Macroeconomics

Rating:
Summary: Macroeconomics by J. Bradford De Long, Bradford DeLong
Review: Brad DeLong's well-written intermediate macroeconomics is not-too-traditional yet lovely done. It's a nice book with some unusual features: "For example, DeLong focuses on the interest rate rather than the AS/AD diagram and he includes expanded coverage of the crucial topic of long-run growth." In addition to presenting the material with rich international and historical perspectives, DeLong also did an excellent job in explaining complicated theories and subtle concepts with care and clarity. I hope that the author will also complete the microeconomics part of a comprehensive "Intermediate Economics" text.

Rating:
Summary: Without doubt one of the best on the market
Review: I don't normally bother to review books, but the comments on this book are so bizarre I feel the need to respond. This is a textbook for the intermediate macroeconomics level. Someone coming to this book with no economics background at all might find the book hard going in places, but that is to be expected; it is not intended as a piece of popular writing on economics.

I am very familiar with intermediate macroeconomic textbooks -- indeed, I wrote ancillary material for one of the leading textbooks currently on the market -- and I think DeLong's textbook is one of the best books around. For many topics it is *the* best book.

Rating:
Summary: A book that did not deserve to be published
Review: I have read this book twice and see no reason why the author wrote this book. The book is not written in a language that will introduce the subject to the beginners and those who know something will be confused. Bradford Delong is a below average writer. His grammar is definitely not strong. It would have helped if his editor had been a good one. Please do not write another edition of this book for it is not going to benefit anyone. As an academic De Long should be ashamed of his credentials. In short, I give this book a generous D- for all the effort. F grade for his writing and a D for his presentation. If you can please avoid this book for it is not worth the price you are paying for it.

Rating:
Summary: Without doubt one of the best on the market
Review: I'm a little baffled at the complaints leveled at DeLong's macroeconomics textbook. Though I wouldn't recommend it as an introductory textbook, as an intermediate level text, I found it quite impressive (Berkeley compacts intro. micro and macro in a one semester course, then mandates seperate intermediate micro and macro courses for majors). DeLong's writing is lively and engaging, a breath of fresh air when compared to the mechanical breakdown and prose of most economics books. More than that, however, its explanation of macroeconomic concepts is clear. I haven't come across a better econ textbook yet.

Rating:
Summary: Nice piece of work
Review: This intermediate level textbook does an excellent job of covering the subject. DeLong writes well. The book requires the requisite introductory macroeconomics background and some facility with algebra and mathematical functions. Those not possessing that background will most likely find themselves frustrated because of their lack of preparation. Anyone who wants to take their knowledge of macroeconomics to the next level should take a look at the book as a potential guide and source.

Rating:
Summary: This book goes from BAD to WORSE as you read it.
Review: This is a book that was written to counter the book written by Mankiew (by the way Mankiew is also an example of a bad textbook). Mr. De Long does not have a clue how to write a good introductory textbook. He is a below average writer with no style or flair. He needs to take some classes in english 101 writing in order to relieve us from pain of reading his books. Now, with this book published, Brad De Long can inflict misery on poor Berkeley students by making them buy his textbook for introductory macro classes. When is the next edition coming Brad? Eventhough De Long will not make a lot of money but he is still part of the self centered academia that writes books to publish new editions.

Please try to keep name dropping to a minimum. You were a low level treasury official not the secretary of treasury. In addition, you are not a man of letters.

Rating:
Summary: I would put most low reviews of this work down to politics
Review: This is an excellent intermediate Macro textbook, and the writing style is more acessible than one usually encounters at this level of economics.
The theory is up-to-date and couched in less political dogma than similar products from other sources.

This is not an introduction to Macro!
This is a first-term MBA or intermediate BA/BS course!

Given the lower quality of the competing texts I have read, I put down most low reviews to sight-unseen grousing by partisans who wish to inflict monetary loss on Professor DeLong for his political views.
In todays political climate this is unsurprising, but it is quite disturbing that it has reached this far into solid science.

Rating:
Summary: Ghastly, Garbage and Grotesque
Review: This is just a poorly written book. I am surprised that this book has not been reviewed extensively. This was so bad that I could not find places where I can say that I learned something valuable without hitting myself. This is so bad that one cannot fine anything that is good and praise it. Bradford Delong is just an awful writer and doing no justice with the subject. I found his book worse than the already worse textbook in the market. I hope there is no second edition to this ridiculous experiment that has gone bad.