I got given some money for my birthday towards buying books (about $210, but about $65 will be for postage to NZ), and these were some of the titles I wasn't entirely sure about.. If you've read any of these, I'd really appreciate any input regarding whether they're worth getting. If you think some of these books are rubbish, make a suggestion?
Austrian Theory of the Trade Cycle and Other Essays
Meltdown
America's Great Depression - Rothbard
New Deal in Old Rome
Politically Incorrect Guide to American History
Note: I'm definitely getting HA and The Theory of Money and Credit, and I can get most Mises and Hayek in my university library. I already have Economics in One Lesson and Economics for Real People.
David.: I got given some money for my birthday towards buying books (about $210, but about $65 will be for postage to NZ), and these were some of the titles I wasn't entirely sure about.. If you've read any of these, I'd really appreciate any input regarding whether they're worth getting. If you think some of these books are rubbish, make a suggestion? Austrian Theory of the Trade Cycle and Other Essays Meltdown America's Great Depression - Rothbard New Deal in Old Rome Politically Incorrect Guide to American History Note: I'm definitely getting HA and The Theory of Money and Credit, and I can get most Mises and Hayek in my university library. I already have Economics in One Lesson and Economics for Real People.
You should give us some more information about what you really want to learn about and your current level of economic understanding. Personally I think The Housing Boom and Bust by Thomas Sowell is better than Meltdown, but Sowell isn't an Austrian (although he is heavily influenced by Hayek) so others here might disagree with me.
"I cannot prove, but am prepared to affirm, that if you take care of clarity in reasoning, most good causes will take care of themselves, while some bad ones are taken care of as a matter of course." -Anthony de Jasay
David.:Austrian Theory of the Trade Cycle and Other Essays
If this is the one with essays by Haberler, Mises, etc., it's definitely worth the $5 or so that you'll pay for it. But it is also available in its entirety here via Mises.org
Rothbard's America's Great Depression is very good, too. About the first 1/2 of the book (if I recall correctly) would be suitable for the lay person not terribly familiar with Economics.
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David Z
"The issue is always the same, the government or the market. There is no third solution."
No Garrett?
Actually I would include Mises's Socialism in the list. Our edition is beautiful and the book is fantastic.
Jeffrey TuckerEditorial VP, Mises
Also, Murphy's Guide ot the Great Depression is seriously underrated. That book should not have appeared in this series. It is too important a piece of scholarship.
I'm not sure whether I mentioned that I can get most of Mises books (and Hayek's) (They don't have theory of money and credit) from my university library, so that's why I'm not getting so many scholarly type books. As for my current understanding of econ, I have all A+ in my econ classes, and I've read econ in one lesson (as of a couple hours from now), econ for real people, a bastiat, menger's principles and probably a few other books here and there.
I'll have a look at Murphy's book, and Sowell's a little later.
Oh, and have any of you read the 'new deal in old rome' book? It looked quite interesting (I've read a fair bit lately about Roman history)
Thanks
jtucker:Actually I would include Mises's Socialism in the list. Our edition is beautiful and the book is fantastic.
I LOVE the looks of your editions of Socialism and Human Action. They are indeed beautiful. I'd like to see more of Mises's books put into similar bindings.
jtucker: Also, Murphy's Guide ot the Great Depression is seriously underrated. That book should not have appeared in this series. It is too important a piece of scholarship.
I was thumbing through my copy yesterday and I was thinking the same thing. There is so much valuable information packed in that little book.
Although The PIG to The Great Depression and New Deal is generally good, I don't consider it one of the better sources on the Great Depression and the New Deal. It is an overview of the events which took place, and so targets a select audience (those not interested in a huge book). On the topic of the New Deal (less so on the recession of 1929) I would suggest Burton Folosom Jr.'s New Deal or Raw Deal? (I said "not on the recession of 1929" because he follows Friedman's beliefs in regards to the causes of the bust), and on the topic of the recession and what made it a depression I would suggest Rothbard's America's Great Depression. Economics and the Public Welfare, by Benjamin Anderson, does not focus on the Great Depression, but it is nonetheless another great volume which I would suggest (with a lot of useful information on the topic).
To be fair, a lot of my criticism of Murphy's book is because I bought it to use it as a source for my research on the 1937 recession, only to find out that he does not cover the topic (even, though, I belief it is a case in point against the New Deal and its effects). Ironically, probably the best book on the topic is Friedman's A Monetary History of the United States, and of course Anderson's book (aforementioned) and Gallaway and Vedder's Out of Work.
Economic Thought (Latest Post): Don't Be Fooled by GDP
Jonathan M. F. Catalán: To be fair, a lot of my criticism of Murphy's book is because I bought it to use it as a source for my research on the 1937 recession, only to find out that he does not cover the topic (even, though, I belief it is a case in point against the New Deal and its effects). Ironically, probably the best book on the topic is Friedman's A Monetary History of the United States, and of course Anderson's book (aforementioned) and Gallaway and Vedder's Out of Work.
You should check out Rethinking the Great Depression by Gene Smiley, he covers the recession within the depression.
Laissez faire et laissez passer, le monde va de lui même
I've looked through parts of the book when I was at George Bush International Airport's Borders and I think there are more interesting books on the 20's,Great Depression,WW2, and so forth. It's a GREAT book for everything amalgamated into a short book with all of the main points with great examples to boot too. If you're seriously looking for more scholarly books, I would recommend you buy individual books about this period. The ones that I have read(not all fully) that I like are:
Depression, War, and Cold War
America's Great Depression
Banking and the Business Cycle
Economics and the Public Welfare
New Deal or Raw Deal?
Out of Work: Unemployment and Government in 20th Century America
Note: If you want to read America's Great Depression. I would strongly suggest reading parts of MES, or anything about ABCT, ACT, and alike. It would really help you in the first part of the book; oh yeah, and please learn the Austrian jargon too.
One that everyone raves about (Higgs e.g.) is Banking and the Business Cycle, by Phillips et al,, and it was one of Rothbard's favorites. I haven't read it.
jtucker: One that everyone raves about (Higgs e.g.) is Banking and the Business Cycle, by Phillips et al,, and it was one of Rothbard's favorites. I haven't read it.
It is awesome, I loved that book. It's one of the best books on the stock market bubble in my opinion. It's pretty darn cheap too thanks to you guys at Mises Press. Once again, thanks.
TheOrlonater:It is awesome, I loved that book. It's one of the best books on the stock market bubble in my opinion. It's pretty darn cheap too thanks to you guys at Mises Press. Once again, thanks.
I think you just convinced me to take a little trip to the bookstore this coming week and purchase it.
By the way, you should leave a review for the book when you get a chance.
Also, I don't mean to take over this thread from David, but I have a question about a book that I'm interested in buying. How is Doug French's Early Speculative Bubbles? Has anyone had a chance to read it?
Well, it's the only book that provides a monetary explanation of the two most famous bubbles in history. I think that alone makes it important. It was a thesis written under Rothbard.
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