This book gives an excellent, although sometimes a little bit daunting (for the layperson) introduction how we got ourselves into the current economic mess. It also details previous crashes (1987, 1994 etc) and shows that our dear financial gurus and politicians did not learn a thing from these previous disasters, but instead barreled ahead doing more of the same at ever greater complexity. It is astounding, as Morris details with considerable wit, how clearly highly intelligent people can be so utterly stupid when greed takes a hold of them. It is even more astounding how they have been aided and abetted by the Fed, and how we are sacrificing the future of the largest economy on the planet on the altar of the 'free market'. A MUST read.