Since the financial crisis, there have been numerous reports, articles and books highlighting the gloomy future ahead. Making Sense of Markets makes the case that received wisdom is still far too pessimistic, and that the future may be brighter than feared. A plain-speaking guide to keeping an open mind (and how to profit from it).

Received wisdom says investing is a mug's game. People are giving up on saving. It isn't and they shouldn't. This book tells you why

Introduction: What We Talk About When We Talk About Markets PART I: THE GLASS IS HALF-FULL 1: Why Is Everybody So Gloomy? The Conventional Account Of What's Gone Wrong2: An Alternative Account - A Richness Of Embarrassments Money Didn't Make The World Go Round3: Five Big Things To Worry Less About - Or Why It Still Pays To Invest In The West 3.I: Debt - There Is Life After It 3.II: Demography - The Timebomb Defused 3.III. Decadence - The West Can Compete 3.IV: Depletion - The Sustainability Challenge 3.V: Danger - Geopolitical Tensions In Context 4: Sources Of Perspective - And A Tiger's Tale Taking A Wider View Raising The Signal-To-Noise Ratio Avoid Clichés Like The Plague Anchoring Downwards: Why Gloom Gets A Grip PART II: WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT5: Know The Game, Know Yourself Be Satisficed: What Investment Is Not About, And The Importance Of Showing Up Know Your Pundits; The Only Theme Worth Investing In A Personal Investment Policy6: Back To Basics: What You Need To Own - It's About Time Here For The Duration: The Key Investment Characteristics The Usual Suspects: The Main Asset Classes And The 'Must Haves' 7: Putting It All Together - Weighting In Vain? Reasonable Expectations And Fair Values Weighting In Vain 8: Conclusion - Postmodern Portfolio Theory