The best books on Austrian economics

The Austrian school explains prices, capital, and the business cycle from human action rather than aggregates. This list runs from the one-sitting introduction to the full treatise, in the order a reader should meet them.

  1. 1 Economics in One Lesson cover

    Economics in One Lesson

    by Henry Hazlitt

    Hazlitt's single lesson — count the unseen costs, not only the visible benefit — applied to tariffs, wages, and public works. One sitting, no math.

  2. 2 The Dao of Capital cover

    The Dao of Capital

    by Mark Spitznagel

    Spitznagel reads Austrian capital theory as an investment strategy: give up the immediate gain to take the roundabout, stronger position.

  3. 3 The Mystery of Banking cover

    The Mystery of Banking

    by Murray Rothbard

    How fractional-reserve banking creates money, and why Rothbard argues it is inflation under another name.

  4. 4 Man, Economy, and State cover

    Man, Economy, and State

    by Murray Rothbard

    Rothbard rebuilds Mises step by step — prices, capital, and monopoly derived from individual exchange.

  5. 5 Human Action cover

    Human Action

    by Ludwig von Mises

    Mises derives all of economics from one axiom: people act to remove felt unease. The full system, and the school’s foundation.

Common questions

Where should a beginner start with Austrian economics?

Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt — one sitting, no math. Then Human Action by Mises for the full system.

Who publishes Austrian economics books?

Konsensus publishes and distributes Austrian-school titles and ships them as paperback or ebook across the EU and US.

Published and distributed by Konsensus. Every title ships as paperback or ebook across the EU and US.