Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the 21st Century was number two in the US Amazon bestseller list last week. It nestled between a tear-jerker about living with cancer and a Disney movie spin-off coloring book for kids.
In Britain the impact has been less dramatic, but it has still featured heavily in print, radio and television.
This is quite an achievement for a nearly 700-page book by a hitherto unknown French economist packed full of statistical tables and retailing at £29.95. Yet in the past few weeks it has enjoyed an astonishing success.