This is a great primer that should be read in all schools. Hazlitt does not deal in economic details here. Intead, Economics in One Lesson covers more useful ground for the average person: it cumulatively teaches us how to think logically about economic issues. And, of course, how you think is the basis for what you think. Even the casual reader will take away an ability to spot economic silliness, many of which spring from the same bad premises, the same elementary blindness to cause-and-effect. Economics in One Lesson provides the type of knowledge that stays with you for a lifetime. 
 
Economics in One Lesson elucidates the basic principles of Economics in a simple, understandable language. If you are just starting out on economics, I would recommend this as your first book. College Textbooks will bore you and treatise like Human Action by L.W. Mises are pretty hard for a beginner.Also, be sure to give this book to your children. Schools don't teach economics, a most important of subjects.With that said, I would like to comment on many 1 star reviews. Notice how they don't comment on the content of the book. Economics is a Science, and it is better to put away your Political Glasses when studying it. 
 
Going to be brief here: If you are looking for an introductory to economics, begin your search elsewhere. Hazlitt has an opinion, and he presents it here. I was looking for something that presents both sides of sticky issues, but more importantly, spends a great deal of time on the fundamentals.This book fails in that respect. Keep looking. (Samuelson, Mankiw, Malkiel...) 
 