Basic yet eye-opening for me was "Talking to my daughter about the economy" by Yianis Varoufakis (ex Greek finance minister). It does an "explain like I'm 13"

Basic yet eye-opening for me was "Talking to my daughter about the economy" by Yianis Varoufakis (ex Greek finance minister). It does an "explain like I'm 13" for how the idea of markets and money started, how and why it changed through the centuries and where we are now. It's so easy to read, that it took me a couple of days to finish it.