Reddit reviews Derrida: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

In my experience, thinkers like Derrida can really throw you for a loop on your first few tries. One professor described the process as being re-reading over and over until you figure out the questions they're asking, at which point you're ready to read them. For me, the thing that smooths out the process is secondary sources. They explain terms, themes and ideas, as well as contextualizing them in the thinkers larger context. Oxford Very Short Introductions are cheap, accessible, well-written, and have "For further reading" sections that will help you go deeper. I've got a growing collection of them, and it's generally my favorite place to start when trying to learn about something new. I'd also recommend John Caputo's Deconstruction in a Nutshell, which is a Q/A session with Derrida, followed by commentary by Caputo explaining Derrida's answers and pointing towards where in Derrida's work particular ideas and themes can be found.

This was helpful to me a few years ago. There is nothing wrong with referencing a scholar who has done the dirty work.
http://www.amazon.com/Derrida-Very-Short-Introduction-ebook/dp/B005WSNY3A

Never mind the one star rating post, this is infinitely more accessible than reading his text and figuring it out yourself.