Lectures on Macroeconomics

by Olivier J. Blanchard

Book Overview

The main purpose of Lectures on Macroeconomics is to characterize and explain fluctuations in output, unemployment and movement in prices.

Lectures on Macroeconomics provides the first comprehensive description and evaluation of macroeconomic theory in many years. While the authors' perspective is broad, they clearly state their assessment of what is important and what is not as they present the essence of macroeconomic theory today.The...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0262022834
• ISBN13: 9780262022835
• Release Date: March 1989
• Publisher: MIT Press
• Length: 664 Pages
• Weight: 2.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.3" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Great buy

The book arrived in a timely manner and the condition was just as described. Very satisfied!

One of the very good books in macroeconomics

I have read many books in macroeconomics and I think this one is the best of them, so personally I spent my money to buy this book (among all macro- books) and keep it on my shelf for references. The book is not a complete guide to macroeconomics (and no other macro book is either). But what it covers, it covers well with preamble to the idea and empirical evidence, then proceeds to formal discussion and derivations and conclusions. It covers topics on consumption theory, economic growth, money and monetary policy, labor and employment models, and competetive equilibrium and business cycles. Still you need complementary texts if you want to get too much focused in a field (like monetary policy). I recommend this book for graduate level macro- courses. For one thing the book comes with lots of exercises at the end of each chapter.

Broad macro theory at your hands!

I loved this book since I first read it. It's a complete book in terms of modern macroeconomic theory topics covered and in the treatment of them. The authors have focused in modern development in the field and have tried to gather a significant collection of models and theories which explain several aspects of the macroeconomic analysis (just check the index to find out all that you can read here!).A drawback of this book is that it's kinda specialized in modern macro development and its methods: it assumes that the reader knows about basic macro theory, macro models, has strong mathematical foundations (calculus, systems of equations, optimum control theory, etc.) AND is used to the kind of relationship economists do between models and real life. This is NOT a book of macroeconomic policies, like how to manage a nation's deficit in the public budget, or so; but researches could find here the basis for developing more specific recommendations and policies to address such problems.

Excellent book for grad students

I used this book while in grad school and loved it. Other PhD students will probably appreciate it while others are likely to find it too difficult.

Good book, but problem with the level of discussion

This book does a good job of going through macro and monetary economics as it is currently understood. If you can get through it, you are in good shape.Unfortunately, the book is written at a level a little beyond the typical student with a BA in economics. It is probably fine for the students at MIT, but for everyone else who lack the analytical tools, the major messages can get a bit lost. It is probably a bit too advanced for a first-year macro course and a bit too basic for a more advanced macro course.