Ben Bernanke's swearing in as Federal Reserve chairman in 2006 marked the end of Alan Greenspan's long, legendary career. To date, the new chair has garnered mixed reviews. Business economists see him as the best-qualified successor to Greenspan, while many traders and investors worry that he's too academic for the job. Meanwhile, many ordinary Americans do not even know who he is. How will Bernanke's leadership affect the Fed's actions in the coming years? How will Bernanke build on Greenspan's success, but also put his own stamp on the Fed? What will all this imply for businesses and investors? In Ben Bernanke's Fed, Ethan Harris provides exceptional insights into these crucial issues. As a leading "Fed watch" economist, Harris draws on Bernanke's academic research, his speeches as a governor of the Fed, and his first two years on the job to shed light on: * How the Federal Reserve analyzes and manages the economy using a synthesis of classical and Keynesian theory * Bernanke's strategies for fighting inflation * The implications of the new chair's remarkably plain-spoken style * How Bernanke has cultivated diverse viewpoints but still builds consensus within the Fed Engaging and discerning, this book demystifies the man who has stepped into what many describe as the second most powerful job in America.