On: Ask HN: Best book(s) to learn about the basics of economics?

[Shmulkey]

Economics in One Lesson by Hazlitt: http://jim.com/econ/, http://www.fee.org/pdf/books/Economics_in_one_lesson.pdf

Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell

Applied Economics by Thomas Sowell

Free to Choose by Milton Friedman (video series, too)

Use of Knowledge in Society by Hayek (short, non-technical paper which is full of brilliant insights): http://www.econlib.org/library/Essays/hykKnw1.html

Not a book, but the Econtalk podcast is fantastic: http://www.econtalk.org/

[amh → Shmulkey]

The "Free to Choose" television series is really great, second that. They're all on google video, search for the obvious keywords and "long" duration (20+ mins) to find them easily.

I especially liked the debate segment in each show, where Friedman argues his points with both supporters and detractors. It struck me while watching it, you really can't find stuff like this on TV anymore.

[billswift → Shmulkey]

Sowell's Basic Economics is the easiest to read one I have seen, and for the math phobic it has no equations.

Another really good, if idiosyncratic, book is David Friedman's Hidden Order: The Economics of Everyday Life.

Also Thomas Sowell's Knowledge and Decisions covers roughly the same ground as Hayek's Use of Knowledge in Society, but is newer and more readable.

[imaginator → Shmulkey]

I'll second the Econtalk podcasts. Russ Roberts does a great job of looking into everyday phenomena with a guest and looking at how economics influences so much. Really a good listen.