Histria Books is pleased to announce the release of Potternomics: Why Wizards Still Live in the Dark Ages and Other Economic Curiosities in the World of Harry Potter by J. Brian O’Roark. This book is published by Histria Perspectives, an imprint dedicated to publishing outstanding works of nonfiction that illuminate history, culture, and society.
What if the real magic of the Harry Potter universe is not the spells, but the supply chains? In Potternomics, J. Brian O’Roark unpacks the hidden financial systems governing the wizarding world, using the beloved series to explain scarcity, inflation, and game theory. Yet this is not just a quirky economics primer. O’Roark treats Diagon Alley and Gringotts as genuine case studies to expose the glaring flaws in magical society. He asks why a world with teleportation still suffers from stagnant wages and how goblin banking policies throttle innovation while Muggles invent the internet.
Stripping the nostalgia from Hogwarts, O’Roark reveals a painfully relatable economy shaped by monopolies, class prejudice, and terrible monetary policy. For fans who grew up reading about wizards and now navigate adult financial anxieties, this book proves that market failures are much more entertaining when auditing the Ministry of Magic.
Praise for Potternomics:
“The greatest Muggle economist of our time, O’Roark proves that economics still rules in the wizarding world. This is the most magical book ever written about Harry Potter and economics―no spellwork required.” — Jadrian Wooten, Virginia Tech University
Brian O’Roark is a University Professor of Economics at Robert Morris University. A leading voice in using pop culture to explain economic theory, he has authored two books on the economics of superheroes and frequently lectures on the financial systems of the wizarding world. He also serves as editor for the Journal of Economics Teaching and is a regular guest on The Economics Happy Hour podcast.
