Antara Haldar's 'Everyman' Retells Economics Through Fiction and 12 Key Books

On September 8, 2026, Riverhead released 'Everyman,' a novel by economist, philosopher, and lawyer Antara Haldar. This work explores 250 years of economic history through the lens of magical realism, intertwining literary fiction, economic theory, and historical narratives. Haldar brings economic ideas and figures to life as mythical characters, including Neo (Homo Economicus) and Tina (Thatcher's 'no alternative'), while charting the trajectory of global capitalism. She posits that economic frameworks are constructs of human imagination influenced by shared beliefs, suggesting they can be reformed for improved results. To further elaborate on these themes, Haldar compiled a syllabus featuring 12 books, including titles by David Pilling and Michael Lewis. The novel also tackles the decline in recreational reading, presenting economic statistics in a narrative format and questioning conventional perspectives on economics and human behavior.