The on-topic summer reading thread

[Golden Rule]

The other thread has been completely derailed from it's original purpose, so I'm starting a new one.

I'd like to keep discussion related to listing books, discussing the quality of books, with a focus on their relevance for aspiring Economics PhDs. If you want to start a policy debate, please use a different thread.

[Golden Rule]

Here's a short list of books I can think of, new from this current academic year, that have interested me the most.

Mostly Harmless Econometrics

Invisible-Hook-Hidden-Economics-Pirates

Social and Economic Networks

Animal Spirits

Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics

Venturesome Economy

[ZomgRogged]

Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction

It's by Colin Camerer, basically the godfather of behavioral econ if you hadn't hear of him. It's a fantastic informative read. The breadth and depth are phenomenal. He walks through experiments and papers that have led to current thought in behavioral game theory. Anyone interested in behavioral economics, game theory, or experimental economics should check it out.

[KGkhan23]

Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction

It's by Colin Camerer, basically the godfather of behavioral econ if you hadn't hear of him. It's a fantastic informative read. The breadth and depth are phenomenal. He walks through experiments and papers that have led to current thought in behavioral game theory. Anyone interested in behavioral economics, game theory, or experimental economics should check it out.

Sounds interesting! Could you comment on what sort of prerequisite knowledge is required to appreciate the book?

[zshfryoh1]

One of my areas of interest is the use of real options, and I just bought Real Options and Investment Under Uncertainty, edited by Eduardo Schwartz and Lenos Trigeorgis, both of whom are big names in finance, Schwartz more generally for his work in derivatives and Trigeorgis specifically for his work on real options. The book might be a bit heavy for summer reading, but it has a lot of great papers by some great economists with Dixit, Pindyck, Brennan and Merton all having papers in it so it should be good.

I want to read Invisible Hook, and I really liked the JPE paper Leeson wrote.

Other than that, my summer reading will probably consist of history and perhaps a couple of light philosophy books, which is what I like reading in my spare time. Lately, I have started getting into military history from a strategy standpoint. Its too bad that few historians even know what game theory is, let alone use it in analyzing military strategy, though there has been some work in that, mostly by poli sci people.

[Bayern]

Repeating myself, and this is not a book that is on economics: Guns, Germs, and Steel - it basically describes how the world power is divided in the way it is right now. The book is written by a biologist who starts the description right from the evolution of human beings. Really interesting.

[criticalthinker]

Related to economics, I plan on finishing these books next:

Choices, Values, and Frames- Kahneman & Tversky
Decisions, Uncertainty, and the Brain- Glimcher
Influence: Science and Practice- Cialdini (Almost done with this one, its at a really basic level but its still very interesting)
An Evolutionary Theory of Economic Change- Nelson & Winter

However I have about twenty books I'm at various points at. No matter how hard I try, I can never read one book from start to finish before starting another one.

[untitled]

Repeating myself, and this is not a book that is on economics: Guns, Germs, and Steel - it basically describes how the world power is divided in the way it is right now. The book is written by a biologist who starts the description right from the evolution of human beings. Really interesting.

I enjoyed Diamond when I read him, i think the consensus is that he does a great job synthesizing and writing for a popular audience, and beyond that I don't know. You've seen, I hope, the news about the suit against Diamond. I'm not sure what to think, but the blog, Savage Minds, has an interesting take.

[Bayern]

Thanks untitled. I actually had no idea about this suit.

[Golden Rule]

Repeating myself, and this is not a book that is on economics: Guns, Germs, and Steel - it basically describes how the world power is divided in the way it is right now. The book is written by a biologist who starts the description right from the evolution of human beings. Really interesting.

Yeah, we actually spent a good chunk of one lecture talking about that book in my intermediate macro class back in 2001. Diamond's work is well-respected by a number of economists and often cited (not to say that everyone agrees with every detail or that all economists respect his work). Here is Brad DeLong's favorable review of the book.

Also read Diamond's Discovery article "The Worst Mistake..." and related discussion here. I am less inclined to agree with this particular conclusion.