The first half of the book has some great gems for understanding our economic condition but you have to wade through way too much detailed economic analysis for it to be worthwhile for the average reader. The second half is more historical and more interesting and understandable for everyone not trained in economic theory. If you want the short version go to Ron Paul's End the Fed and you will get an interesting and easily understood version of a similar message. If you want online print versions of Austrian economic theory go to the Mises Institute online.

If you supported Ron Paul then this is the book for you otherwise skip this one and read (The Global Impact of the Great Depression, 1929-1939) it is A far better book and does not seek to make the U.S. Government out to be the Great Satan.

Pastmasterbd

A classic work on how the initiation of violence caused the great depression and suffocated any recovery. Unfortunately read rather fast for the complexity of the subject matter and the amount of detailed data. If you are not very familiar with economic terms, it might go a bit fast and I would recommend the paper version.

Excellent book, but not for someone looking for a biographical history filled with famous personalities or a social history looking back at everyday life during a time of 25% unemployment. This is an economic history. It is recommended for anyone who would like a detailed anaylisis of how federal monetary policy errors can cause false booms by expanding the credit money supply, leading eventually to inevitable recessionary or depressionary corrections. It also explores how Keynesian fiscal policy tends to exacerbate and extend these periods of correction. Interesting, if for no other reason than this cycle of inflationary boom and recession/depression is still with us, and the same disproven tactics are still used as treatments. Anyone interested in the history of banking, finance or economics will probably find this a good read.

I thaught this would be a simple expliantion on the major causes of the gret depression. It was more like a doctorial thesis. I might read this book, but listening to it is extremely difficult. It's way too complicated to passively listen to. Your always losing track of the details. It may be a good reference book for school.