Macroeconomics Demystified

I'm only on Chapter 04, but so far I find this book perfect for preparing for the CLEP in Macroecon. It's well-written, to the point, good visual examples - far better than the boat anchors written by most academics and mandated for college classes. Quizzes at the end of each chapter have excellent explanations for each answer - you'll as much from the quizzes as from the text.

I am using this to study for the CLEP test. It should be called Macroeconomics summary and test prep, rather than DEMYSTIFIED. I say that because it's a good book to use as the core of a quick self-study, but by itself it is not always clear and simple. For example, the section on Aggregate Supply and Demand wasn't clear enough for me. I found myself looking at youtube videos instead (Khan Economy Aggregate Supply video) and even decided to order the microeconomics demystified because I don't think I understand demand curves quite enough. Things I love about the book: good test prep, good mini quizzes throughout the book (though the quizzes should have been shorter and the reading material more thorough), decent graphs. By the way, this book is not in color, it is black and white except for the cover. This is important to know because color graphs are easier to understand than black and white. If you have plenty of time, you might consider getting one of the Mankiw textbooks like "essentials of economics". I picked up a 5th edition of that for $7 with shipping. I think I'll read the Macroeconomics and Microeconomics demystified cover to cover before taking my CLEP tests for both of them. But the Mankiw book will provide any extra help I need for sections I don't get. I'm also using Instacert website which is a paid CLEP test prep service.I would give this book 5 stars, except there were too many quizzes and not enough material, there were some typos. However, for a quick condensed summary of what you need to know - I think this is a good book. I would give it 4.5 but I can't.

Macroeconomics is a complex and very often difficult subject to understand. In this book the author makes principles and concepts simple without sacrificing details. Beginners and college students alike can learn from the clear and direct approach that August Swanenberg has taken. Quizzes and test questions as well as a final exam are included. Understanding is enhanced with the many charts and graphs found within the pages of this self-teaching guide. I have a BS degree in Economics and have found this to be a very helpful resource for honing and refreshing my economic skills!

It got me through the CLEP exam (score of 62), so overall it was a good purchase. Far superior to Sharon Wynne's CLEP Principles of Macroeconomics (which is a sample test with explanation of answers). Swanenberg's concise writing makes for quick but tedious reading. The sample quiz questions seemed harder than the questions following each chapter. My biggest complaint is that the figures were poorly labelled and explained. Macroeconomics is so dull I probably wouldn't give 5 stars to any book on the subject. FYI - the CLEP exam has almost no graphs at all, but many questions referred to supply or demand curves, etc.

My biggest problem with this book is how confusing it is. This book is NOT for beginners; the technical jargon in this book is heavy. Often, descriptions and summaries of economic concepts aren't explained in a manner that is easy to understand for your average Joe. I also feel like the quizzes at the end of the chapters are filled with tricky questions that are very frustrating.Overall, if you're trying to obtain a concrete understanding of economic fundamentals for a more advanced education in this field, then this may be the book for you. If you're trying to learn about the economy in an easy to understand, laid back manner... look elsewhere because this book is pretty technical.

I had this book for 8 months before I opened it. I wouldn't recommend this but with 16 real hours of studying, just this book, and no previous experience you can understand macroeconomics. Are all of the chapters well-written? No. Do you learn the answer to every question on the CLEP with this material? No. However, you will learn more than enough with diligent study to pass the examination. My score was a 64 out of 80. I took it approximately 2 weeks ago with just this material

Purchased this book on recommendation for passing the CLEP Macroeconomics exam. Was a pretty good match for the subject matter unlike some of the CLEP specific Macroeconomics books which are notoriously off topic(REA is the worst for Macro). Good quiz and test format to drive some points home. Only problem is it was a little difficult to jump into the basics, a certain popular youtube econ video series was a better starting point.

This book is decent, but since it tries to condense information its not always clear. i had to do a lot of extra researching outside the book which makes me question why i bought it in the first place.i bought this to study for the macroeconomics CLEP test because someone else's comment said it worked well and it was NOT enough. i already took the class in high-school and got an A, then i read this as a refresher, but when i took practice tests online it was a whole new challenge. this book is not enough for a CLEP test and without the online practice tests i would have failed.