Economic-Life Books

This book is a blessing and should be kept in everyone's bday wish and gift list to purchase for yourself, or for your loved ones and friends.

If Freakonomics was able to receive a NY Times blogger section, so shall the Times with Economics Uncut. Please enjoy this fabulous book.

As a student reading this textbook for the course "Economics of Behavior and Misbehavior," I find this an excellent work. Not only is it a smooth read, but it also gives me a feel for the entire picture of its topics. Just when I feel left with the question, "But what about...," there's the answer in the next sentence or paragraph. Anyone interested in the controversial issues tackled by this work can learn much from the economist's or general social scientist's perspective.

Expertly compiled and deftly edited by Simon W. Bowmaker (Academic Associate in Economics at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, Adjunct Lecturer in Economics at Florida State University, and Visiting Lecturer in Economics at the State University of New York, Buffalo and at the University of Colorado, Denver), "Economics Uncut: A Complete Guide To Life, Death and Misadventure" features informed and informative essays and seminal articles by eighteen accomplished economists on a variety of economic issues. The economic implications to diverse range human activities include: drug addiction, prohibition, and legalization; crime, marriage and divorce; pornography, prostitution, suicide and religion; assisted reproduction and abortion; sport, gambling, and rock music. A superbly organized and presented compendium of seminal studies and commentaries adhering to high academic standards of methodology and reporting, "Economics Uncut" is an important and strongly recommended addition to academic library Economic Studies reference collection, as well as being quite accessible to the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the economic implications and impacts with respect to the social issues of the present day.

I just finished reading "Edge: A Leadership Story!" Loved it! Being a business book, I didn't expect it to be so engaging, but the character development was great. I really cared about the main character (Mitch) and the coach who held his feet to the fire (Kate). I didn't want to put the book down . . . I had to know how Mitch would integrate his creative side and keep from losing more key talent from his team. In fact, I read Edge in two sittings -- one night until my husband nagged me to turn out the lights and the rest the next evening.

I saw a lot in Mitch's development that was similar to my own over the years. Bringing more of my creative side into play has definitely made my life/work more enjoyable and has contributed to much of my success. I've also noticed that people relate better to me when I share my story and let them know I'm human.

I've considered myself very authentic of late, but after just coming off vacation, I've had a nagging feeling that there's one area I'd like to be more open/bold about. Reading Edge on the heels of that was further confirmation. I even penciled stars next to some of the end-of-chapter questions that I want to explore in that area. Guess what I'll be discussing with my coach this week?

The book also gave me some great ideas for team-building with my employees/va's.

If you're a leader in any form, I highly recommend this book. Be aware that if you normally confine yourself to G-rated reading, there are a few expletives throughout the book. If it were a movie, it would be PG-13 for language.

Aesop's Fables were stories that, although fictional, carried an important lesson. "Edge! A Leadership Story" looks to follow that pattern as it presents the story of CEO Mitchell James. How he recovers from certain economic disaster is a tale sure to entertain and inform. "Edge!" effectively teaches the reader how to deal with management and leadership problems in today's world of business. A deft combination of fiction and business education, "Edge!" is highly recommended for community library business and fiction collections alike.

A delightful read from beginning to end, Edge: A Leadership Story offers something for everyone. Part novel, part coaching experience, this journey of personal revelation captured my interest from beginning to end.

Not only was the story interesting, but the end-of-chapter questions were particularly compelling. They say the answer is often found within the question. And for me, that was the case. Each chapter helped me unearth something more - a deeper understanding of myself and my relationship to my life-work.

Edge creates an environment where the reader can become engaged with the material - in a personal and meaningful way. The things that matter most are the things that challenge and transform you. And if there were ever a book that could powerfully change you, this book would be it.

Entertaining, enlightening and delivered with an edge! It's a top-notch business novel and personal journey that's sure to uncover your dreams and passions. Highly recommended.

Tara Kachaturoff
Coach, Consultant, TV Producer and Host

I agree with Lillian Vernon: This is a "must-read for women of all ages, with positive and original ideas, giving a refreshing and personal perspective." I also think it is a must-read for men...at least those in management positions who (perhaps motivated by self-interest, if by nothing else) want to develop "wildly successful" people of both genders. Most of us have been "stone-walled" at some point in our careers. Or perhaps we have on occasion felt that we have hit a "brick wall." Encountering a "glass ceiling" is far worse because we can see through the glass to what lies beyond...to what we are denied. I am reminded of Tantalus who, according to Greek mythology, offended the gods. His punishment was to remain in Hades for eternity, thirsty and hungry, placed up to his neck in water he could not drink beneath clusters of fruit he could not eat: So near and yet so far.

