The Economics of Public Issues

This book is by far the best textbook that I have had to read. The material is presented in real case studies so it reads more like a story than its more cut-and-dry counterparts.

Best to read this one after Intro to Microeconomics or in a class where the instructor can set aside a little time to explain concepts like elasticity, dead weight loss, supply/demand curves and externalities. Really great examples of economic concepts that are applicable today. This would be a great book for a 12th grade class or to compliment a microeconomics text in college.

I was pleased to receive the book in the great condition and in such a timely fashion. I would order from this person again!

My economics survey course is using this as a supplemental textbook, and I can say that without a doubt it's the most interesting nonfiction text I've ever been assigned. The book basically consists of about thirty 4-8 page articles on various real-world topics, ranging from the obvious (rent controls, minimum wage) to the exotic (prostitution, global warming). In each case, the authors explain how you can apply economic principles to these issue at hand--and often come to a conclusion that would have surprised you before you read the article, but now seems as obvious as the color of the sky. A lot of the articles are U.S.-centric, but the authors draw on examples from other countries where appropriate. Our teacher has been assigning a reading every week or so, but I often found myself continuing three or four articles past the assigned one because the topics were so interesting. If your teacher assigned this text, count yourself lucky; if you're looking for some independent reading, take a close look at this book.

This is a great little book to use as a companion to a textbook in any intro to economics class. Accessible even to people with no econ background at all, it shows how the principles of economics can be useful to understand a variety of different issues. The readings are short and clear, and they cover real-world, current issues. I would also recommend this to any reader who wants to learn more about the practical applications of economics.