A Level Economics examiners consistently reward students who can apply economic theory to real-world examples. Whilst the textbook will teach you the theory, this A Level Economics reading list will help you see it in action.
The books and resources below are chosen because they illuminate core A Level Economics concepts in ways that will directly improve your exam performance, and help you decide whether an economics degree is the right path for you.
Books
The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford: This is the single most useful supplementary book for A Level Economics students. Harford takes the core concepts of microeconomics (scarcity, price signals, externalities, market power and information asymmetry) and shows how they explain everyday situations, from the pricing of a coffee at Starbucks to the policies that make some countries rich and others poor. The writing is engaging and accessible, and the ideas map directly onto the Paper 1 content.
Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner: Levitt, an economist, and Dubner, a journalist, apply economic reasoning to a set of unusual questions: Why do drug dealers live with their mothers? What makes a perfect parent? What do sumo wrestlers and school teachers have in common? Freakonomics may not be a traditional economics textbook, but it demonstrates the power of economic thinking as a tool for understanding human behaviour, and I’ve found it really difficult at times to put down. It’s really useful background reading for microeconomic discussions.
Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson: This is essential reading for the macroeconomics topics. Acemoglu and Robinson argue that the key determinant of a country’s economic success is not geography, culture or natural resources, but the quality of its political and economic institutions. Their analysis of inclusive vs extractive institutions provides a powerful framework for evaluating global development, trade and inequality. This makes it a really useful book to have under your belt for Paper 2.
Animal Spirits by George Akerlof and Robert Shiller: Akerlof and Shiller challenge the assumption at the heart of mainstream economics: that people behave rationally. They introduce the concept of “animal spirits”, which are the psychological and emotional factors (confidence, fairness, corruption, money illusion) that affect economic behaviour in ways that standard models cannot predict. This is excellent background for evaluation of economic models and policy in both micro and macro papers.
The Economist’s Tale by Peter Griffiths: This book is Griffiths’ account of his development economics work in Sierra Leone. It’s a powerful illustration of what economic policy looks like in practice in a developing country. Relevant to macroeconomics, international development and the limits of economic theory as applied to real-world situations.
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: Kahneman’s exploration of the two systems of human thinking that underpins much of behavioural economics: intuitive and analytical. While this straddles psychology and economics, it is directly relevant to A Level Economics discussions of rational behaviour, and it provides excellent evaluation arguments for market failure and consumer choice questions. If you study Economics and Psychology together, this is one not to miss!
Newspapers and Magazines
The Economist: the single most useful publication for A Level Economics students. A weekly magazine covering global politics and economics in depth. The writing is high quality, the analysis is rigorous and the breadth of coverage means you will regularly encounter real-world examples relevant to your studies. A digital subscription is available, and many libraries carry physical copies.
The Financial Times: the FT’s economics and business reporting is authoritative and detailed. Particularly useful for macroeconomic news (interest rates, inflation, GDP), and for understanding how financial markets work in practice.
The Guardian Economics section: strong analysis of UK economic policy, inequality and public finance. Useful for domestic macroeconomics examples.
Podcasts
Planet Money (NPR): short, engaging episodes on economic topics from around the world. An excellent habit to build, and a consistent source of contemporary examples for essays. Listen to these when they come out on your way home from school.
Economics Explained (YouTube): accessible video explanations of economic topics and current events. Useful for understanding complex macroeconomic concepts in a friendly format.
The Economist Podcasts: The Economist’s audio content covers global economic issues with the same rigour as the magazine. The weekly podcast is a good way to stay current.
A note on our A Level Economics reading list
You do not need to read everything on this A Level Economics reading list, but regularly engaging with economic ideas beyond the textbook will make a real difference to your grades. When you encounter an economic concept in your reading, think about how it connects to what you are studying. That habit of application is what the best A Level Economics students develop.
Keep a log of your reading too. You can always refer back to the core arguments when revision comes, and most of these resources give you additional examples to include in your essays.
For structured revision of the full AQA Economics course, check out Study Dog’s A Level Economics resources. We have course notes, model answers, revision checklists and more to help you unlock your A* potential.
