If You're Clueless About Accounting and Finance and Want ... (ISBN 0793128811)

Amazon.com Review:
If You're Clueless About Accounting and Finance and Want to Know More is an easy-to-follow guide for nonfiscal types who need to keep up with the bean counters and the number crunchers. One in a series of books on basic administrative tools by Seth Godin, this volume--produced with Money magazine finance writer Paul Lim--focuses on understanding the language of business capital and using it effectively to manage cash, credit, budgets, taxes, inventories, and the economic changes that impact companies. The subsequent advice should prove invaluable even to those who don't hold "traditional" financial positions. --Howard Rothman

Very well explained:
Before looking for books on a subject I want to learn about, I always find out if Seth wrote anything on the subject. The man writes about everything in a consistently clear, bold and humorous way. Well he's done it again on this one. No one could explain accounting and finance better! I highly recommend this book, although I'm not - and will never be - a big fan of accounting!

Great resource for beginners:
Seth Godin introduces readers to accounting, and doesn't assume that you have any knowledge about accounting at all. I highly recommend this book for people who are just beginning their accounting education and need to learn the basics, possibly before pursuing further education.

A terrific book for beginning accounting students!:
This book is extremely clear and well organized. The presentation of accounting concepts is to the point and is explained in a practicable manner. Key points are repeated several times in different formats for easy reference and retrievel. Every topic is discussed with the who, what, when, where, and how in mind. It also includes key real world references/applications to help you become more aware of how these concepts fit in the real world context. If you desire a strong foundation in accounting, this book is most likely for you.

This will clue you into more resources ...:
Business Basics Bestseller 1: The Easy, Interesting, Open-book Look at the Game of Business Numbers! 2nd Edition If you don't have a clue about this F & A stuff, you will like "Business Basics Bestseller 1" as another potential starting point. This is not a suggestion that you substitute it for this book, just that you check it out as well. The BBB #1 book was written by a guy who is not an accountant -- imagine what that can do for cutting through the jargon accountants love without even knowing it. BBB #1 will introduce you to the basics of business including the terms behind the numbers and where all the formulas come from before you plow into a "finance and accounting" text. Search for "Business Basics Bestseller 1" and add it to your consideration. It can be one of your best investments. At less than 150 pages, you can zip through it enjoyably.

A good way to get a clue:
As long as you go in with realistic expectations of how much you'll be learning, this is a great book. It doesn't go deep into any one topic, but it does cover many of the essentials of accounting and finance (with some econ thrown in near the end), explaining concepts clearly and using well-chosen examples. It succeeds in being basic without boring the reader, and it somehow comes off as better written and more engaging than anything in the Dummies series. I'd especially recommend it as preparation for college students about to take their first accounting or finance class.