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Business & Economics

Explore the ways that money makes the world go 'round in these Business and Economics selections. Ranging from wealth-building self-help advice to philosophical critiques of capitalism, the titles in this Collection explore the role of money and wealth in society and the systems that drive global economies.

Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Natural World: Environment, Society: ColonialismTags History: World, Science / Nature, Anthropology, History: U.S., Anthropology, Business / Economics

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Sociology, Social Science, Business / Economics, History: World, Social Justice, Poverty, Politics / Government

Published in 2015, $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America is a nonfiction investigation into how a new form of virtually cashless poverty emerged in the United States. Authors Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer are both academics with extensive experience researching poverty, but it is only in recent years that they have come across households with almost no cash income at all. There are now 1.5 million families with children in... Read $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America Summary


Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: CommunityTags Politics / Government, Business / Economics, Education, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Leadership/Organization/Management, Military / War, Poverty, Social Justice, Sociology, Technology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Economics, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: GlobalizationTags Business / Economics, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Anthropology, Social Justice, Education, Education, Anthropology, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy

Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Natural World: EnvironmentTags Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government

Affluenza seeks to diagnose and treat the disease of overconsumption that its three authors, John de Graaf, David Wann and Thomas H. Naylor, believe to be a serious threat to both the human species and the rest of the planet. Accordingly, the book is divided into three main parts: a discussion of the symptoms of affluenza, an analysis of its causes, and suggestions for some possible cures.In Part 1, the authors offer a broad overview... Read Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic Summary


Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Politics / Government, Education, Education, History: U.S., Business / Economics, History: World

Michael McGerr’s 2003 nonfiction book, A Fierce Discontent: The Rise and Fall of the Progressive Movement in America, 1870-1920, is titled after a phenomenon President Theodore Roosevelt observed in the early 20th century. The book’s epigraph quotes President Roosevelt in 1906:  So far as this movement of agitation throughout the country takes the form of a fierce discontent with evil, of a firm determination to punish the authors of evil, whether in industry or politics... Read A Fierce Discontent: The Rise and Fall of the Progressive Movement in America, 1870-1920 Summary


Publication year 2024Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: WarTags Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government, History: World

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Natural World: Environment, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: CommunityTags Business / Economics, History: World, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Education, Education, Science / Nature

A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things: A Guide to Capitalism, Nature, and the Future of the Planet (2017) is a nonfiction book written by Raj Patel, a political economist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and Jason W. Moore, an environmental historian and associate professor at Binghamton University. The authors’ expertise in political economy and environmental history provides a unique perspective on the interconnected nature of capitalism and ecological... Read A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things: A Guide to Capitalism, Nature, and the Future of the Planet Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: EconomicsTags Science / Nature, Technology, Business / Economics, Technology, History: World, Chinese Literature, Politics / Government

Publication year 1992Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Arts / Culture, Business / Economics, Philosophy, Military / War, Class, Depression / Suicide, Education, Science / Nature, Sports, Technology, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Biography

Publication year 2006Genre Novel, FictionTags Military / War, Business / Economics, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction

Elbert Hubbard’s essay “A Message to Garcia” tells of the heroic journey of an Army soldier who must deliver a letter to a freedom fighter, and of the need for a similar spirit of determination in the workplace. The work first appeared as a magazine article in 1899 and became a pamphlet and book that reached millions of readers. “Carry a message to Garcia” (3) was a commonly used phrase in America during the first... Read A Message to Garcia Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Health / Medicine, Business / Economics, History: U.S., Science / Nature, History: World, Politics / Government

An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back is physician and journalist Elisabeth Rosenthal’s overview and critique of the American healthcare system. It was initially published in April 2017, arriving during a time in which healthcare reform became a prominent cornerstone of both Democratic and Republican political campaigns. The book offers a mixture of testimonials from a myriad of people impacted by the health industry, including medical professionals... Read An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back Summary


Publication year 1974Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Society: CommunityTags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Sociology, History: World, Business / Economics, Philosophy

Publication year 1999Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: EconomicsTags Business / Economics, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World, Biography

Harold Livesay’s 1975 biography, Andrew Carnegie and the Rise of Big Business, follows the life of entrepreneur Andrew Carnegie as he builds one of the biggest manufacturing companies in 19th-century America. As Livesay narrates Carnegie’s life, he also describes the many societal shifts occurring throughout the 19th century, during which life in America and around the globe transitioned to a modern, industrial society.In the opening chapters, Livesay focuses on Carnegie’s humble beginnings. Carnegie is born... Read Andrew Carnegie and the Rise of Big Business Summary


Publication year 1957Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Education, Education, Social Science, Philosophy

Publication year 1999Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: EconomicsTags Business / Economics, Philosophy, Sociology, Age of Enlightenment, Poverty, Food, Science / Nature, Class, History: European, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

