In this Penguin eSpecial, The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to the Financial Crisis, is being written this very moment as the crisis continues to unfold. Part One in this ongoing series, How We Got Here, is available to you now exclusively in electronic format. Part One begins with a chapter titled “What the Crisis Means for You Right Now” that offers practical ideas, strategies, and advice that you can use to prepare for and respond to the changing economic environment. Part One also features chapters about the housing bubble, the credit crunch, and the ensuing financial bailouts.

The author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to the Financial Crisis will continue to cover America’s evolving financial and economic turmoil in the coming months, so stay tuned for future installments to the series. This ground breaking format combines timely reporting with deeper analysis and a broader perspective than can be found in the newspaper or on the radio, TV, and Internet. And because it’s a Complete Idiot’s Guide®, the content is explained in an objective, authoritative, and easy-to-understand manner.