Necessary endings : the employees, businesses, and relationships that all of us have to give up in order to move forward

by Henry Cloud     (Get the Book)
Endings are not a tragedy to be first feared and later regretted but a necessary stage on the way to growth, says clinical psychologist and bestselling author of The One-Life Solution. Endings are a crucial way to get what we desire by shedding those things whose time has passed. The author addresses the benefits of concluding unsatisfying work or personal relationships, and he advises readers on diagnosing when the situation can be resuscitated or must be shut down. This "pruning" process can spark readers out of passivity or paralysis, getting them motivated and energized for change. With many examples of people moving on from untenable circumstances and through specific strategies for ending things well, Cloud advocates for powerful personal changes just in time for the New Year, and will give many readers the fresh start they crave. --Publishers Weekly

Exchange-traded funds for dummies

by Russell Wild      (Get the Book)

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have a strong foothold in the marketplace, because they are less volatile than individual stocks, cheaper than most mutual funds, and subject to minimal taxation. But how do you use this financial product to diversify your investments in today′s fast-growing and ever-changing market?Exchange-Traded Funds For Dummies shows you in plain English how to weigh your options and pick the exchange-traded fund that′s right for you. It tells you everything you need to know about building a lean, mean portfolio and optimizing your profits.  (Summary)

All the money in the world : what the happiest people know about getting and spending

by Laura Vanderkam       (Get the Book)
Money is a powerful, complicated thing, and our beliefs about it-and behavior around it-are muddled, says Vanderkam (168 Hours). To become more mindful about our choices, she writes, we should explore the link between money and happiness, and use money to optimize our well-being and the well-being of people we care about. We need to stop thinking about money as something evil or soulless, or as a point of competition with others. Vanderkam explores the ways in which thinking more cogently about money's role in our lives can bring us peace, and asks: if you had all the money in the world-not literally, but all you wanted-what would you change about your life? She walks readers through rethinking retirement, eschewing keeping up with the Joneses, filling time with favorite activities, giving to charities, and, overall, figuring out how to create the life they want. Vanderkam's gracious, levelheaded polemic will give readers some much-needed sanity around this difficult topic; as she observes: "If money can't buy happiness, perhaps we're not spending it right." --Publishers Weekly

A Link to Business Book Beach Reads

Keir Greff, writing for the Boooklist blog suggests 10 business books.
Is there such a thing as a business book for beach reading? If we define a beach read as a fast-moving narrative that allows us to lose ourselves in the story—and, for some of us, the kind of book we wouldn’t read during the rest of the year—then the answer is yes. These 10 titles from the last 10 years were chosen for their excellent narrative flow and widespread appeal.


http://www.booklistonline.com/Great-Reads-Business-Books-for-the-Beach-Keir-Graff/pid=5601697

Survival investing : how to prosper amid thieving banks and corrupt governments

by John R. Talbot        (Find the Book)
Talbott (Where America Went Wrong), a former investment banker for Goldman Sachs, was concerned about the financial crisis long before it happened. Currently running a small financial consulting company that advises individuals and families about their financial decisions and asset allocation, Talbott wants to warn readers about the perils of a corrupt, lobbyist-ridden system in which even economists don't understand what's going on. Stocks, bonds, and money markets won't cut it because of the danger of inflation. Instead, readers should invest in hard assets like gold and real estate. He doesn't trust Wall Street, has no hope for reform, and believes in regulation that doesn't seem to be coming. This slim but shrewd discussion of money and politics-and the deleterious effect the latter has on the former-is a provocative study of the dangers of impending runaway inflation. --Publishers Weekly