Intermediate Microeconomics: A Modern Approach, Sixth Edition
Author: Hal R. Varian
List Price: $122.15
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ISBN: 0393978303
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company (June, 2002)
Sales Rank: 216,879
Average Customer Rating: 4.1 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
a great introduction into microeconomics
Varian has done a great job. He got the balance between the math necessary for serious microeconomics, and the examples and jokes necessary to keep the students reading. Using the dual approach (household and producer behaviour), he introduces the reader into microeconomics at a level which makes it possible to move on to more esoteric books like his own 'Microeconomic Analysis', or 'Microeconomic Theory' by Mas-Colell, Whinston, Green. He manages to cover much more than Mankiw can, which is good and necessary to build a solid basis. Yet the book is accessible to anyone familiar with high school math (differentiation and optimization), and requires no economic prerequisites. He also covers several more advanced topics on a stand-alone basis (like economics of information, or game theory) which on the one hand is very useful, as it gives the reader an idea as to where one can head to, but on the other hand is not satisfying as these chapters are necessarily rather superficial. Apart from that, the book is great to built a rigorous basis for household and producer behaviour, and makes it rather easy to go on to much more advanced literature. The math is hidden in the appendices, so it is necessary for a serious understanding to cover these as well, but I don't see any problem with that. This book is as excellent as an introductory micro book can ever be.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Only for basic economics
This book is what I call "literary economics"; there is very little mathematical explination, which is good for students in the usual 100/200 level economics courses, but completely useless afterwords. I was assigned to read this in my junior year, and after the first ten chapters, reverted to another book, called 'MicrcoEconomics with Calculus'. I do not believe that the professors who recommend this book for juniors (or God forbid, seniors) have actually looked in it, for the math proofs are few and far between, and fairly simple. However, for Freshman/Sophomores, I recommend it; it is a good base of theory, from which you can (if you wish) continue later on with math proofs, which are vital for higher level economics.If you are in an advanced course and need help with math, I cannot recommend Alpha Chiang's 'Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Eocnomics' high enough. This book was a God-send to a economics student who needed to bring his understanding up quickly. Thank you, Alpha.
-student in Scotland
Rating: 4 out of 5
A casual reader
Good advanced udergraduate. If you have a problem grasping concepts from this text, you need to think about another line of study. Similar Products
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Book Index