An Essay on the Principle of Population by Thomas Malthus was first published anonymously in 1798. Its core argument, that human population will inevitably outgrow its capacity to produce food, widely influenced the field of early 19th century economics and social science. Immediately after its first printing, Malthus’s essay garnered significant attention from his contemporaries, and he soon felt the need to reveal his identity. Although it was highly controversial, An Essay on the Principle... Read An Essay on the Principle of Population Summary


Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: NationTags Philosophy, Business / Economics, Psychology, Science / Nature, Finance / Money / Wealth, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help

Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionTags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Sociology, Social Justice, Gender / Feminism, Business / Economics, Inspirational, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Politics / Government

A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity is a nonfiction book published in 2014 by the husband-and-wife team of Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. The book speaks to altruism and how people can do something to promote more opportunities for others around the world. The authors declare, “We wrote this book mostly to encourage others—rich and poor alike—to join in this push to improve the world” (16). They promote three ways of doing so:... Read A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: PlaceTags Satire, Humor, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Business / Economics, American Literature, Reconstruction Era, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Apex Hides the Hurt, a 2006 novel by American author Colson Whitehead, follows a nameless, emotionally muted nomenclature consultant, or an expert in creating brand names. The novel toggles between the protagonist’s memories of success at his company, and his current consulting assignment—renaming a town. The novel satirizes contemporary American consumer culture and features themes of race and identity. Whitehead uses humor and revelation as key narrative techniques in this story about a man who... Read Apex Hides the Hurt Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, History: World, Finance / Money / Wealth, Self Help

Publication year 1984Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Anthropology, Education, Education, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Social Science, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Arts / Culture

Argonauts of the Western Pacific: An Account of Native Enterprise and Adventure in the Archipelagoes of Melanesian New Guinea (1922) is an ethnological monograph by Bronislaw Malinowski, a leading anthropologist of his time. It concerns his research in what was then called “Melanesian New Guinea,” which is today known as the Kiriwana island chain, northeast of New Guinea. The work focuses on the trade, magic, and cultural traditions of the Trobriand people on the archipelago... Read Argonauts of the Western Pacific Summary


Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Natural World: EnvironmentTags Sociology, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

This study guide refers to the 2004 House of Anansi edition of Ronald Wright’s A Short History of Progress. The book is a printed version of five Massey Lectures that Wright delivered in Canada in 2004. Wright is a Canadian author of historical fiction and non-fiction with a background in archaeology, anthropology, and linguistics. This lecture series uses Wright’s unique set of skills as a storyteller and student of history to provide a sweeping and... Read A Short History of Progress Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Business / Economics

Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Philosophy, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

American philosopher John Rawls (1921-2002) published A Theory of Justice in 1971, and the work has become a foundational text in 20th-century political philosophy. A Theory of Justice argues in support of Rawls’s theory of justice-as-fairness, which is based on basic equal rights, equal opportunity, and helping those least advantaged in society. This approach, based on morality and ethics, is presented as an alternative to the theory of utilitarianism, in which the ends justify the... Read A Theory of Justice Summary


Publication year 1999Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Philosophy, Politics / Government

The novel Atlas Shrugged (1957) was written by Russian American author Ayn Rand. Widely considered to be the author’s magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged is a divisive text that has remained popular in the public consciousness despite harsh criticism from academics and philosophers across the political spectrum. Set in a dystopian US wherein the collectivist government bureaucracy has a stranglehold on industry, the narrative follows protagonist Dagny Taggart as she fights to defend her family’s transcontinental... Read Atlas Shrugged Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: EducationTags Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine

James Clear’s Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones is a guide to adopting good behaviors through incremental changes to your everyday routines. Avery first published the book in 2018, and this guide refers to the ebook edition. The book has unique pagination, with the page numbers beginning again at the start of each new chapter. Clear likely numbered his book this way because of his emphasis... Read Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: RaceTags Technology, Politics / Government, Sociology, Science / Nature, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Poverty, Class, History: U.S., Technology, Business / Economics, History: World

Publication year 2006Genre Book, NonfictionTags Sociology, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Arts / Culture

Daniel H. Pink’s A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, released in 2005, considers and challenges society’s history of valuing left-brained attributes over creative and empathic right-brained thinkers. Pink, an author of several books on business and human behavior, argues that the age of left-brain supremacy is over, making way for whole-minded thinkers who will define and thrive within the coming Conceptual Age. Pink offers six essential whole-minded aptitudes that are key... Read A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Politics & Government, Society: GlobalizationTags Politics / Government, History: World, Education, Education, Military / War, American Literature, Business / Economics

