# Can someone recommend a good economics textbook? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 4, 2002, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-recommend-a-good-economics-textbook/140435 "2002-12-04T14:38:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-recommend-a-good-economics-textbook/140435/1 "2002-12-04T14:38:20Z")
[sub]Placed in IMHO rather than CS since I’m asking for a book recomendation about a non-fiction book. If CS is better, please feel free to move, mods.[/sub] I was wondering if someone can recommend a good basic economics (not personal finance) primer. I’m looking for something that is fairly simple to read, geared toward the layman and will not put me to sleep while I read it. Basically, I’m just looking for something to give me a better grasp of how the economy and basic economics works. Any recommendations? Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-recommend-a-good-economics-textbook/140435/2 "2002-12-04T14:51:59Z")
I am really happy with N. Gregory Mankiw’s _Principles of Economics_. It’s relatively well-written, full of case studies and diagrams, and is generally ideology-free. Heck, my econ class is ending in a week or so, I would be happy to lend it to you. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-recommend-a-good-economics-textbook/140435/3 "2002-12-04T15:31:14Z")
For lighter reading I highly recommend: \*\*Eat the Rich \*\* by PJ O’Rourke. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-recommend-a-good-economics-textbook/140435/4 "2002-12-04T15:35:31Z")
I didn’t know Mankiw had a Principles text, Maeglin. Having used his macro text, you could do a lot worse Zev. Bear in mind that most of what economists do (micro) is not of obvious interest to the layperson, but that understanding stuff about inflation and unemployment requires you to have a fair grasp of micro. Other suggestions: Hayne, Samuelson, Landsburg. Good luck staying awake. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-recommend-a-good-economics-textbook/140435/5 "2002-12-04T16:28:16Z")
For my college macro class we read _Economics Today: The Macro View_ by Roger LeRoy Miller. I thought it was an easy read, while still teaching you the concepts. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-recommend-a-good-economics-textbook/140435/6 "2002-12-04T16:52:03Z")
**Basic Economics** by Thomas Sowell. Is geared toward the laymen and is pretty easy to understand. It is not scintillating but probably won’t put you to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-recommend-a-good-economics-textbook/140435/7 "2002-12-04T16:54:21Z")
Also \*\* Hidden Order: The economics of everyday life\*\* by David Friedman is very good.