These students tell us that Foundations of Economics does the business. It provides a comprehensive and exciting introduction to economics, that is manageable within the time that the students have on such courses to master the basics. Foundations is also a lot of fun. It makes people think, challenges their preconceptions, and provides a host of amusing and highly relevant examples of economics in action. People have always told us Economics is easy to read.
Foundations is easier to read.
Even on longer economics courses, some students find this attractive. Not everyone struggles up the stairs, even though doctors say it is good for us. Sometimes, especially when under pressure, we take the lift. The guiding principle is that modern economics is important, useful, and relevant, and can be simplified sufficiently to make this claim convincing even to students just starting our in economics. Teaching advanced postgraduate courses, and conducting research in economics, helps us stay abreast the frontier of economic knowledge, but that knowledge is worth nothing if it cannot be communicated successfully to students who many face other competing claims on their attention and interest.