Frank A.Cowell – MicroEconomics

If you are a student at LSE then read on, as this review will spare you the pain that all of us doing EC202 are going through. This is the worst Microeconomics book you could ever lay your hands on. It is a book written by someone who is trying to show off his knowledge. It is not a book which aims to teach a subject. Go to Waterstone’s on campus or go to the library. Get the book, leaf through it. Yes, its style of writing appears fluid and ‘easy’ on the first read. But after reading any paragraph, pause and think carefully about what the book is saying. You will realise that many difficult concepts are introduced in just a few lines without giving any real explanations regarding how those concepts were derived, how they can be applied.

Try them and you will realise that the theory `introduced’ in the corresponding chapter has not given you the knowledge necessary to solve those exercises. If you want a good advanced book get yourself Microeconomic Theory by Snyder and Nicholson. As said, this book wants to appear advanced but it has clearly been written by someone who is trying to show off his knowledge, he is not trying to teach you Microeconomics. Quite revealingly, this book has not been adopted, nor is it recommended, by any department in the world except for LSE where the author is a lecturer. Comments of other lecturers on Cowell’s book: cryptic … condensed … and they quickly advise you to use another one. Their comments are polite. We, as students who made the mistake of taking EC202, think this book is utter ****. But, don’t just take my word for it. Read it before choosing EC202. CAVEAT EMPTOR.