Good book for understanding the current economic crisis?

3 points·jphillips··5 comments

I imagine many HN readers wish they knew more about how we got into this economic mess. If you've read a (recently released) book about the cause of the economic crisis, please share the title and why you recommend it! Thanks

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Meltdown by Thomas Woods:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1596985879/

It clearly and accurately explains the real causes of the "crisis" (hint: it's not unbridled capitalism).

Absolutely the best by far. I know you said no older books, but this one gets it down to basics, and always seems to be an example of "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it," is

Henry Hazlitt's Economics In One Lesson http://www.amazon.com/Economics-One-Lesson-Shortest-Understa...

Free articles are available at mises.org, there are enough articles to keep you reading for months/years. Several of the authors predicted the housing bubble bust before it happened although they did not provide an exact time. You won't always agree with the articles but they will make you think.

Recent articles cover the issues and effects with the current administration's budget and economic plan along with more fundamental economic issues.

There is also a section with free books if you do not mind reading on the computer. There is also at least one guide to readings on the mises.org site.

Both of the books mentioned in previous posts are available through the mises.org bookstore.

Also check out Robert Murphy's "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism" as another primer on economics.

From the left side things: Robert Brenner's Boom and The Bubble

http://www.amazon.com/Boom-Bubble-US-World-Economy/dp/185984...

http://crisisofcredit.com/

Not a book, but a very nicely done animated introduction to the crisis.

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