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Get ahead this summer - Read

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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


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