Book picks similar to
The Devil's Financial Dictionary by Jason Zweig
finance
investing
business
economics
The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The U.S. Standard of Living Since the Civil War
Robert J. Gordon - 2016
Electric lighting, indoor plumbing, motor vehicles, air travel, and television transformed households and workplaces. But has that era of unprecedented growth come to an end? Weaving together a vivid narrative, historical anecdotes, and economic analysis, The Rise and Fall of American Growth challenges the view that economic growth will continue unabated, and demonstrates that the life-altering scale of innovations between 1870 and 1970 cannot be repeated. Gordon contends that the nation's productivity growth will be further held back by the headwinds of rising inequality, stagnating education, an aging population, and the rising debt of college students and the federal government, and that we must find new solutions. A critical voice in the most pressing debates of our time, The Rise and Fall of American Growth is at once a tribute to a century of radical change and a harbinger of tougher times to come.
The Value of Everything: Making and Taking in the Global Economy
Mariana Mazzucato - 2018
This must change to insure a capitalism that works for us all.In this scathing indictment of our current global financial system, The Value of Everything rigorously scrutinizes the way in which economic value has been determined and reveals how the difference between value creation and value extraction has become increasingly blurry. Mariana Mazzucato argues that this blurriness allowed certain actors in the economy to portray themselves as value creators, while in reality they were just moving existing value around or, even worse, destroying it.The book uses case studies - from Silicon Valley to the financial sector to big pharma - to show how the foggy notions of value create confusion between rents and profits, a difference that distorts the measurements of growth and GDP.The lesson here is urgent and sobering: to rescue our economy from the next, inevitable crisis and to foster long-term economic growth, we will need to rethink capitalism, rethink the role of public policy and the importance of the public sector, and redefine how we measure value in our society.
Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything, 1966-2012
Carol J. Loomis - 2011
As Buffett’s fortune and reputation grew over time, Loomis used her unique insight into Buffett’s thinking to chronicle his work for Fortune, writing and proposing scores of stories that tracked his many accomplishments—and also his occasional mistakes. Now Loomis has collected and updated the best Buffett articles Fortune published between 1966 and 2012, including thirteen cover stories and a dozen pieces authored by Buffett himself. Loomis has provided commentary about each major article that supplies context and her own informed point of view. Readers will gain fresh insights into Buffett’s investment strategies and his thinking on management, philanthropy, public policy, and even parenting. Some of the highlights include:The 1966 A. W. Jones story in which Fortune first mentioned Buffett. The first piece Buffett wrote for the magazine, 1977’s “How Inf lation Swindles the Equity Investor.” Andrew Tobias’s 1983 article “Letters from Chairman Buffett,” the first review of his Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letters. Buffett’s stunningly prescient 2003 piece about derivatives, “Avoiding a Mega-Catastrophe.” His unconventional thoughts on inheritance and philanthropy, including his intention to leave his kids “enough money so they would feel they could do anything, but not so much that they could do nothing.” Bill Gates’s 1996 article describing his early impressions of Buffett as they struck up their close friendship. Scores of Buffett books have been written, but none can claim this work’s combination of trust between two friends, the writer’s deep understanding of Buffett’s world, and a very long-term perspective.
The Great Depression: A Diary
Benjamin Roth - 2009
Book by Roth, Benjamin
The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage
Daymond John - 2016
With no funding and a $40 budget, Daymond had to come up with out-of-the box ways to promote his products. Luckily, desperation breeds innovation, and so he hatched an idea for a creative campaign that eventually launched the FUBU brand into a $6 billion dollar global phenomenon. But it might not have happened if he hadn’t started out broke - with nothing but a heart full of hope and a ferocious drive to succeed by any means possible. Here, the FUBU founder and star of ABC’s Shark Tank shows that, far from being a liability, broke can actually be your greatest competitive advantage as an entrepreneur. Why? Because starting a business from broke forces you to think more creatively. It forces you to use your resources more efficiently. It forces you to connect with your customers more authentically, and market your ideas more imaginatively. It forces you to be true to yourself, stay laser focused on your goals, and come up with those innovative solutions required to make a meaningful mark. Drawing his own experiences as an entrepreneur and branding consultant, peeks behind-the scenes from the set of Shark Tank, and stories of dozens of other entrepreneurs who have hustled their way to wealth, John shows how we can all leverage the power of broke to phenomenal success. You’ll meet: · Steve Aoki, the electronic dance music (EDM) deejay who managed to parlay a series of $100 gigs into becoming a global superstar who has redefined the music industry · Gigi Butler, a cleaning lady from Nashville who built cupcake empire on the back of a family recipe, her maxed out credit cards, and a heaping dose of faith · 11-year old Shark Tank guest Mo Bridges who stitched together a winning clothing line with just his grandma’s sewing machine, a stash of loose fabric, and his unique sartorial flairWhen your back is up against the wall, your bank account is empty, and creativity and passion are the only resources you can afford, success is your only option. Here you’ll learn how to tap into that Power of Broke to scrape, hustle, and dream your way to the top.From the Hardcover edition.
