CRYHUGHES

Being a student of economics still wont get you laid at a dinner party, but (for the first time in my life) it does generate an audience.

Macroeconomics is half of any curriculum, but it is not my focus.  Despite my tendency to lecture on gchat, I am better suited as a Shepard.  This post references the sources I use for news and knowledge on the financial crisis.

The economy of 2009 is well worth the study.  Beyond being the driving force behind every political action and household decision over the next couple of years; expect it to will happen again… and again… and again.  With luck it wont be as big, but depressions/recessions/economic downturns (let PR call it what they will) reoccur every ten or so years.  If your keeping track at home, that’s just long enough for the prudent to be replaced in the workforce in favor of aggression and expanded market share.

Sources:

Tracking the day

Baseline Scenerio | Start with their “Financial Crisis for Beginners” page and track updates from there.

Planet Money & Marketplace Morning Report | Easy to digest podcasts.  Good supplements to the morning news binge.

The Economist | If you only have time to read one magazine, it should be this one.

Advanced reading

Economic Principles | One of my favorites.  Published once a week on Sundays.

Moneybox (Slate) | Focuses on Banking.  Like most of Slate’s content, it is a very easy read.

Paul Krugman (NYT) | Krugman will overwhelm your RSS feed with up to 10 posts a day.  I can’t keep up with him, but no list would be complete without his conclussion.  Krugman is the most recent winner of the Nobel Prize.

Marginal Revolution | Requires some economic knowledge, but one of the best.

Greg Mankiw | Harvard’s Intro to Economics professor.

History of economic theory

If your new to economics and need a reference point, start here:

“New Ideas From Dead Economists” by Todd G Buchholz | the cliff’s notes of economic theory.

“Property and Prophets” by EK Hunt| the evolution of economic theory, in its historical context (also considered the introduction to Marx’s 1000 page “Capital”).

“The Ascent of Money” by Niall Ferguson | same same, but different, for finance.  OR watch his 4-hour special on PBS.

We are living through pages in history that future generations wont skip over.  If your lucky enough to be employed and financially secure, its an golden opportunity for study.  Happy trails.

*I plan to reread the first two books this month, and just picked up the third.  I’ll have summaries up soon.