Borrow is a lively history of consumer debt in America that demonstrates how the rise of consumer borrowing—virtually unknown before the twentieth century—has altered our culture and economy. Economic historian Louis Hyman gives a historical perspective on economic turmoil, demonstrating that today’s problems are not as new as we think. Hyman recently contributed “A Brief History of Debt” to the Huffington Post as well as an Op-Ed for the New York Daily News that discusses how budgets can lull consumers into a false sense of security. He was also interviewed by Salon and appeared on NPR’s The Roundtable. [from publisher web site]