Reference Reviews

Doug’s Student Reference Room

Everyday Finance: Economics, Personal Money Management and Entrepreneurship, edited by Thomas Riggs. 2 vols., 751 p. Detroit: Gale CENGAGE Learning, 2008. ISBN 13: 978-1-4144-1049-4. ISBN 10: 1-4144-1049-2. $195.

This two volume set presents the basic principles of economics, both micro- and macro-, in straight-forward, easy-to-read entries that would supplement an introductory economics textbook. Each entry includes five sections, including “What It Means,” When Did It Begin,” “More Detailed Information,” “Recent Trends,” and a sidebar that highlights an interesting aspect of the topic. Organized thematically, the first volume focuses on how economies work, including an historical overview, followed by over a dozen entries on such topics as the fundamental concepts of economics, various economic systems and philosophies, a definition of money and the role it plays in an economy, economic measurements like the gross domestic product, supply and demand, international trends and the role government plays in oversight and regulation. The second volume is separated into two main sections: personal money management and entrepreneurship. The personal money management section combines an introduction to the basic concepts of everyday money matters with some common-sense advice on how to handle finances responsibly. The last section focuses on the basics of running a business, including creation of a business plan, development of products and services, marketing and advertising, distribution, sales, e-commerce, labor and ethics. Both volumes contain the same useful glossary of terms, a bibliography of additional resources and a complete index. Recommended for school and public libraries.
—Doug Achterman