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Rating: 
Summary: international economics
Review: Have those reviewers really read the book? As I started reading, I found that Figure 2-3 in Part ONE is misprinted, that the definitions of the key terms are not clearly mentioned where they are indicated, and that it is hard to find the key point in each section with too long verbal explanations on mathematical points. The authors are famous, I know. BUT do they really try to let us understand the subject?
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Summary: Verbose and confounding
Review: I'm sure Krugman knows his economics but this book needs to be rewritten in a more understandable fashion. It is confounding because Krugman assumes too often that the reader knows and understands the underlying fundamentals of economics, which is definately not second nature to introductory students of international economics. Krugman needs to learn how to write simply and concisely like Mankiw, who's textbooks are simply understandable.
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Summary: Worst economic book
Review: It is true that the authors of this book know what they are talking about. It is not true, however, that they can relay that information to others in an easy to understand manner. Important terms and concepts are lost in numerous mathematical functions. The functions themselves would be somewhat self-explanatory if they had included numerical examples;however, they did not include enough to make the concepts crystal clear. Besides, how many college students can really get into products such as wine and cheese which the author's uses to illustrate a concept in the second chapter. They could have illustrated it much better with the use of beer and pizza. Agreeably, this has to be one of the worst economic textbooks I have read.
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Summary: Not a bad book.... Too bad its a bit baby
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!!!
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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.
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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.
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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
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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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