Why people recommend it
Economics, an introductory analysis by Paul Anthony Samuelson and William D. Nordhaus is a foundational textbook that shaped generations of economic education and academic thought. The publication surfaced in discussions on different podcast episodes. On People I (Mostly) Admire in January 2023, John List referenced the textbook, recalling that it was the very first book he utilized in 1985, bringing it up to illustrate a broader conversation about the historical lack of experimentation among economists. Additionally, the textbook was discussed on the Lex Fridman Podcast in June 2022, where guest Richard Wolff reflected on his own education in the field. Wolff recalled that the major textbook he studied with, which served for many years as the canonical introductory guide to the discipline, was authored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Paul Samuelson. Wolff noted that Samuelson emerged primarily as an object of critical dismissal within certain ideological frameworks, yet acknowledged the undeniable ubiquity and historical dominance that the textbook held across academic institutions for decades as the standard reference for students beginning their journey into economic theory.
Who recommended it
- John List Discussed
- Richard Wolff Discussed
John List — 1 mention
“The first book I used was in 1985. It was by Samuelson and Nordhaus.”
Richard Wolff — 1 mention
“Yeah, he came up only as an object of dismissal; for example, the major textbook in economics that I was taught with and that was for many years the canonical book, it isn't quite anymore, was a book authored by a professor of economics at MIT named Paul Samuelson, and people kind of—you know, a whole generation or two were”