A sweeping analysis of coups and natural disasters from 1973 Chile to Katrina in 2005, and how they were taken advantage of by economists. Many of the details were familiar; the analysis made puzzling turnabouts make sense. The book is based on an analogy of national political/economic actions with theories of psychiatric electroshock therapy, the theory that memory and identity can be wiped away and a blank slate thus created for manipulation.

The structure is as applications of the economic theory are "perfected" and turns out to be rather chronological. When not, there are adequate signals for the reader to keep details sorted out. After 550+ pages of harrowing analysis of shocks--some military, some natural, some pseudo-crises--the final chapter, "The Shock Wears Off," is welcome. The book was written in 2007 and not all of the positive outcomes have endured. But as Howard Zinn often says, what matters is that there was resistance.

I look forward to reading This Changes Everything,said to be a continuation where Shock Doctrine leaves off.