Want to read up on Economics - where to start?

FrankGrimes

I'm interested in learning more about the mechanics of economics and then once I'm well up on the basics, I'll probably then start reading the theories etc. (I see some great links in the sticky post on this area).

My basic knowledge of economics is based on what I've cobbled together just reading the finance sections of the papers, some economics insight articles, and picked up from day to day management of costs in work and am a quick learner on this area.

Not sure how basic I need to go. I never did Economics or Business Studies in school but have the basics of profit&loss accounts, cost accruals etc. What would be a good general introduction into Economics to start with (either online or in a book)?

Time Magazine

Depends exactly what you're looking for. There are a couple of "economics".

Economics to me is basically a form of applied maths. Economics to the common punter is something along the lines of Eddie Hobbes (this isn't really economics though).

What do you want to know? To understand the institutions regarding the banking crisis, or why most economists support free trade? I know these are hard questions to answer, but they'll really help me/us give you better answers.

History:
http://www.amazon.com/New-Ideas-Dead-Economists-Introduction/dp/0452280524
http://www.amazon.com/History-Economics-Penguin/dp/0140153950
Introductory Textbook:
http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Economics-N-Gregory-Mankiw/dp/0030982383

CDfm

If you know the basics - I would get a basic economics Leaving Cert book to familiarise myself with everything.

You could even get one in a second hand bookshop.

Wonnacott and Wonnacott used to do a great Introduction to Economics years back which was used as a primer in Mmost universities.

For current stuff I would read the Ecomomist.

IF it was Irish specific - Check out the ESRI reports -which are very cheap

I'd go with the Mankiw Textbook.

Explains the basics quite well and it self containted (ie, you don't need someone to translate it all)

leninbenjamin

just look up wikipedia. got me through the first few years of college, it has some pretty good articles here and there, although seeing as it is wikipedia it is a bit dogge in places.

someone posted up a good link to online tutorials as well a few weeks back. can't remember what the url was though.

Économiste Monétaire

I add to the previous advice to buy Mankiw's introductory textbook. There's a new edition out now/soon according to his blog. After that, pick up his intermediate macroeconomics book, (it's a European edtion called Macroeconomics).

CDfm

UCD_Econ wrote: »

I add to the previous advice to buy Mankiw's introductory textbook. There's a new edition out now/soon according to his blog. After that, pick up his intermediate macroeconomics book, (it's a European edtion called Macroeconomics).

does it have storyboards like the american textbooks - may get it myself

Time Magazine

I have a couple of introductory economics textbooks that are only sitting pretty on a shelf. If anyone is near UCD, I will sell them for a beer

Mankiw would be worth at least a Budvar.

Begg is worth no more then a Bavaria.

regob

Deleted User wrote: »

Mankiw would be worth at least a Budvar.

Begg is worth no more then a Bavaria.

i liked begg he got me through first year and it cost me a bloddy fortune

FrankGrimes

Thanks for the really helpful posts folks. I think I'll take a look at some of those links and try figure out more specifically what I'm interested in, but to be honest the introductory book does sound like exactly what I need to start out.

TheEconomist - thanks for the generous offer on the books. I work in Sandyford and could drop into you on the way home from work if that suited?

Time Magazine

FrankGrimes wrote: »

TheEconomist - thanks for the generous offer on the books. I work in Sandyford and could drop into you on the way home from work if that suited?

Yeah sure. Send me a PM and we'll sort something out.