Peter Schiff's "Crash Proof" is now on scribd.

Of all the basic free-to-download economics books that I would recommend to the lay reader, this one is at the top of my list.

It is important to remember that this book was written in 2006 and published in 2007. Explaining anything with the benefit of hindsight is easy. Laying out the future is more difficult.

The author is long on clarity/common sense and short on jargon and verbiage. Although the title suggests an investment guide, only the last few chapters give specific advice on stocks, bonds, commodities, etc. The bulk of the book outlines why our post-industrial "service economy" is a giant fraud.