Discovering the American Past, Volume 2, Fifth Edition and Thinking Thru History, Volume 2, ... Book

Much more of a book of applied mathematics than an economics textbook, Mathematics for Economists reviews the key concepts of differential calculus, integral calculus, and linear algebra en route to a careful study of multivariable calculus and optimization. Clearly written with an eye for proof, the text is rigorous enough to satisfy mathematicians skeptical of the validity of economic analysis while remaining accessible to students with limited exposure to higher mathematics.

While I agree with the reviewers that this text is at times difficult to follow without supplementary materials, the state of technology (Khan Academy, MOOCs, applications like Matlab, Wolfram Alpha, 3-D graphers, etc.) makes the key insights of this book accessible to the dedicated autodidact. What is lost in the concise presentation style is more than made up for by well-aligned chapters that advance to the mathematical core of graduate level economics as quickly as possible.

One final note: Mathematics for Economists is largely geared towards the students of advanced microeconomics; students more interested in macroeconomists or econometrics might consider looking elsewhere. But if you are looking for a clear, well-written treatment of the intersection of mathematics and economic theory, you would be hard-pressed to do better than Simon and Blume's classic text.