Get ahead this summer - Read

The summer provides AS students the perfect opportunity to set themselves apart from other students and to get ahead, making their life that little bit easier for the A2 year. This might be in terms of being prepared for the A2 course but also for the all important university applications process, and the subsequent interviews...

One excellent way students will set themselves apart is through reading. Universities say they want to see applicants reading relevant books that show they have an interest in the subject they wish to study. Imagine applying to do an economics degree having not read any books!

It is not just about reading anything, it is about what you have read. So, to help you we have tried to provide you with some reading at various levels that should enable you to choose the appropriate books for you this summer.

Don't forget, being up to date in terms of news and opinion is also critical so make sure you check out the further reading recommended in these blogs, and check out this slightly dated but great blog post for more on summer reading from EconomicsHelp.

For those unlikely to read an economics book from the lists below, do not disadvantage yourself and choose one (or two) from this list, and why not check out this list of books that Ivy League students are reading...enjoy!

Tier 1 - Reading for pleasure, beginners and light reading

The Undercover Economist - Tim Harford

Freakonomics series - Levitt and Dubner

Economics in One Lesson - Henry Hazlitt

The Economics Book -  Niall Kishtainy

Tier 2 - More advanced

End this Depression Now - Paul Krugman

Economics the User's Guide - Ha Joon Chang

23 Things - Ha Joon Chang

GDP: A Brief But Affectionate History - Diance Coyle

Nudge - Richard Thaler

Peddling Prosperity -  Paul R. Krugman . Also the Return of Depression Economics is a good backdrop to current crisis

Game Theory -  Morton D. Davis

Tier 3 - Academic and/or more rigorous

Foundations of Economics - Andrew Gillespie

The Wealth of Nations - Adam Smith

The General Theory of Employment, Money and Interest - JM Keynes

Principles of Economics - G. Mankiw

Capital in the Twenty-First Century, Thomas Piketty - A deep, tough read but very important and caused a stir

The Worldly Philosophers: by Robert L. Heilbroner – a good overview of economic thought