The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein (paperback)
A detailed, one-sided critique of free-market shock therapy that rewards readers who also check its critics.
The short version
- Readers interested in economic history, globalization or political economy
- Anyone who wants the left critique of neoliberal reform in one detailed volume
- You want a balanced survey that weighs both sides of each case
- You prefer short books; this one runs 720 pages
What owners like
- Big, readable narrative that links events many readers knew only separately
- Serious legwork, with on the ground reporting even critics acknowledge
- Raises questions about who benefits after a crisis that still feel current
- Joseph Stiglitz's New York Times review called it rich while noting simplifications
Common complaints
- One-sided: critics such as Tyler Cowen, Johan Norberg and Jonathan Chait reject its core argument
- Some reviewers say it reads disparate events as a single grand plan
- Long and dense at 720 pages
- Specific claims, for example about Israel and Tiananmen, are disputed by critics
Based on Wikipedia's summary of the book's reception, the Commentary magazine review, the author's list of press reviews, and the Barnes and Noble and Porchlight listings..
Research scores
Scored from the maker's specs and what owners report. Drew's own notes and photos will refine these.
Ownership
- May 2009
First bought.
Drew's hands-on notes for this product are on the way. Long-term updates will be added to this timeline.
What it does
Naomi Klein's 2007 book arguing that free-market policies have often been pushed through in the confusion after wars, coups and disasters.
- Traces Milton Friedman and Chicago school economics from Chile in 1973 through Thatcher's Britain, Poland, Russia, China and South Africa
- Covers the 2003 Iraq invasion, the 2004 Sri Lanka tsunami and New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina
- Built on reporting from the affected regions, not just secondary reading
- Won the Warwick Prize for Writing and was ranked 18th in The Guardian's list of the best books since 2000
- Adapted into a 2009 documentary directed by Michael Winterbottom
A long, heavily reported read for anyone who wants the critical case against free-market shock therapy, told through case studies from Chile to Iraq to post-Katrina New Orleans. The trade-off is that it argues one side hard: economists and conservative reviewers call parts of it oversimplified or conspiratorial, so it works best read alongside other views.
How it compares
Specs
- Author
- Naomi Klein
- Publisher
- Listed by retailers as Picador or Holt Paperbacks
- First published
- 2007
- This edition
- Paperback, June 24, 2008
- Pages
- 720
- ISBN
- 0312427999 / 9780312427993
- Other formats
- Ebook and audiobook
Questions
What is The Shock Doctrine about?
Klein argues that free-market policies are often introduced while people are disoriented by crises such as coups, wars and natural disasters, a pattern she calls disaster capitalism.
How many pages is The Shock Doctrine?
The paperback edition with ISBN 9780312427993 runs 720 pages.
Is there a Shock Doctrine documentary?
Yes. Michael Winterbottom directed a film adaptation released in 2009.
Is The Shock Doctrine biased?
It is an argument, not a neutral survey. Several economists and conservative writers dispute its thesis and some of its specific claims.
Sources
- Amazon listing 0312427999
- Wikipedia: The Shock Doctrine
- Barnes and Noble: The Shock Doctrine
- Porchlight Book Company: The Shock Doctrine
- Commentary: The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein, reviewed by Jonathan Kay
- Naomi Klein: The Shock Doctrine reviews
Researched 2026-10-02. We bought this product; our page is built from the maker's details and what owners report across reviews and forums. We never copy Amazon customer reviews.