It is Pamela Boucher Gilberd's assertion that "Women's economic creativity is one of the best-kept secrets in business today....It's time to acknowledge the truth -- that working women have the tools to create wild success for themselves and others and that we use those tools every day." Written in 1996, The Eleven Commandments of Wildly Successful Women is based on 125 interviews with a wide-range of women who have achieved "wild success." Their collective experiences suggest eleven "commandments" which Gilberd introduces and then illustrates by cross-referencing the experiences and insights of those she interviewed. The final chapter is perhaps the most valuable. In it, she shares Angi Ma Wong's 15 "Golden Rules for a Successful Life" and then her own 10 "Ways to Keep the Cycle of Success Going Strong."

Since 1996 when this book was first published, many organizations have raised the so-called "glass ceiling" and I guess that's progress. ASAP, however, every "glass ceiling" must be permanently eliminated if there is to be equal opportunity to achieve "wild success." Intangible assets are much more valuable than are tangible assets. I refer specifically to the talent (albeit under-utilized) and the experience (albeit under-appreciated) of those within any organization. The remarkable women whom Gilberd interviewed are to be commended for what they accomplished, especially given the obstacles they had to overcome. They are also to be commended for sharing so generously what they have learned. In this instance, they are following the Eleventh Commandment: Give Back to Keep the Cycle of Success Going. Those who read this book will be well-prepared to overcome all manner of obstacles at work to achieve their own "wild success"...and to help others to do so also.

I really enjoyed this book. It was wonderful reading about women who are no different then me being highly successful in the male dominated business world. Great reading

This book is highly recommended. It asks questions that you need to be able to answer for youself in order for you to be successful. It also gives a great source of references at the back of the book for other female organizations to help support you in your path to succeed.

The EQ Difference is pragmatic and full of real-life examples that help the reader understand the importance of EI for our success as leaders in every field. As an educational leader with 27 years experience, I highly recommend this book to all those who aspire to be great leaders and those who are invovled in developing future leaders in education. If you want your values and intentions to align with what you do each day, read and use this book! If you want to know if your EQ is as important as your IQ read this book!

There are many books on emotional intelligence. What makes this book distinct is that it contains a model for developing emotional intelligence.
As much as I have already read on the topic, Adele's self-coaching model has helped me develop a much greater awareness of myself and ways in which I can improve in the development of the competencies associated with emotional intelligence.

This book is absolutely essential reading for people engaged in consulting and management development. I have made this required reading in my work as an executive coach. Her work has had such an impact on me personally that I do not hesitate to ask my clients to read it.

Adele B.Lynn, who helped us find honor, has now given us the platform on which to build honorable leadership: emotional intelligence. Others have written on the subject before, but Lynn gives us practical information, exercises and examples that can be put to use in our relationships at work or at home. No leader should be without this well written, relevant handbook.

This is a very useful tool for any therapist, whether a mainstream counselor or doctor, or practitioners of complementary modalities such as massage. It discusses in plain language the ethical dilemmas we are all confronted by in our daily practice. I particularly appreciated the explanation of a client's vulnerability while in an altered state such as hypnosis or the deep relaxation produced by massage. The author also addresses the vulnerability of the therapist when faced with a client's issues that hook into the therapist's issues, creating a very murky situation indeed. The author assists us to provide appropriate loving care to our clients without violating boundaries.

This book covers a myriad of therapies. The format and scope was very appealing to me. It was not dry like most books I have read on ethics. A must for Complementary and Alternative practitioners.

Too often, ethical questions are considered dreary subjects best left to a committee. This book helps us see ethics as integrally related to how we do our work, and to our own personal growth. It also embraces a wide spectrum of consciousness, in a systematic way. It is particularly remarkable for its emphasis on non-ordinary states of consciousness, and how to handle these intense experiences when they occur in our work with clients (whether deliberately induced or occurring spontaneously). The Ethics of Caring will be especially valuable for trainee caregivers, supervisors, clients looking for the appropriate therapist, and any professionals who finds themselves, as we all do from time to time, out of our depth.

