Macroeconomic Essentials, 2nd Edition: Understanding Economics in the News

by Peter E. Kennedy

Book Overview

What do we want our students to be able to do upon completing an introductory course in macroeconomics - shift curves on diagrams or interpret media commentary on the economy? This book, an effort to lead students in the latter direction, offers a clear exposition of introductory macroeconomic theory along with more than 600 one- or two-sentence news clips that serve as illustrations and exercises. The author calls this approach media economics to...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0262112515
• ISBN13: 9780262112512
• Release Date: March 2000
• Publisher: MIT Press (MA)
• Length: 418 Pages
• Weight: 1.98 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 8.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Summa Macroeconomica

It's a laugh to think that "Macroeconomic Essentials" has everything that a student or ordinary citizen needs to know about macroeconomics as reported in the news. Anyone who used it to understand the current housing bubble cum banking crisis (or international trade, or health economics, or the economics of global warming...etc., etc., etc.) would be in for a rude surprise. However, the book does distinguish itself from the typical macro textbook by focusing on a few core themes, rather than on a mass of technical details and equations. In fact, it contains most (maybe all) of the material that a normal non-economist could possibly hope to remember from an undergraduate macro course. That's an achievement. Highly recommended.

Good workable approach to practical understanding of a subject area that is over academicised

Macroeconomics text books are like books on Options - where theory from academics is the usual content when people need a book that tells them how to make money out of this. This book is a good workable approach to practical understnding of interelationships in a subject area that is over academicised. If you study to the point where can do the end of book exercises then you will have a good grasp of macroeconomic essentials as they apply in the real world.

Thorough & sound guide for Macroeconomics

I have looked through a wide variety of books on Macroeconomics and only this one has really satisfied me. It covers all the topics well; clearly, but not in a simplistic manner. And when you have finished studying a chapter and done some of the exercises at the end, you will understand the principles very well. The use of media exercises not only is more applicable to every day life, but also helps to stick the concepts into your brain so they are more easily retained.With all this said, the book is quite approachable. It is written for the everyday student to understand concepts that are critcial in your everyday life; from investing to decifering the political conversations about the economy/deficit/balance of trade.I highly recommend this book.

Peter Kennedy's book is terrific

I found this text particulary inspiring the first semester I used it in my introductory macroeconomic class. The manner in which the material is presented makes the text a useful reference guide for business professionals who need to great refresher text to bring them up to date on the basic workings of the economy. Most of my students liked the book.

A REALLY useful macro text

I have been teaching first to fourth year university macroeconomics since 1988. This is the first principles text I have been inspired by. The content of most traditional texts in macroeconomics is dictated by the needs of majoring students. Also, most authors of economics texts seem to feel the need to write an encyclopaedia. For those teachers of macroeconomics principles courses who want their students to learn something that will be of lasting value in their lives, give serious attention to Peter Kennedy's text. A look at its contents will tell you that it does cover all the usual topics. It is the style of the book which distinguishes it from the competition. Its chapters are brief and to the point. Its emphasis is on understanding the essentials that will allow its readers to understand what is daily going on around them in the economy. It is NOT in any way "low level". It will challenge the most able and interest them in continuing to study the subject, yet it will also reach the majority of its audience and help them to understand some of the basics of macroeconomic analysis. Now, Professor Kennedy, do the same for teachers of microeconomics!