Globalization for beginners. And in the beginning, we were all beginners. Thomas Friedman’s book is full of good stories, folksy wisdom and cute but evocative terms to explain globalization’s new world order (“the electronic herd,” “the golden straitjacket”). Academics are often moved to sputtering rage by these very features, but it’s a popular hit – a New York Times bestseller many times over. Friedman explains globalization and its implications for politics and economies with readability and genuine insight.