© 2026 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Donate Today

Planet Money's first book: ‘It's not like any other you’ve seen before’

Planet Money's first book publishes April 7, 2026
Planet Money /NPR
Planet Money's first book publishes April 7, 2026

For Planet Money's first book, the hosts wanted something relevant but different and personal: jobs, investing, savings and even a trip to Idaho.

It happens all too often. You’re nearing the end of an episode of Planet Money, particularly an episode that successfully thrashes away all of the gobbledegook so we can get a clearer, plain-spoken story about our own personal economy. You know; the things that truly matter in our lives.

It's a Planet Money episode like that that you wish could go a bit longer, not unlike a really good page-turner.

Indeed, that feeling of “wanting more,” from Planet Money is a superb reason for the folks behind the award-winning broadcast/podcast to publish their first book.

And they’re really looking for that personal connection with their book's subtitle: “A guide to the economic forces that shape your life.”

“I think we just wanted the book to feel really relevant to people’s lives,” said author and longtime Planet Money contributor Alex Mayyasi. “Planet Money has been explaining the economy for more than 15 years; and with this book, we saw an opportunity to give people something they could hold really hold in their hands. It talks about our careers and our personal lives.”

“I work with audio, like you,” Planet Money host Kenny Malone said to Morning Edition host George Prentice. “So, you can imagine how excited I was to see the ways we were able to translate to the page. And this doesn’t look like any other book you’ve seen before.”

Malone and Mayyasi visited with Prentice on the week their book was being shipped to readers around the world to talk about the challenges and excitement to “translate” their Planet Money stories to print and how one visits Idaho to consider some “potato economics.”

Find reporter George Prentice @georgepren

Copyright 2026 Boise State Public Radio

As host of Morning Edition, I'm the luckiest person I've ever known because I spend my days listening to smart, passionate, engaging people. It’s a public trust. I lean in to talk with actors, poets, writers and volunteers who make Idaho that much more special.

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.