The important role that the economy plays in daily life has been felt acutely across the last few months, especially in Hawaiʻi. Past stories on HPR have highlighted how the cascading effects of the Iran War impacts fuel prices and Hawaiʻi’s tourism numbers and how a year of tariff uncertainty has left local businesses in the lurch.
Through all the economic tumult, there has been one constant companion: “Planet Money,” an award-winning economics podcast from NPR. “Planet Money” debuted at the height of the 2008 financial crisis, and since then it’s spun off a comic book series, a TikTok channel, and most recently a book — all with the goal of explaining the economic forces that shape our lives.
Kevin Malone is one of podcast’s hosts, and Alex Mayyasi is a contributor and author of their new book. The duo sat down with HPR to share more.
Their new book, titled “Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life,” is out now. Find out more by visiting planetmoneybook.com.
This story aired on The Conversation on April 14, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