Human Action: A Treatise on Economics
Ludwig von Mises - 1940
Although governments may presume to set "prices," it is individuals who, by their actions and choices through competitive bidding for money, products, and services, actually determine "prices". Thus, Mises presents economics—not as a study of material goods, services, and products—but as a study of human actions. He sees the science of human action, praxeology, as a science of reason and logic, which recognizes a regularity in the sequence and interrelationships among market phenomena. Mises defends the methodology of praxeology against the criticisms of Marxists, socialists, positivists, and mathematical statisticians.Mises attributes the tremendous technological progress and the consequent increase in wealth and general welfare in the last two centuries to the introduction of liberal government policies based on free-market economic teachings, creating an economic and political environment which permits individuals to pursue their respective goals in freedom and peace. Mises also explains the futility and counter-productiveness of government attempts to regulate, control, and equalize all people's circumstances: "Men are born unequal and ... it is precisely their inequality that generates social cooperation and civilization."Ludwig von Mises (1881–1973) was the leading spokesman of the Austrian School of Economics throughout most of the twentieth century. He earned his doctorate in law and economics from the University of Vienna in 1906. In 1926, Mises founded the Austrian Institute for Business Cycle Research. From 1909 to 1934, he was an economist for the Vienna Chamber of Commerce. Before the Anschluss, in 1934 Mises left for Geneva, where he was a professor at the Graduate Institute of International Studies until 1940, when he emigrated to New York City. From 1948 to 1969, he was a visiting professor at New York University.Bettina Bien Greaves is a former resident scholar, trustee, and longtime staff member of the Foundation for Economic Education. She has written and lectured extensively on topics of free market economics. Her articles have appeared in such journals as Human Events, Reason, and The Freeman: Ideas on Liberty. A student of Mises, Greaves has become an expert on his work in particular and that of the Austrian School of economics in general. She has translated several Mises monographs, compiled an annotated bibliography of his work, and edited collections of papers by Mises and other members of the Austrian School.
Unconventional Success: A Fundamental Approach to Personal Investment
David F. Swensen - 2005
Swensen offers incontrovertible evidence that the for-profit mutual fund industry consistently fails the average investor. From excessive management fees to the frequent "churning" of portfolios, the relentless pursuit of profits by mutual fund management companies harms individual clients. Perhaps most destructive of all are the hidden schemes that limit investor choice and reduce returns, including "pay-to-play" product-placement fees, stale-price trading scams, soft-dollar kickbacks, and 12b-1 distribution charges. Even if investors manage to emerge unscathed from an encounter with the profit-seeking mutual fund industry, individuals face the likelihood of self-inflicted pain. The common practice of selling losers and buying winners (and doing both too often) damages portfolio returns and increases tax liabilities, delivering a one-two punch to investor aspirations. In short: Nearly insurmountable hurdles confront ordinary investors. Swensen's solution? A contrarian investment alternative that promotes well-diversified, equity-oriented, "market-mimicking" portfolios that reward investors who exhibit the courage to stay the course. Swensen suggests implementing his nonconformist proposal with investor-friendly, not-for-profit investment companies such as Vanguard and TIAA-CREF. By avoiding actively managed funds and employing client-oriented mutual fund managers, investors create the preconditions for investment success. Bottom line? Unconventional Success provides the guidance and financial know-how for improving the personal investor's financial future.
The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance
Ron Chernow - 1990
Acclaimed by The Wall Street Journal as "brilliantly researched and written," the book tells the rich, panoramic story of four generations of Morgans and the powerful, secretive firms they spawned. It is the definitive account of the rise of the modern financial world. A gripping history of banking and the booms and busts that shaped the world on both sides of the Atlantic, The House of Morgan traces the trajectory of the J. P. Morgan empire from its obscure beginnings in Victorian London to the crash of 1987. Ron Chernow paints a fascinating portrait of the private saga of the Morgans and the rarefied world of the American and British elite in which they moved. Based on extensive interviews and access to the family and business archives, The House of Morgan is an investigative masterpiece, a compelling account of a remarkable institution and the men who ran it, and an essential book for understanding the money and power behind the major historical events of the last 150 years.