Roger Andersen has written a remarkable, scholarly, insightful, and much-needed book about the Christian executive in today's secular corporate world, a subject that churches have generally not addressed. While up to 70% of our waking hours can involve work, church life and the secular workplace are typically separate worlds for many people. Mr. Andersen examines such issues as biblical attitudes and principles toward work and everyday workplace issues; using one's God-given gifts and talents; perceived Christian strengths and weaknessses as they relate to succeeding as a corporate executive; integrity and ethics; motivating the team, capitalism and profitablity, layoffs, and wealth; servanthood and giving; and executive dangers and blessings. The book includes scriptural references, interesting quotes, and insider anecdotes from Mr. Andersen's various executive positions.

But this wonderful book is not just for Christian executives! I have worked for nearly 40 years, not in management but as a professional engineer in the secular workplace, and after reading the entire book, I found it to be very helpful and educational in my striving to be both a good Christian and competent professional. In fact, the book is appropriate for anyone in the secular workplace. The book would be perfect for a Christian discussion group, and a study guide is provided for that purpose. I heartily recommend this book.

Roger Andersen's powerful book should be a wake-up call for every executive who is working long hours and questioning why they have pursued a corporate career. In the current state of Corporate America executives feel burnt out and unappreciated in the workplace leaving them to feel uninspired. Mr. Anderson makes a persuasive, lucid argument for why a professional may be in an executive career and provides suggestions on how and where to channel "God's gifts and calling" in a positive direction.

This book provides an empowering perspective on a subject unfortunately not frequently and/or willingly addressed in today's corporate world. Roger is a unique individual who has been extremely successful in business not only without sacrificing his spirituaity, but, in fact, growing and taking it to a new level - even developing it as a competitive advantage! He is a gifted author and speaker, willing to share his insight in a very common-sense way. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the subject matter. Is it calling you?

This is a terrific resource for those who are in charge of the home. Kathy Peel has great ideas and suggestions for home management including finances, cooking, entertaining, home organization. This is not one of those home organization books whose suggestions are so detailed that the average person would never follow through with them! It is great!

I felt completely inspired and renewed after reading just the first few pages of Kathy's book. She redefines the role of "homemaker" and gives women (and men) who run their homes the recognition they have always deserved by giving them a more legitimate title-Family Manager-and by breaking down the job of family manager into manageable departments like Home & Property, Food, and Family & Friends. She puts into words what I have felt all along but didn't quite know how to phrase. Her book is a great way to get yourself organized and motivated to be the best family manager you can be.

Kathy has a wonderful writing style which begs you to keep on reading. Her suggestions are 'doable' and inspire you to get started immediately. For stay-at-home Moms, Kathy adds to your self-esteem. As a working Mom, whose been 'on the other side,' it made me feel a bit guilty (she's got a book for working moms too, though!)

I especially love how Kathy doesn't claim Martha Stewartitis: she recognizes her weaknesses (cooking) and realizes that NOBODY can do it all. A great read for busy mothers of all walks of life.

A Field Guide to Medicinal and Useful Plants of the Upper Amazon is destined to be a classic. I have read dozens of books and hundreds of papers about the Amazonian flora, and yet, this is the first that combines quality color photographs with accurate botanical text, and ethnobotanical lore in one package. If this small, but valuable tome had only been available for my ethnobotanical field expedition with the Machiguenga in 1995, I suspect that I could have accomplished a great deal more. The same would be true for any scientist, eco-tourist or armchair naturalist who anticipates an Amazonian excursion, even if only a cerebral journey. This book deserves to be widely read and shared. It illustrates the hidden wealth of medicinal plants and the value of biodiversity to our future survival on this planet. This knowledge is essential, and the indigenous people who possess it are vitally endangered. I hope that this book will be translated into Spanish, Portugese, French and Dutch, so that the post-colonial settlers of Amazonia will also come to value and understand the botanical and therapeutic riches of their rainforests.

A slim, accessible and enjoyable introduction to Amazonian botany, ideal for the non-specialist. Contains over 240 colour photos; a handy species list featuring English, Spanish and Latin names; and much fascinating data about the uses to which these plants have been put. Guaranteed to put a friendly face to that mass of plantlife that you see all around you on any trip to the neotropics of Latin America.

This is the most helpful guide for me, a frequent visitor. Clear photographs, interesting descriptions, fascinating snippets of rainforest lore and well-researched information on local uses of each plant make for a good read for anyone who is interested in plants and rainforest.

Garrett Hardin (now deceased) was a member of the rare species, an economically literate ecologist. He was also something of a heretic within the environmental movement, ...if you can even say he was part of that 'movement'.

