott
Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language by Adam Aleksic

Related episodes:
Beach reading with a side of economics How to beach on a budget
How to beach on a budget

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Audio Mises Wire - Will Jamaica Become a Republic?

Long a constitutional monarchy with ties to Great Britain, many in Jamaica are looking to end the old relationship and become a republic. But is this movement simply a reaction to anti-colonialism, and what kind of constitution would the new republic create? So far, no answers.

Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/will-jamaica-become-republic

Audio Mises Wire - US Travel Restrictions for Cuba Violate the Freedoms of Americans and Cubans

A relic of the Cold War, the US embargo and travel restrictions to Cuba violate American freedoms and they accomplish nothing to end Cuba's communist regime or win freedom for Cubans. Yet, this failed policy has persisted for nearly 65 years with no end in sight.

Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/us-travel-restrictions-cuba-violate-freedoms-americans-and-cubans