Although Faust is widely celebrated as a literary classic, few readers have appreciated its penetrating insights into the enduring social problems of the modern economy. Hans Christoph Binswanger looks at Faust through the lens of economics and enlarges our understanding of this epic by explaining Goethe's preoccupation with financial matters. Money and Magic interprets Faust as a warning about the dangers of pursuing endless wealth. It will be a valuable resource for Germanic and Goethe scholars, social and cultural historians, and economists alike.