Why did the chicken cross the road? To maximize his utility!

If you like this joke as much as I do, congratulations! You're an uber-nerd, and this is the perfect book for you. If you don't like the joke, stay away from my parties. Either way, this book is a very thorough, very clear explanation of a good foundation of economic principles, written with the non-Economists among us in mind. Why are tariffs bad? In what ways are sweatshops good? Why does everyone care so much about interest rates, and how do they affect me? These are the kinds of questions Wheelan addresses, but not in a stuffy, boring, academic "here's where the supply curve meets the demand curve" kind of way. Naked Economics is the economics professor with a few drinks in him, explaining these concepts in plain English with amusing anecdotes and relevant examples. He explains why certain things in the real world work as they do, why others should but don't, and what people and governments can do to address them. Kudos to Wheelan for spreading the Economics love, and, for the rest of you, read up. I'll be testing you the next time I see you.