From tfharris@vespucci.iquest.com Sun Sep  4 19:27:22 1994
Date: Sun, 4 Sep 1994 11:46:42 +0100
From: Thomas Harris 
Reply to: libernet-d@Dartmouth.EDU
To: Libernet-D 
Subject: Intro to Economics

The following is a list of books I think provide a good intruduction to 
free market economics. This was not an easy list to compile, as it seems 
that a "good introduction" to sound economics is an oxymoron; there are 
good books, and there are introductions, but seldom is there a book that 
is both.

I have tried to pick books from all the free market schools of economics 
-- mostly because I think all have some answers and none have all the 
answers. Thus, there are books in the Austrian, Chicago, and Virginia 
(a.k.a. Public Choice) traditions.

Where warranted, I have included my own comments along with the book 
citation. And as usual, I have placed an "*" before books that have 
influenced my own thought -- thus denoting books I think particularly 
good, for whatever my opinion is worth.

--
T. Franklin Harris, Jr.
Critic-at-Large, _The Exchange: Culture Reason Style_
tfharris@vespucci.iquest.com

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INTRODUCTIONS TO MAINSTREAM ECONOMICS

*Landsburg, Steven E., _The Armchair Economist: Economics and Everyday 
Life_ (New York: The Free Press, 1993)

Landsburg -- who, it might interest libertarians to know, is a friend of 
David Friedman -- has written an easy to read, humorous, and insightful 
introduction to mainstream economic thought. For anyone looking to become 
economically literate, you can't beat this book.


--

Hazlitt, Henry, _Economics in One Lesson_ (New York: Crown Publishers, 
Inc., 1979)

An easy introduction to common economic fallacies and how to counter 
them. The book's simple, straightforward level renders it suitable for 
bright youngsters or even politicians.

--

Skousen, Mark, _Economics on Trial: Lies Myths, and Realities_ (Homewood, 
Ill.: Business One Irwin, 1991)

As the title suggests, this book seeks to point out where mainstream 
(macro)economics goes wrong.

--

*Buchanan, James M., _Cost and Choice: An Inquiry in Economic Theory_ 
(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978)


AUSTRIAN ECONOMICS

Rothbard, Murray N., _Man, Economy, and State_ (Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von 
Mises Institute, 1993)

Mises, Ludwig von, _Human Action: A Treatise on Economics_ (Chicago: 
Contemporary Books, Inc., 1966) Third Edition.

Rothbard and Mises have each written tomes outlining all the basic ideas 
of Austrian School economics. Rothbard's book is a more basic principles 
text, while Mises's book is a more advanced work dealing heavily with 
methodology.

--

*Ebeling, Richard M., _Austrian Economics: A Reader_ (Hillsdale, MI: 
Hillsdale College Press, 1991)

All of the major features of the Austrian School as discussed by the 
school's best proponents, including: Mises, Hayek, Rothbard, Kirzner, and 
others.

--

*Kirzner, Israel M., _The Meaning of Market Process: Essays in the 
Development of Modern Austrian Economics_ (New York: Routledge, 1992)

--

*Rothbard, Murray N., _America's Great Depression_ (New York: Richardson 
& Snyder, 1972)


MISC. ECONOMICS

*Rothschild, Michael, _Bionomics: The Inevitability of Capitalism_ (New 
York: Henry Holt and Company, 1990) 

Rothschild's model of the economy as ecosystem is very similar to the 
Austrian market process model. 

--

McCloskey, Donald N., _If You're So Smart: The Narrative of Economic 
Expertise_ (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990)


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end of list

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