Wealthing Like Rabbits: An Original and Occasionally Hilarious Introduction to the World of Personal Finance
Robert R. Brown - 2014
With personal savings lower than ever before and household debt going through the roof, many people are in dire need of financial advice. But can a book that includes sex, zombies, and Star Trek really help? You might be surprised. Wealthing Like Rabbits is a sharp, entertaining guide to personal finance that proves sound money management doesn't have to be painful and neither does learning about it. Combining a unique blend of humour and perspective with common sense, Robert R. Brown takes you through the basics of financial planning by using anecdotes and pop culture to shed light on some of the most important, yet often mismanaged aspects of personal finance. Covering subjects ranging from retirement savings and mortgages to credit cards and debt, this book will help you balance your life goals with your financial responsibilities. Wealthing Like Rabbits is a smart, accessible, never-boring romp through personal finance that you will count as one of your best investments ever. Visit the website at www.wealthinglikerabbits.com
The Book on Rental Property Investing: How to Create Wealth With Intelligent Buy and Hold Real Estate Investing
Brandon Turner - 2020
With nearly 400 pages of in-depth advice, The Book on Rental Property Investing imparts practical and exciting strategies that investors across the world are using to build significant cash flow with rental properties.Brandon Turner―active real estate investor, bestselling author, and co-host of the BiggerPockets Podcast―has one goal in mind: to help you find success and avoid the junk that pulls down so many wannabes. New and experienced investors alike will learn how to build an achievable plan, find incredible deals, analyze properties, build a team, finance rentals, and much more―everything you need to become a millionaire rental property investor.Inside, you’ll discover:- Why many real estate investors fail, and how you can ensure you don’t!- Four unique, easy-to-follow strategies you can begin implementing today- Creative tips for finding incredible deals―even in competitive markets- How to achieve success without touching a toilet, paintbrush, or broom- Actionable ideas for financing rentals, no matter how much cash you have- Advice on keeping your wealth by deferring (and eliminating) taxes- And so much more!
The New Empire of Debt
William Bonner - 2009
Along the way, Bonner and Wiggin cast a wide angle lens that looks back in history and ahead to the coming century: showing how dramatic changes in the economic power of the United States will inevitably impact every American.Reveals the financial realities the United States currently faces and what the ultimate outcome may be Weaves together the worlds of politics, economics, and personal finance in a way that underscores the severity of the situation Addresses the events leading up to the implosion of the U.S. financial system Looks ahead to help you avoid the pitfalls presented by a weaker United States Other titles by Bonner: Empire of Debt, Financial Reckoning Day, and Mobs, Messiahs, and MarketsOther titles by Wiggin: I.O.U.S.A., Demise of the Dollar, and Financial Reckoning DayThe United States is heading down a difficult path. The New Empire of Debt clearly shows how this has happened and discusses what you can do to overcome the financial challenges that will arise as the situation deteriorates.
Digital Gold: Bitcoin and the Inside Story of the Misfits and Millionaires Trying to Reinvent Money
Nathaniel Popper - 2015
Believers from Beijing to Buenos Aires see the potential for a financial system free from banks and governments. More than just a tech industry fad, Bitcoin has threatened to decentralize some of society’s most basic institutions.An unusual tale of group invention, Digital Gold charts the rise of the Bitcoin technology through the eyes of the movement’s colorful central characters, including an Argentinian millionaire, a Chinese entrepreneur, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, and Bitcoin’s elusive creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Already, Bitcoin has led to untold riches for some, and prison terms for others.
