Rating:  Summary: Save your Money--Get the Caves, Jones, et al World Trade... Review: Krugman et al constantly contradicts earlier statements throughout the text in the international trade section, it will give you a headache. The finance side is better. If you really want to learn international trade and finance (for undergrad), get the Caves, Jones, Frankel text.... I learned the hard way and had to pay restocking fees (etc) when I wanted to exhange it for Caves et al. Krugman should stick to writing editorials for the NY Times b/c this text needs some serious help!!!
Rating:  Summary: A challenge you won't regret Review: Krugman's book is not perfect, I know, but if you stick with the reading the book will prove a valuable resource. One thing I like is that the authors don't baby their audience. They present difficult material as simple as it will let them, which is not simple enough for stupid people. But, in the end the text is great, you will learn about probably the most important subject in economics today from one if not two of the most important economists alive.
Rating:  Summary: A challenge you won't regret Review: Krugman's book is not perfect, I know, but if you stick with the reading the book will prove a valuable resource. One thing I like is that the authors don't baby their audience. They present difficult material as simple as it will let them, which is not simple enough for stupid people. But, in the end the text is great, you will learn about probably the most important subject in economics today from one if not two of the most important economists alive.
Rating:  Summary: international economics Review: This book describes in a very detailed way all the general theories of economics concerning trade. It is very well done as there are many examples and it is optically inspiring. Your eyes won't get tired too quickly, as the layout is done fine. The content of the book is fine, a good book for students of economics, even though it is advisable to read more down the line. But for the overview of a topic it serves allright.
Rating:  Summary: Save your money!!!! Review: This guy is an idiot!!! Either he is confused about economic theory or he trying push some sort of an agenda. He repeatedly contradicts himself in a way that undermines his crediblity. A word of advice Mr. Krugman--STICK TO THE NY TIMES EDITORIALS and stay out of academia.
Rating:  Summary: New Approaches for the Theories of International Economics Review: This textbook is unique and special in many respects. it explores new front line for the international economics. The author may be the first economist who asserts the Recardian model is a specific factor model. He also explaines how trade occurs in the monopolistic competition markets by applying the Salop's equation. His theories on trade policies under monoplistic competition also expanded the boundary of the traditional trade theories. His criticism on Brander- Spencer is remarkable. His model on the international finace is creative, and his explanation on AA-DD plane make us understood all the main features in the international financial markets, for which even IS-LM model (Hicks-Hansen paradigm) could not explain well. Some minor printing mistakes may be negligible. He made really great contributions for the relevant theories of international economics. I appreciate this book as it opend us a new and creative frontline of international economics. Dong-Ho Rhee University of Seoul, Korea
Rating:  Summary: New Approaches for the Theories of International Economics Review: This textbook is unique and special in many respects. it explores new front line for the international economics. The author may be the first economist who asserts the Recardian model is a specific factor model. He also explaines how trade occurs in the monopolistic competition markets by applying the Salop's equation. His theories on trade policies under monoplistic competition also expanded the boundary of the traditional trade theories. His criticism on Brander- Spencer is remarkable. His model on the international finace is creative, and his explanation on AA-DD plane make us understood all the main features in the international financial markets, for which even IS-LM model (Hicks-Hansen paradigm) could not explain well. Some minor printing mistakes may be negligible. He made really great contributions for the relevant theories of international economics. I appreciate this book as it opend us a new and creative frontline of international economics. Dong-Ho Rhee University of Seoul, Korea
Rating:  Summary: The Undergraduate International Economics Standard Review: Well, I will start off by saying that the book really probably only deserves somewhere between 4-4.5 stars, but I'll give it 5 to offset some of the questionable reviews below.No, the book is not perfect. However, it is an academic standard at pretty much any major college or university for teaching undergraduate International Econ/Trade theory, and for good reason. The book makes a clear a concise presentation of basic theory and policy, perhaps in points it is a little too simple. As pointed out, while I'm not sure about the 6th edition, there were some diagrammatical mistakes in the 5th...I bet, however, these were done by a graduate student. A quick bit of reasoning and a second of thought should yield the appropriate picture, however. And yes, I think a bit of Krugman's bias comes through, though its not terribly off-putting. The book could use a bit more math I think. The real equations and difficult problems are few and far between, and are, for the most part, pretty straight forward. At the very most it would take a basic understanding of calculus, but the majority of the problems and equations can be explained and done without it. I have read a number of undergraduate economics books with far more intensive math. Despite this lack, however, the intentions come across pretty well. No, this book is not for beginners to economics. At least an undergraduate course or reading in both micro and macro are needed, and really and truly, an intermediate level in each is probably better if one wants to get the most out of the book. If you find the subject matter within to be terribly math intensive and you cannot get motivated to read the subject matter because it doesn't use "pizza and beer" (and um...I don't think I'd want an imported pizza anyway, but thanks), well I guess the subject and this book are not for you. However, if you are trying to enrich your understanding of economics at a very basic level, this book provides a good way to do so. And, if you want graduate level book, and like Obstfeld, I recommend he and Rogoff's book.
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