Description:Not for nothing do her initials stand for "Central Bank." For nearly two decades, Caroline Baum has produced incisive commentary on central bank policy, the ebbs and flows of the economy, and how they influence the bond market. Her much sought-after, real-time analysis is read by a devoted audience on the Bloomberg Professional service within seconds after it appears. The word on the Street is that reading Caroline Baum is an ecoonomic education in itself. This selection from her more than 1,300 Bloomberg News columns, arranged by major themes and with new introductions by the author, condenses and organizes that widsdom for the first time in print. "Caroline Baum is one of the few topical commentators who writes things that have lasting value. This compilation provides a history of the economic issues of the time and timeless insights." Paul H. O’Neill Former Secretary of the U.S. Treasury "Caroline Baum is a rarity—an economics commentator who actually understands economics and writes about it with clarity and passion. Read her and learn! Read her and enjoy!" Gregory Mankiw Professor of Economics, Harvard University Chairman, U.S. Council of Economics Advisors, 2003-2005 "If you are interested in the Fed, interest rates, the budget deficit, taxes, China, or anything economic under the sun, Caroline Baum is a must-read." Lawrence Kudlow Host, CNBC's Kudlow & Company