Today I succumbed to peer pressure... to buy a math book - FreeEconHelp.com, Learning Economics... Solved!

6/1/11

Today I succumbed to peer pressure... to buy a math book

Dynamic Optimization: The Calculus of Variations and Optimal Control in Economics and Management (Advanced Textbooks in Economics)I can't believe it...  Today I bought "Dynamic Optimization: The Calculus of Variations and Optimal Control in Economics..." from Amazon because a colleague stopped by my office and said,

"Hey, I checked Amazon.com this morning and they had the Kamien and Schwartz book for only $75... I couldn't believe it, I mean, I already have one, but for only $75 I was thinking of buying another."

That's right, apparently this book is so amazing to graduate economics students that they track the price of the book.

The guy with the office next to me then walked by and said, "oh yeah, I have that book too, had to buy it for public finance three years ago (he's on the long track), wow, it is that expensive now?  Well, if you are interested I can make photo copies for you..."  At this point I had to buy it, I mean, everyone else already has it right?  And it is only $75!!!

You see, to economists math is very important, and dynamic optimization is an important concept to understand.  This is probably one of the most "popular" dynamic optimization books tailored to economics.  Of course Chiang's book is good, and Caputo's, but this is the book everyone talks about and it is rare to see it go for under $200 on amazon.com.  Heck, even abebooks.com doesn't have this book for very cheap.  So yes, I will admit that I succumbed to peer pressure, and ordered my very own edition of Kamien and Schwartz today.

Hopefully I will get this book soon, I still haven't got my shipping confirmation and unfortunately I didn't opt for expedited shipping.  But maybe in a week or two I can get my nerd on. Static optimization is so last season...