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by Carrie Schwab-Pomeranz (Get the Book)
Building off her popular "Ask Carrie" column, Schwab-Pomerantz (president, Charles Schwab Fdn., senior vice president, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.; coauthor, It Pays To Talk) presents her latest book as a collection of answers to the most important questions for those who may be near retirement or thinking about it. After introducing her "Top Ten Recommendations for Every Age" on how to become and remain financially fit, she addresses everything from planning for retirement to encouraging financial independence in children and other family members. Her style is conversational and open-minded, a necessity with such a delicate subject. The advice is sound, not groundbreaking, but readers will appreciate the Q&A format that will allow them to skip to the most relevant points as needed. VERDICT The title of the book should not dissuade younger readers from picking up this volume as it includes invaluable guidance on many personal finance topics that affect those under 50, including saving for college, paying off debt, and preparing for the golden years. --Library Journal
by James W. Russell (Get the Book)
This is the story of how one individual fought bureaucracy and won. Along the way, Russell (Double Standard: Social Policy in Europe and the U.S., 2010) educates us about the fallacies inherent in our three-legged retirement system of Social Security, personal savings, and the employer pension 401(k) system. Although most of his battle is with the pension (defined benefit or DB) plan in the state of Connecticut, he manages to give readers an eyeful (and earful, if you can hear his insistence) about Social Security and the issues with personal investing not only in the U.S. but also in Chile, the UK, and other countries. His homework is impressive. He's researched the opinions of the World Bank, countless politicos and U.S. presidents, and conservative think tanks, as well as the outliers, such as the Cato Institute and Peter Orszag. Meanwhile, he also demystifies the pundits: Social Security will not go broke; 401(k)s do not offer a higher rate of return; and defined contribution plans (such as 401(k)s) are cheaper for employees and employers. His campaign is truly a case history to be emulated, one that requires much patience and time. --Booklist
by Tom Hopkins (Get the Book)
Every no means something different in sales. And rather than relying on a rote way of teaching how to break through these obstacles, experts Hopkins (author of How to Master the Art of Selling, 1980) and Katt show readers through examples. Their process is named the circle of persuasion, which starts and ends with traditional steps, from establishing rapport to closing the sale. What makes the program work is the authors' intense attention to detail as well as two conversation-filled case histories that mirror the content in each chapter. Here, salesperson Kate focuses on business sales; Bob, on residential. Emphasizing that a no doesn't signify a personal rejection, Hopkins and Katt pound away on the fundamental skills every good salesperson should acquire, such as listening, going beyond surface rapport, relaxing (a key attribute when the close is near), and negotiating. Selling well is not an easy subject to teach on the printed page; both authors will earn readers' respect for doing just that. --Booklist
by Miki Agrawal (Get the Book)
Agrawal, who founded New York City's farm-to-table pizzeria Slice at age 25, presents a unique approach to happiness and fulfillment: "doing cool shH t." Her success story is likely to lure potential readers: she's now partnering with Zappos.com founder Tony Hsieh (who contributes the book's foreword) to open Slice: Las Vegas. Offering a combination of vivid stories with action-able advice, Agrawal helps readers define and achieve their personalized versions of success. A cornerstone of her advice centers on mutually beneficial experiences. She encourages the evaluation of all relationships through a mutually beneficial lens and then prompts action, whether it means asking for change or moving on. Throughout, she challenges the reader to continually ask questions and to assess using her "BET" (bullet, eliminate, and take on) system, which consists of creating a segmented list of commitments, affiliations, and people. The result: eliminating the unworthy, nurturing the useful, and initiating new activities that conform with personal goals. Simple yet powerful, Agrawal's process liberates readers from conventional thinking and restrictions, freeing them to pursue their passions and make a living at the same time. --Publishers Weekly
by Jordan Belfort (Get the Book)
Belfort's memoir (his recollection of events with some changed names and reconstructed dialogue) was written after serving almost two years in prison for securities fraud. The author recounts his meteoric rise on Wall Street, where he built one of the largest brokerage firms by age 27. He reflects upon his remarkable journey, explaining his core skill of training salesmen, especially stupid or naive young people, showing them how they can become rich. This is the story of a scam artist who enjoyed a lifestyle of parties, hookers, and drug dealing until the FBI took him away in handcuffs at age 36. It tells of his cooperation with the government and his life as an informant. In recounting what he acknowledges was his dysfunctional life, his apparent devotion to his children is a bright light. This sordid saga will either become popular as a cautionary tale of greed and treachery or it will become romanticized as glamorous excess and celebrity. --Booklist
by Edwin E. Catmull (Get the Book)
Finding Nemo. Toy Story. The Incredibles. These wildly successful, award-winning films are all part of the outstanding canon Pixar Animation Studios has produced since its inception in 1986. Pixar co-founder and president Catmull takes us inside the company and its evolution from unprofitable hardware company to creative powerhouse. Along the way, he addresses the challenge of building an effective and enduring creative culture. Punctuated with surprising tales of how the company's films were developed and the company's financial struggles, Catmull shares insights about harnessing talent, creating teams, protecting the creative process, candid communications, organizational structures, alignment, and the importance of storytelling. His own storytelling power is evident as he narrates the company's precarious journey to profitability. Written in an earnest and introspective tone, with the help of Wallace, the book will delight and inspire creative individuals and their managers, as well as anyone who wants to work "in an environment that fosters creativity and problem solving." Catmull's voice and choice of topics reveals him to be a caring, committed, philosophical leader who loves his work, respects his creative colleagues, and remains committed to the advancement of computer animation and great filmmaking. --Publishers Weekly
by Michael Gross (Get the Book)
Fifteen Central Park West is the New Gilded Age address of a new generation of moguls enjoying the costliest real estate in an enclave of international wealth from the worlds of finance, technology, information, and entertainment. Gross, chronicler of the wealthy in 740 Park (2005) and Unreal Estate (2011), looks beyond the list of notable tenants (Sting, Denzel Washington, top executives from Goldman Sachs, Google, and Yahoo) to explore the changes in the architectural and social landscape of elite Manhattan. Gone are the days of snobbish cooperative boards declining the declasse, gone are the old assumptions of the good buildings. Gross details the ego-bruising battles to get into 15 CPW and the campaigns to snag just the right tenants for the tycoon-stuffed building. Gross offers historical perspective on the real-estate market in Manhattan, on the rise and fall of trendy buildings and their owners and tenants up to the latest shift in real-estate and financial markets, which has broadened the upper crust to include the newly wealthy, foreigners, and more ethnic Americans. Drawing on interviews with real-estate titans and power brokers, Gross provides a deliciously detailed and completely engaging look at how the 0.1 percent live in one building. --Boooklist
by Carrie Schwab-Pomeranz (Get the Book)
