CHRIS MARTENSON, Ph.D., MBA, is an economic researcher and futurist who speaks to audiences around the world on The Crash Course. He runs PeakProsperity.com, a popular website on the global economy.

Chris began his career as a scientist, earning a Ph.D. in pathology from Duke University and an MBA from Cornell. He became vice president of a large international company and believed he had achieved the American Dream, living with his family in a large waterfront home in Connecticut. He was jolted out of complacency by the bear market of 2001 and used his background in finance to investigate the workings of our monetary system. What he discovered changed his life.

Today Chris lives with his wife, Becca, and their three kids in rural Massachusetts, where they enjoy a more resilient and independent lifestyle, with fewer things, better relationships with their neighbors, and a higher quality of life. This text refers to the hardcover edition.