Hardin made himself politically incorrect amongst "greens" by taking the Malthusian predictions of the movement to their logical conclusion. He was an advocate of tough population control, something that is not the same as birth control; he argued for immigration restrictions, reduced foreign aid and believed the admission of refugees was ecological stupidity. The mainstream of the green movement, if they recognise these issues at all, certainly like to soft pedal on the policy conclusions.

In this volume, that certainly deserves a wider audience, Hardin does not present his policy prescriptions in one big feast, at least not directly. He does sprinkle them lightly through the book, ...but even those who take an opposite viewpoint will not be disappointed by the taste.

He gives us what is essentially a "How To" guide, a book about thinking. He outlines a series of thinking aids, "filters", to help us avoid "folly". The filters are useful not just in dealing with the life and death issues of world population, but in everyday personal and even business problem solving.

Hardin's easy-to-remember tool kit provides us with a broader perspective and thus helps the reader make better decisions.

This is the kind of book you buy an additional copy of to give or lend to friends, because you don't want to lose yours.

In this book the late Mr. Hardin outlays something I found obvious--after it was pointed out to me. That is that we can use (or misuse) out mental faculties in very different ways. He focuses on three and demonstates how using these three 'styles' or 'types' of intelligence can lead us to very different views of the world.

The 3 types of thinking he discusses are: literate, numerical, and ecolate. Literate thinking is exemplified in literature, and in most law. The Bill of Rights and the novel share a similiar view of the world that can be expressed in language.

Numerical thinking is of course arithmatic, but can lead you to a quite different understanding of a situation than literate thinking. Malthus can explain that if a population continues to grow it will ovetake it's food or water supply. Mathematic analysis can tell you exactly when it will happen.

Ecolate, with the same root as 'ecology' was a word unfamiliar to me before reading his book. It can be summed up in the phrase: "And then what?" It is concerned with effects, often unintended, that also occur as a result of any action. Or as Mr. Hardin is more famous for, "You can never do merely one thing."

If there is one weak point it is that it cannot be stressed enough that these three types of thinking are only 3 of many many types. A brief, excellant book, a little off the beaten path from Mr. Hardin's more famous works on population, but there is definite wisdom within.

Using (( GLOBAL POTHOLE PROBLEM )) as a search query, you easily confirm it is one of Hardin's gems, detailed in this book. The great thing about having this as a mnemonic is that it is much less emotionally loaded, compared to say health-care. You can dispassionately observe that folks who fix potholes for a living would favor pothole-insurance, since they will get more business. Folks who say make ammunition for a living...

I can't say enough good things about Dave Ramsey. His audio CDs are informative and entertaining. I listen to them over and over again as I change my way of thinking. Debt is not a tool. And, you have to make your money behave by telling it where to go. If you want to change your life, I highly recommend any of Dave's seminar tapes or audiobooks. These tapes are 2 of the tapes from his 13 week seminar - Financial Peace University.

This 3-CD set by Dave Ramsey is fantastic. My previous exposure to Dave Ramsey had been his radio show which I liked, but unfortunately the station that aired it in my area got sold and changed formats. So when I saw this set of CDs I immediately purchased them. It's probably the best money I ever spent. Dave Ramsey's books are good but sometimes a book doesn't stay with you after you finish it. Dave's radio show is great but you have to catch it when it is actually on. These CDs however are the best of both worlds: you get all of Dave's wonderful wisdom on personal finance available to you anytime you want to listen to it. I cycle through these three CDs in my car and listen to them repeatedly. CDs one and two are outstanding and will definitely get you angry about debt (that's what Dave is famous for), but the real magic probably exists on the third CD, the one about budgeting (aka "cash flow planning"). This CD really changed things for me because it made me understand that money is a fluid, active thing which must be managed. Once I understood that EVERY dollar of every paycheck had to be named (even if it was just to designate that you were going to blow a portion of it), I started really feeling like I had total control of my money.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend purchasing this set of CDs. I wish I'd had them 15 years ago.

Not having heard of this author before, I thought this would be a boring lecture of financial advice hashed over from yet another point of view. I was wrong. Dave presents his ideas in a straight forward no-nonsense manor while keeping the audience entertained. While most of his material has a common sense approach, he backs it up with enlightening facts from a uniquely "fun" point of view.
I will enjoy listening to this CD set over and over again as I attempt to impliment his advice in my financial life. I look forward to other material from this author.