I asked a few of my colleagues who report on that great big confusing economic industry for some reading suggestions. While many were in agreement that, of course, you should just read their articles, they were able to give some great recommendations:

Baltimore Sun business columnist Eileen Ambrose is a big fan of Jane Bryant Quinn. "I actually gave her book as a wedding gift to my sister," she told me.

And Quinn's latest edition of Making the Most of Your Money will be in bookstores in May of 2009. If you can't wait that long, her 2006 Smart and Simple Financial Strategies for Busy People is available now.

Ambrose also pointed me to two books she comes across often in her reporting: Andrew Tobias' The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need and The Richest Man in Babylon, by George Clason.

Her surprise recommendation? "I've heard a lot of economists talk about David Copperfield lately," she said. "It really does have a lot about finances."

Wall Street Journal business reporter Raymund Flandez suggests something to give you a bit more historical context: Waking Giant: America in the Age of Jackson, by David S. Reynolds.

And the Enoch Pratt Library has provided a Web site with resources for people curious about the bailout, the role of the FDIC and how to get your free credit report. Bonus: It's all free.