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This guide to basic economic principles, by a pair of experienced textbook writers, is intended for high school students but can also be profitably used by college students in a one semester introductory class. Heavy on description of economic institutions, the book explains economic concepts in a clear, easy to understand style. Each of the 15 chapters is organized around answering a single question such as "How do businesses compete?" or "Why do nations trade?" Other topics are the types of economic systems, supply and demand, consumer behavior, industrial organization, money and banking, monetary and fiscal policy, income distribution, and collective bargaining. The authors are even-handed in their treatment of controversy with both points of view on issues such as the minimum wage and protectionism given an unbiased airing. An attraction of the book is its brevity. In a scant 222 pages, readers are introduced to enough of the method and subject matter of economics to be able to form an independent analysis and judgment on many economic issues. The authors also neatly demonstrate how economic principles can be applied to a variety of personal and societal issues. General readers, lower-division undergraduates.

David A. Latzko Business and Economics Division Pennsylvania State University, York Campus office: 13 Main Classroom Building phone: (717) 771-4115 fax: (717) 771-4062 DXL31@psu.edu www.yk.psu.edu/~dxl31