Money : how the destruction of the dollar threatens the global economy--and what we can do about it

by Steve Forbes    (Get the Book)
Co-authors Forbes, chairman and editor in chief of Forbes Media, and Ames, a communications executive, previously collaborated on How Capitalism will Save Us and Freedom Manifesto. Here, they argue that the U.S. dollar needs to be strengthened by returning to a gold standard. The authors write that the current Federal Reserve policy based upon Keynesian economics weakens the dollar without stimulating the economy in any lasting manner. They propose to establish by law a set ratio between gold and the U.S. dollar to create a stable yardstick of value that will instill trust in the currency. Forbes and Ames argue that this will alleviate a host of ills including government overspending, inflation, high interest rates, crime, speculative trading, and a chaotic economy in general. They also include advice for investors trying to cope in the current economic environment. Clearly, this book is a partisan polemic in favor of putting the dollar back on the gold standard while discounting possible pitfalls of that action, but the authors write intelligibly for a general audience and make a persuasive case on the dangers of inflation and a weak currency. VERDICT While this work will certainly resonate with "gold bugs" and others suspicious of the Federal Reserve, it also offers thoughtful reading for anyone concerned about today's economic malaise. --Library Journal

The halo effect-- and the eight other business delusions that deceive managers

by Philip M. Rosenzweig    (Get the Book)
This tart takedown of fashionable management theories is a refreshing antidote to the glut of simplistic books about achieving high performance. Rosenzweig, a veteran business manager turned professor, argues that most popular business ideas are no more than soothing platitudes that promise easy success to harried managers. Consultants, journalists and other pundits tap scientifically suspect methods to produce what he calls "business delusions": deeply flawed and widely held assumptions tainted by the "halo effect," or the need to attribute sweeping positive qualities to any company that has achieved success. Following these delusions might provide managers with a comforting story that helps them frame their actions, but it also leads them to gross simplification and to ignore the constant demands of changing technologies, markets, customers and situations. Mega-selling books like Good to Great, Rosenzweig argues, are nothing more than comforting, highbrow business fables. Unfortunately, Rosenzweig hedges his own principles for success so much that managers will find little practical use for them. His argument about the complexity of sustained achievement, and his observation that success comes down to "shrewd strategy, superb execution and good luck," may end up limiting the market for this smart and spicy critique. --Publishers Weekly

20 retirement decisions you need to make right now

by Ray E. LeVitre     (Get the Book)
You're in Control of Your Retirement Future Inside are twenty major financial decisions that could profoundly impact your lifestyle over the next forty years. For many retirees, these decisions come as a surprise and must be made hastily without proper consultation. But by reading the expert, commission-free advice in this fully revised and updated edition, you'll learn how to manage your assets and prepare for the bestpossible retirement. - Do I have enough money to retire now? - How will I cover my medical expenses during retirement? - When should I begin taking Social Security? - How much should I invest in stocks, bonds, and cash? - What criteria should I use to identify the best investments? - Should I cancel my life insurance policy? - Should I pay off my mortgage at retirement? (Publisher)

Maximum success with Linkedin : dominate your market, build a global brand, and create the career of your dreams

by Dan Sherman     (Get the Book)
Leverage the power of the world's largest professional network for all your business purposes Maximum Success with LinkedIn revolutionizes the way busy professionals use LinkedIn. It isn't just about professional networking and job-seeking; it's a step-by-step guide to answering any professional challenge by harnessing the potential of LinkedIn. It explains how to use LinkedIn to: Find customers, partners, investors, or advisors Hire qualified employees Build a personal brand to draw customers and recruiters Attract opportunities for more work, media exposure, lucrative partnerships Increase your network with thousands of contacts with one simple technique Find and land the perfect job Develop business relationships The book includes access to online resources for regular updates. Dan Sherman is a full-time LinkedIn consultant, trainer, and speaker, who works with companies and individuals to help them maximize the potential of the world's largest professional network. He has more than twenty years of corporate marketing management experience at successful firms, ranging from Silicon Valley Internet startups to Fortune 500 companies. (Publisher Summary)

The reckoning : financial accountability and the rise and fall of nations

by Jacob Soll   (Get the Book)
Good bookkeeping makes for good government-but not for very long-according to this absorbing history of accounting in the public sphere. Historian and MacArthur fellow Soll (The Information Master) surveys public financial record keeping after the invention of double-entry accounting in 13th-century Tuscany, a breakthrough that made systematic analysis of profit and loss possible. The benefits for well-ordered, responsible government were felt wherever this innovation was embraced: medieval Italian city-states, 17th-century Holland, and 18th-century Britain all became economic and geopolitical powerhouses, he argues, thanks to well-kept government books. But his is even more a story of backsliding and failure, as corruption, spendthrift government, and factional intrigues perennially undermine the discipline of meticulous public accounting-and the state. Soll's engaging narrative highlights both the political impact of accounting practices-a public audit of Louis XVI's woeful state finances helped spark the French Revolution-and the advent of a "culture of accountability" as the bourgeois business classes rose to power; he explores the deep-seated religious and philosophical power of balanced-books metaphors in the West, from the Gospel of Matthew to Thoreau's championing of the simple life. The result is a provocative, illuminating take on history that assigns humdrum accountants a central and dramatic role. --Publishers Weekly