Economic Literacy: Basic Economics with an Attitude

(Paperback, Fourth Edition)

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Economic Literacy: Basic Economics with An Attitude, explains the logic, language, and worldview of economic theory while maintaining the engaging and accessible style that has made earlier editions so successful. While covering the fundamentals of the discipline, the author also includes a wide range of new material focusing on the structure, causes and results of the "Great Recession". From microeconomics and macroeconomics to the composition of international and domestic economies, Economic Literacy also makes the key distinction between economics as an academic discipline and the economy as a practical reality. By analyzing this crucial difference, the book encourages students to think critically about the distinctive viewpoint proposed by academic economics and its influence on politics and culture. Using this approach, readers will be enabled to understand both current affairs and professional economics literature, making this book uniquely beneficial for students both practically and theoretically. Never grim, often witty, and frequently insightful into our turbulent financial times, Economic Literacy's fourth edition is a must for students of economics everywhere.

Reviews

"Economic Literacy is an excellent introduction to the basics of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and international economics. I have used the first three editions of the book to teach political economy to undergraduates for the past decade; it provides an extremely accessible and readable discussion of the core economic concepts that students need, while requiring little more than basic arithmetic skills to understand. The fourth edition of the work improves on its treatment of American political economy and updates the data and examples to retain its relevance to todays student population. Accurate, readable, and concise, Economic Literacy is highly recommended for interdisciplinary courses that involve economic reasoning." -- Jeffrey Dixon, Texas A&M University - Central Texas
Economic Literacyis recommended reading for all my political economy classes. Weaver provides a concise, clear, and accessible primer on economics that is perfect for students seeking plain-English explanationsof the economic principles and terminology referenced in political economy readings. The new edition helpfully tackles the complicated concepts of the Global Financial Crisis, further solidifying the book's utility. -- Alexandra Guisinger, Temple University
Weaver's colloquial prose inevitably makes economics more accessible than ever. Since Economic Literacy also parallels standard texts topically, it can be readily used as either the primary text with another serving as an extra-for-experts supplement, or as a secondary text to assuage the less technically savvy reader. The lack of dense, turgid language and the modicum of graphs and charts enables a casual weekend read while simultaneously facilitating critical economics thinking. And, after all, the latter is the job of teachers of economics--to encourage our students to apply an economics lens as they gaze at the world around them. -- Michael L. Lahr, Rutgers University - New Brunswick

Author Bio

Frederick S. Weaver, professor emeritus of economics and history at Hampshire College, has taught introductory economics for over forty years at five colleges and universities - public and private, large and small, high-wage and low-wage, lively and grim. He is the author of numerous books including, most recently, An Economic History of the United States: Conflict, Conquest, and Struggle for Equality (R&L, 2016)