From Here to Economy: A Shortcut to Economic Literacy

by Todd G. Buchholz

Book Overview

What is the GDP, and what does it mean? Why does the stock market go down when interest rates go up? What causes a dreaded recession?

Economics impacts everyone's life, but most people take on faith what they read in the newspaper. Now, for anyone who doesn't know much about economics, noted economist Todd Buchholz explains it all simply and clearly. With refreshing wit and irreverence, Buchholz takes readers by the hand and reveals the basic...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452274826
• ISBN13: 9780452274822
• Release Date: May 1996
• Publisher: Plume Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Greatly appreciated

This book came before all other that I ordered. I was very greateful and appreciative. Thanks

Great!

This is witty and well written. I loved it, it was a great way to learn about the economy while having fun. A++++++++++++!!

"A Short Cut to Economic Literacy" is an apt title

I went looking for a big text book on economics but am glad I found this instead. A Harvard Economics instructor and former White House advisor spoon-feeds it to you but keeps it interesting. It's loaded wall-to-wall with excellent analogies. If at first something doesn't quite click, it's lucidly spelled out in plain language in the following sentence. If you can read, you can understand economics. There are also some witty pearls such as: "That is why some people have compared the federal government to an infant: it has a limitless appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other." This was published in 1995 before the advent of the Euro and the World Trade Organization, but it discusses what led to those. In some places he writes "Recently..." or "In the last fifteen years," so those statistics are dated, but the lion's share of the book is timeless essentials well worth reading today. The role of politicians is discussed throughout as a nature-of-the-beast phenomenon. He occasionally names particular politicians in brief (one- or two-sentence) examples, and good decisions and boners alike by BOTH major parties are mentioned --but only reviewers who read beyond the first chapter would know that. It covers macro- & micro-economics, education, health care (yes, it can be understood), environmental issues, banking and "The Fed," international trade, sanctions, the Great Depression, economics for individual investors(!), and includes a detailed index. Classical Economics (Adam Smith, Maynard Keynes, etc.) and proper academic terminology are referenced throughout.

Simple, educational, and entertaining!

If you want to learn about the economy then this is the book for you! It's a great start if you know nothing about the economy. And even if you did some time ago, this book would still be a good refreshing resource.I recommend this book for basic knowledge of the economy.

Great Introduction to Economics!

Before reading this book, I had so many basic questions about economics. This book has given me a satisfying level of insight and intuition about economics in general. The style is extrememly digestable. Each section is only a couple of pages, and if I ever forget what "Monetary Policy" is, I just have to look it up and read those two pages. It seems to flow very well, and yet the sections can also be read independently. I highly recommend this book to anybody who is interested in developing a basic "feel" for economics.