A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order is a nonfiction book by Richard Haass, published in 2017, that deals with foreign relations from an American perspective. Haass is a longtime diplomat who served several administrations from the 1980s to the 2000s. He was a special assistant to President George H. W. Bush, and as an official in the State Department, he was a close advisor to Colin Powell... Read A World in Disarray: American Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Old Order Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionTags Crime / Legal, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, Journalism, Business / Economics, History: World, Biography

One of the great corporate frauds of the 21st century, the Theranos blood-test scam, is brought to light in the award-winning bestseller Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, published in 2018 and updated in 2020. Author John Carreyrou, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and bureau chief at The Wall Street Journal, brings his years of experience to the case against tech startup Theranos and its spellbinding CEO, Elizabeth Holmes. The Vintage Books... Read Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup Summary


Publication year 1983Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: ClassTags Magical Realism, Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Business / Economics, Class, Latin American Literature, Post Modernism

Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Teams, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Business / Economics, Finance / Money / Wealth, Leadership/Organization/Management, Journalism, History: World, Biography

Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Psychology, Philosophy, Relationships, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help

Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error (2010) is a nonfiction book written by Kathryn Schulz, a journalist who has written for publications such as the New York Times Magazine, the Nation, and the Boston Globe. The book explores the nature of error from a psychological, philosophical, and personal point of view, drawing from philosophical thought, psychology studies, and personal anecdotes. Some themes of the book include the fallibility of the human mind, the... Read Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error Summary


Publication year 2004Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags History: U.S., American Revolution, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, History: World, Biography

Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionTags Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Business / Economics

Harvard-educated Dr. Atul Gawande is a staff writer for The New Yorker, a surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and founder of two nonprofits aimed at innovating surgical practices around the world. He wrote Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance to explore the attributes that make a good doctor. Published in 2007 as a follow-up to his 2002 National Book Award Finalist Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science, Better explores “how situations of... Read Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: GratitudeTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Arts / Culture, Inspirational, Psychology

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear (2015) is a self-help guide by author and journalist Elizabeth Gilbert. This New York Times bestseller outlines six elements of creativity: courage, permission, enchantment, persistence, trust, and divinity. Gilbert uses anecdotes from her life and writing career, as well as the work of others, to explain these concepts, and presents her views and philosophical musings about creativity and inspiration. The work explores themes such as The Importance of Play... Read Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: GenderTags Psychology, Race / Racism, Science / Nature, Social Justice, Sociology, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 2011Genre Novel, FictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Politics / Government, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Business / Economics, Action / Adventure

Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: EnvironmentTags Journalism, Russian Literature, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, History: World, Politics / Government

In Blowout, TV host and political commentator Rachel Maddow interconnects a series of global events, all woven together by one common thread: the oil and gas industry. Through the various vignettes, Maddow offers readers a book that is part rallying cry, part exposé, part investigative journalism. Blowout sheds light on forgotten, buried news stories that have been swallowed up and dissolved into the status quo. From the opening anecdote about a Russian gas station opening... Read Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Business / Economics, Journalism, Politics / Government

Publication year 2004Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Finance / Money / Wealth

Publication year 1993Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: EnvironmentTags Climate Change, History: U.S., Science / Nature, Business / Economics, History: World, Western, Politics / Government

Originally published in 1986, Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner illustrates how precarious the American West’s water supply is. This reality was something few people, including Westerners, realized at the time. The book was listed as one of the Modern Library’s 100 Best Non-Fiction Books of the 20th century and was nominated for a National Book Critics’ Circle Award. It was also made into a PBS documentary. There is... Read Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water Summary


Publication year 2004Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: EconomicsTags Gender / Feminism, History: World, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Business / Economics, Sociology, Philosophy

Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Inspirational, Military / War, Business / Economics, History: World, Biography, Politics / Government

Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: CommunityTags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2002Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: GlobalizationTags Business / Economics, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

First published in 1962, Capitalism and Freedom is a nonfiction book about economics, politics, and government. Author Milton Friedman advocates a classical-liberal approach to economic policy in the United States, one that promotes individual freedom by allowing the free market to function as effectively as possible.Friedman wrote Capitalism and Freedom while he was an economics scholar at the University of Chicago. He opens the book with a quote by President John F. Kennedy: “Ask not... Read Capitalism and Freedom Summary


Publication year 1942Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags Business / Economics, Sociology, Politics / Government, Philosophy

Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy is a work of economics and political theory by Austrian born economist Joseph A. Schumpeter, originally published in 1942. Schumpeter argues that capitalism, where private, for-profit ownership controls a nation’s industry, will be eventually replaced by socialism, an economic system based on the public, state ownership of industry. However, he disagrees with German philosopher Karl Marx. Unlike Marx, Schumpeter does not believe the shift to socialism will come about due to... Read Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy Summary