Principles of Economics

Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: This book is a simple introduction to Economics - a must for every student of the subject. It is a true classic.

Rating:
Summary: good general knowledge
Review: This book is an excellent source for understanding the major principles of economics. It seems more geared towards those people who want a general but accurate working knowledge of economic topics, especially since it shuns use of mathematics like the plague. It is this fact however, that makes the book less useful to the intermediate and higher level student of economics who just wants topics explained in as clear a way as possible, but then also wants to see the mathematical methods involved in these areas. Nonetheless, this is the first economics book that I have ever read that has such a high level of lucidity and clearness to it.

Rating:
Summary: Very clear book
Review: This book made learning basic economics very easy, and the examples and graphs are very clearly explained. A great book especially if you have a bad/incoherent professor.

Rating:
Summary: Great economics book!
Review: This book took an otherwise dull subject and made it interesting. This was the 3rd economics book that I read, and I found this one to be the best.

Rating:
Summary: A fine introductory text for students and generalists
Review: This is a very readable textbook for undergraduates or interested generalists who want to develop a basic understanding of economics. Dr. Mankiw focuses on developing intuitions and habits of thought rather than teaching mathematical techniques. He does this by using ten basic principles that he lays out in the introduction. Throughout the book, whenever one of the ten principles is discussed he uses a special symbol in the margin to draw attention to that discussion.

The book's thirty-six chapters are divided into thirteen parts. The first two parts introduce the ten principles and the basic ideas of supply, demand, and markets. Parts 4-7 discuss topics in microeconomics including the areas of current research. Parts 8-13 discuss topics in macroeconomics and conclude with five debates over macroeconomic policy.

Since this is a general textbook the author really does not come down hard in one school of economic thought or another. Conservatives, like me, might find him a bit more accommodating of the role of government in society. However, he is far from being a Keynesian or a New Keynesian. In fact, his discussion of the Phillips Curve has brought him under attack in some circles. I feel that his trying to develop an intuition of the tradeoff economies face when trying to pursue employment and price stability is understandable and, on balance, helpful to young students and generalists. Let them wrestle with the more advanced arguments after they develop their facility with the tools of economics.

The book does have a glossary, an index, and inside the back covers there is a list of a couple dozen books for summer reading.

This is not a one-volume compendium of economic thought for your bookshelf. It is a textbook for those who wish to develop a basic understanding of economics through general principles. If you are looking for a beginning text in econometrics, this is not the one for you.

The student workbook that you can buy to supplement this text is quite good and I recommend it as well. ISBN 0-324-28859-X


Rating:
Summary: Party with Marty
Review: This is an amazing introductory economics textbook. It has lots of comprehensive examples and addresses economic issues in an objective manner. It is worthy to be included in the party with marty.

Rating:
Summary: Not Bad (I Suppose)
Review: This is pretty much your everyday introductory textbook. This in itself will be seen by many as a damning criticism. That said, there are a couple of notable features that differentiate it from other texts. (i) It is very easy to read thanks to its conversational tone. (ii) It is brief; it does not "waffle on" unnecessarily. (iii) The lay-out is quite pleasent. It should be noted that these points have their opposites for some.

Rating:
Summary: Mankiw writes another brilliant one
Review: This is the ONLY textbook which I read for PLEASURE. After reading his famous "Macroeconomics," I decided to pay 90 bucks for this book to read in my spare time. This book did not disappoint. Unlike most college professors, who beat their students with useless details that no one uses except economics professors, Mankiw delightfully teaches students to see the forest and THINK about economics instead of just memorizing boring details. I believe the quality of textbooks is measured by how much it makes students THINK and ANALYZE the subject than how much it shoves information down their throats. This book makes students WANT to think more about economics, not just force them to memorize facts, graphs, and figures.

Rating:
Summary: Mankiw writes another brilliant one
Review: This is the ONLY textbook which I read for PLEASURE. After reading his famous "Macroeconomics," I decided to pay 90 bucks for this book to read in my spare time. This book did not disappoint. Unlike most college professors, who beat their students with useless details that no one uses except economics professors, Mankiw delightfully teaches students to see the forest and THINK about economics instead of just memorizing boring details. I believe the quality of textbooks is measured by how much it makes students THINK and ANALYZE the subject than how much it shoves information down their throats. This book makes students WANT to think more about economics, not just force them to memorize facts, graphs, and figures.

Rating:
Summary: Ridiculously biased
Review: This purports to be an objective examination of the principles of economics. Instead, it's a load of conservatively biased economics propaganda - without even a mention of opposing views. Dangerously influential, considering that it is used as a text for Introductory Economics at places like Harvard and University of Chicago.