It's time for our annual beach reading recs. Today we bring you three books, with a little economic learning to boot. Our recs: <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/788713/who-is-government-by-edited-by-michael-lewis/">Who is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service</a> edited by Michael Lewis <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/611567/el-dorado-drive-by-megan-abbott/">El Dorado Drive</a> by Megan Abbott <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/776856/algospeak-by-adam-aleksic/">Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language</a> by Adam Aleksic Related episodes: <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/08/12/1197968112/best-economics-books-to-read-this-summer">Beach reading with a side of economics</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/07/24/1256157822/federal-reserve-beige-book-cheap-beach-entry">How to beach on a budget</a> For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at <a href="http://plus.npr.org/">plus.npr.org</a>. Fact-checking by <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/g-s1-26724/sierra-juarez">Sierra Juarez</a>. Music by <a href="https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/">Drop Electric</a>. Find us: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money">Newsletter</a>. Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

The arduous system for getting aid into Gaza

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