Principles of Economics [Hardcover]

N. Gregory Mankiw (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0324168624 | ISBN-13: 978-0324168624 | Publication Date: February 19, 2003 | Edition: 3

In writing this textbook, Mankiw has tried to put himself in the position of someone seeing economics for the first time. The author's conversational writing style is superb for presenting the politics and science of economic theories to tomorrow's decision-makers. Because Mankiw wrote it for the students, the book stands out among all other principles texts by encouraging students to apply an economic way of thinking in their daily lives. Receiving such a praise as "perhaps the best ever" textbook in economic principles, it's no wonder Mankiw's prize project has quickly become one of the most successful books ever to be published in the college marketplace.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

N. Gregory Mankiw is Professor of Economics at Harvard University. As a student, he studied economics at Princeton University and MIT. As a teacher, he has taught macroeconomics, microeconomics, statistics, and principles of economics. He even spent one summer long ago as a sailing instructor on Long Beach Island.

Professor Mankiw is a prolific writer and a regular participant in academic and policy debates. His research includes work on price adjustment, consumer behavior, financial markets, monetary and fiscal policy, and economic growth. His published articles have appeared in academic journals, such as the American Economic Review, Journal of Political Economy, and Quarterly Journal of Economics, and in more widely accessible forums, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Fortune.

In addition to his teaching, research, and writing, Professor Mankiw has been a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, an adviser to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and the Congressional Budget Office, and a member of the ETS test development committee for the advanced placement exam in economics. From 2003 to 2005 he served as Chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers.

Professor Mankiw lives in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with his wife, three children, and border terrier Tobin.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 848 pages
• Publisher: South-Western College Pub; 3 edition (February 19, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0324168624
• ISBN-13: 978-0324168624
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

95 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply put, the best economics textbook on the market, August 8, 2004

By 

Ron Cronovich "Ron" (Kenosha, WI) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Principles of Economics (Hardcover)

UPDATE: This is the 3rd edition. The 4th edition just came out, and it is excellent. I have read every page, and will post a review as soon as I have time. But in the meantime, do not buy the 3rd edition. (I'm not sure why Amazon is still selling this now outdated edition.)

The rest of my review of the 3rd edition follows:

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For 10 years, I have taught intro-level economics courses at a university. I have used a variety of books, and read many others (to steal their best ideas and examples for my teaching!). Mankiw is the one I like best.

More importantly, Mankiw is the one my students consistently like best. I often survey students near the end of the semester about their satisfaction with different aspects of the textbook, including: clarity, brevity, real-world relevance, effective layout & use of color, quality of the diagrams, and so forth. I tell my students not to sign their survey - I want their responses to be anonymous and completely candid. I tell students "If this book doesn't work for you, PLEASE tell me so that I can use a better one for my next batch of students."

More than any other textbook I've used, Mankiw's Economics textbook gets the highest student ratings in every category.

It might also be helpful for you to know about the difficulty level of Mankiw. I would describe it as average. For comparison, I would describe the following as above average difficulty level: Stockman, Stiglitz, Baumol/Blinder, Case/Fair, and Parkin. I would describe these books as below average difficulty level: Tucker, Miller, Bade/Parkin, Boyes/Melvin, and O'Sullivan/Sheffrin. I think the difficulty level of Mankiw is roughly comparable to that of Schiller, Colander, McConnell/Brue, and McEachern.

Despite that Mankiw is merely "average" difficulty level, it maintains a fairly good degree of analytical rigor.

Also, the writing style is student-friendly (but definitely not too informal), and, unlike other textbooks, Mankiw avoids introducing a lot of terms that won't be important for anything later in the book. The layout is attractive, yet clean and uncluttered, with lots of space in the margins for students to jot notes if they wish. Students find the end-of-chapter exercises very helpful.

The most distinguishing characteristic of the macroeconomics chapters is Mankiw's innovative approach. He first covers long-run topics: What determines a country's standard of living in the long run? What is the cause of the long-run upward trend in the cost of living? Why is there unemployment when things are "normal" (i.e. not a recession)? And many others (including saving, investment, the government budget deficit, the trade balance - all things you hear about on the evening news every day).

Then, he turns to short-run issues, such as recessions and booms.

Why treat the long run first? Because it's easier to learn the short-run analysis after students have learned the long-run equilibrium around which the economy fluctuates. (Also, there is much more agreement in the profession about the long-run analysis, whereas there's a fair amount of controversy over some of the details of the short-run analysis.)

How is this approach received? Very well, as evidenced by the fact that many other textbooks have copied it AFTER Mankiw first popularized it with the first edition of his Principles book, and before that, the first edition of his excellent intermediate macroeconomics textbook.

Mankiw is a superstar in the profession - and outside of it, as well. President Bush tapped him to be the Chairperson of the President's Council of Economic Advisors, and Mankiw briefs the President once or twice every week (in addition to many other important responsibilities.)

Despite working for a Republican Administration, Mankiw presents a very balanced treatment of economics in his textbooks (and I am telling you this as a Democrat). In fact, Mankiw prefers GOOD ideas, whether Republican or Democrat. For example, he recently argued for a gas tax increase to encourage conservation, and suggested the revenue be given back to consumers in the form of an income tax cut. Mankiw clearly does not just "push the Party line." This is integrity.

The company that publishes Mankiw's Principles of Economics textbooks, Thomson/South-Western, invests a lot of resources into continually improving this book. Compared to any other textbook publisher I know, they hire more student and teacher reviewers and devote more time and effort and money into obtaining, processing, and incorporating critical user feedback so that each edition, and accompanying supplements, are the very best they can be.

All in all, I readily recommend Mankiw's Principles of Economics textbook.

78 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best and most fun economics textbook, September 3, 2003

By 

Gaetan Lion - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Principles of Economics (Hardcover)

Years back I read in The Economist an excellent review about this textbook at the time it first came out. The article suggested that the bible of econ textbook had been so far the one written by Paul Samuelson. But, The Economist book review made an excellent case that Mankiw textbook should become the prevailing introduction to economics textbook. Why is that? Well, Mankiw book covers all the subject and the technicalities Samuelson textbook covers. Additionally, Mankiw book is hip, current, entertaining, and fun to read. His economic examples are full of pop stars, movie stars, sports heroes, and other mass media public figure we all know off. He brings in as supportive educational material many columns from the Wall Street Journal, or New York Times written by famous economists such as Paul Krugman, and Lester Thurow among others.

A day after reading The Economist book review I bought the book. I read and studied it with so much pleasure over the next two months that I felt I was back in some of the best classes I had ever taken in undergrad and grad school. Today, as part of my work as an internal financial consultant for a major U.S. bank, I often do research projects regarding fairly esoteric economics issues. And, I often review and study specific chapters of this book to refresh my economics foundation. I gather by now you can tell I love this book. Anyone who has an interest in economics should acquire this book first as educational enjoyment, and second as an invaluable reference.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine introductory text for students and generalists, August 14, 2004

By 

Craig Matteson (Saline, MI) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Principles of Economics (Hardcover)

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 than we would think healthy. 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