The Rise and Fall of Nations: Forces of Change in the Post-Crisis World
Ruchir Sharma - 2016
Narrowing the thousands of factors that can shape a country’s fortunes to ten clear rules, Sharma explains how to spot political, economic, and social changes in real time. He shows how to read political headlines, black markets, the price of onions, and billionaire rankings as signals of booms, busts, and protests. Set in a post-crisis age that has turned the world upside down, replacing fast growth with slow growth and political calm with revolt, Sharma’s pioneering book is an entertaining field guide to understanding change in this era or any era.A Library Journal Best Book of 2016
Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett: The Winning Strategy to Help You Achieve Your Financial and Life Goals
Larry E. Swedroe - 2012
If you planned to become a great golfer, you might look to Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus.So, if your goals are to outperform other investors and achieve your life's financial goals, what should you do?Think, act, and invest like the best investor out there: Warren Buffett. While you can't invest exactly like he does, Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett provides a solid, sensible investing approach based on Buffett's advice regarding investment strategies.When it comes to investing, Director of Research for the BAM Alliance and CBS News blogger Larry Swedroe has pretty much seen it all--and he's come to the conclusion that simple is better, that adopting basic investing principles always increases an investor's chance of success, and that Buffett is an excellent model for such investing.In Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett, Swedroe provides the foundational knowledge you need to:Develop a financial plan to help you make rational decisions on a consistent basisDetermine the level of risk that's right for you, and allocate your assets accordinglyBuild a low-cost, tax-efficient, globally diversified portfolioManage your portfolio by rebalancing periodically to maintain proper risk levelsThe beauty of the Buffett approach is its profound simplicity: follow the basics, keep your cool, and have a sense of humor and humility.The market volatility of recent years has ushered in armies of economists, forecasters, and other so-called experts whose job it is to explain how everything works. Somehow, they have managed to muddy the waters even more.The truth is, investing is easier than you think--even in today's economy. Complex problems can have simple solutions, Swedroe writes. Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett helps you go back to the basics--so you can leap in front of the investing pack.Praise for Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett A valuable addition to the growing library of books for investors wanting to successfully launch their own portfolio. Sticking to the core principles of this book will go a long way in preparing investors for their eventual retirement years. -- SeekingAlpha.com"A book that offers excellent pointers on planning for retirement, creating a disciplined investment strategy, and constructing a portfolio." -- Barron'sIf you've been wondering why you've had such a hard time investing well, Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett will diagnose your ills and treat them in this delightful short book. -- William Bernstein, Author, A Splendid Exchange and The Investor's ManifestoFollow the investment strategy advocated by Larry Swedroe, and free yourself to spend your time on life's treasures--like your family and friends! -- William Reichenstein, Professor, Baylor UniversityLarry Swedroe is the undisputed expert in helping investors manage portfolios the smart way. His new book, Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett, combines all facets of wealth management in an inspiring and powerful manner. -- Bill Schultheis, Author, The New Coffeehouse Investor"This book, which covers the whys and hows of successful investing, was written for those investors who just can't (or won't) read a 300-page investing book. Swedroe's set of 30 rules is an education in itself. It's a small book with a big message." -- Mel Lindauer, Forbes.com columnist and co-author, The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing and The Bogleheads' Guide to Retirement Planning"You could not spend a more profitable hour than reading Larry Swedroe's wise and lucid hundred page investment guide." -- Burton G. Malkiel, Author of A Random Walk Down Wall Street"Larry Swedroe is the Mark Twain of the investment aphorism. This concise book builds to a conclusion that features thirty of his pithy truths. My favorites include: 'Never work with a commission-based advisor.' 'If it sounds too good to be true, it is.' 'The more complex the investment, the faster you should run away.'" -- Ed Tower, Professor of Economics at Duke University"Larry's book is about how to be successful in investing and in life. But, who would believe this involves understanding 'Big Rocks'? I now understand their importance and so should you! -- John A. Haslem, Professor Emeritus of Finance, University of Maryland, and author of Mutual Funds"Larry Swedroe's latest book shows you how to succeed at investing with simple yet powerful guidance that's backed by the financial sciences. Add it to your 'must-read' list." -- Steve Vernon, author of Money for Life: Turn Your IRA and 401(k) Into a Lifetime Retirement Paycheck"This book is a quick and thorough read of the passive approach to investing in as few pages as possible. As someone who teaches a college investments course that deals extensively with this topic, I would not have thought it possible to do what he has done in such a short concise book. Kudos to Larry for continuing in his quest to educate investors and save them as Larry says 'one investor at a time' from a financial services industry whose primary goal is largely to enrich themselves." -- Edward R. Wolfe, Professor of Finance, Western Kentucky University"Because common sense isn't so common, thank goodness Larry Swedroe provides his readers with this magnificent book. With well-founded actionable advice, his readers can insure that they enrich their lives not Wall Street's bank accounts." -- Harold Evensky, President, Evensky & Katz"Larry doesn't tell you how to do what Warren Buffett does as much as avoid what Warren Buffett avoids, which turns out to be exceptionally important and doable for any investor. He tells you to avoid a few things I would tell you to embrace, like some hedged strategies, but that is because Wall Street typically overcharges you for these, so even here Larry is on the side of the angels. Every investor can benefit immensely from this book." -- Cliff Asness, Founding and Managing Principal, AQR Capital ManagementMany investment books adopt an adversarial tone--urging us to achieve success by somehow outwitting the market. Larry Swedroe explains why following such a strategy often diminishes our financial as well as our spiritual wealth--and shows us how a holistic approach to money, markets, and human behavior provides the most rewarding path to follow. -- Weston Wellington, Vice President, Dimensio