In his 2024 State of the Union address, US president Joe Biden announced his plans for a bold set of tax reforms. Tax on corporations would go up. Deductions for high-income earners would come down.

“The Journey of Humanity: The Origins of Wealth and Inequality,” Professor of Economics Oded Galor’s second book and his first written for a general audience, was released March 22 in 30 languages.

Angus Deaton’s new book is based on his writings for a general audience over the years, organized around the theme of inequality in America. “With a constant eye on inequality,” he says, “I write ...