Frederico Mollet on Twitter set me a good challenge: some general reading for someone about to start a masters in public policy. Here is a list of suggestions, ten books*, accessibly written, with a bias towards economics and the rationale for economic policy. As ever, more ideas will be welcome.  I’m particularly keen to hear recommendations of this kind of book by female authors – this is a shockingly male list.

The first three are my all-time favourites and I think everybody ought to read them.

Seeing Like A State James Scott

Reinventing the Bazaar John McMillan

Micromotives and Macrobehaviour Thomas Schelling

Who Gets What and Why Alvin Roth

What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets Michael Sandel

Economics Rules Dani Rodrik

Madmen, Intellectuals and Economic Scribblers: The Economic Engine of Political Change Edward Lopez and Wayne Leighton

Poor Economics Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee

The Idea of Justice Amartya Sen

Other People’s Money John Kay

Economic fables Ariel Rubinstein

The Blunders of Our Governments Anthony King and Ivor Crewe (UK examples only, pretty funny)

PS * approximately 10 as I kept having ideas