"A magisterial work...You can't help thinking about the economic crisis we're living through now." --The New York Times Book Review It is commonly believed that the Great Depression that began in 1929 resulted from a confluence of events beyond any one person's or government's control. In fact, as Liaquat Ahamed reveals, it was the decisions made by a small number of central bankers that were the primary cause of that economic meltdown, the effects of which set the stage for World War II and reverberated for decades. As yet another period of economic turmoil makes headlines today, Lords of Finance is a potent reminder of the enormous impact that the decisions of central bankers can have, their fallibility, and the terrible human consequences that can result when they are wrong.

Presenting twelve breakthrough practices forbringing creativity into all human endeavors, The Art ofPossibility is the dynamic product of an extraordinary partnership.The Art of Possibility combines Benjamin Zander's experience asconductor of the Boston Philharmonic and his talent as a teacherand communicator with psychotherapist Rosamund Stone Zander'sgenius for designing innovative paradigms for personal andprofessional fulfillment. The authors' harmoniously interwovenperspectives provide a deep sense of the powerful role that thenotion of possibility can play in every aspect of life. Throughuplifting stories, parables, and personal anecdotes, the Zandersinvite us to become passionate communicators, leaders, andperformers whose lives radiate possibility into the world

Since Robert A. Esperti and Renno L. Peterson's groundbreakingbook, Loving Trust, was published in 1988, more and more peoplehave chosen Living Trusts as a probate-free alternative to wills orconventional substitutes. Now in this revised edition, Esperti andPeterson, with David K. Cahoone, have updated and expanded thiseasy-to-use guide that explains everything you need to know aboutcreating and implementing a Living Trust. This essential workbookwill help you and your advisors design a trust tailored for yourcircumstances and wishes. In this workbook you will learn: what a Living Trust is, how it works, and how it will save youmoney and your family stress during a difficult time the role of a Living Trust in the event of disability how to place various properties, such as real estate, marketaccounts, and businesses into your Living Trust charts, checklists, worksheets, and sample forms withinstructions on how to use them tips on choosing and working with a lawyer

The step-by-step guide for everyone who ever said, “I reallyneed a new career.” People change jobs to advance their careers, earn more money, orescape a dead end. But often they’re responding to misleadingsignals that aren’t reliable indicators for job change. Now a humanresources expert helps readers evaluate the reasons they may wantto change jobs and careers—an enlightening process that can resultin a brand-new career or a better appreciation of the one athand. ?Explore the job-search sources most people ignore ?Career-profile comparisons and salary and compensationinformation ?Develop short- and long-term goals—move up, over, or out

In his 14th book, bestselling author Nicholas Sparks tells theunforgettable story of a man whose brushes with death lead him tothe love of his life. After U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smilingyoung woman buried in the dirt during his tour of duty in Iraq, heexperiences a sudden streak of luck -- winning poker games and evensurviving deadly combat. Only his best friend, Victor, seems tohave an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph -- hislucky charm. Back home in Colorado, Thibault can't seem to get the woman inthe photograph out of his mind and he sets out on a journey acrossthe country to find her. But Thibault is caught off guard by thestrong attraction he feels for the woman he encounters in NorthCarolina - Elizabeth, a divorced mother -- and he keeps the storyof the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embarkupon a passionate love affair, his secret soon threatens to tearthem apart -- destroying not only their love, but also theirlives. Filled with tender r

A methedrine-inspired odyssey, a painfully candid explorationof the horizons of the speed freak's world, from the drug-hazedfantasy of New York's infamous East Village to the terrifyingreality of a Federal narcotics hospital, Burroughs Jr.'s two novelspresent a vision of alienated youth at its most raw and uncensored.Speed follows Billy as he hustles for dope and money, crashing ingarbage-strewn apartments and guiding a paranoid friend through theperilous city streets. With tough, gritty detachment, he describesthe stages of his own drug addiction and physical and emotionaldeterioration. Kentucky Ham takes him from the squalor of the EastVillage crash pads to his father's literary hideaway in Tangier,and finally to incarceration at the Federal Narcotics Hospital inLexington, Kentucky. Through both these autobiographical novels,William S. Burroughs, Jr., tells a story of generational isolationthat is as relevant today as when it was first written.

In recent years, Microsoft has become more than just Bill Gates’s company. Steve Ballmer is now the CEO, overseeing a Goliath that has been plagued by a federal antitrust trial, an employee exodus prompted by the dot-com revolution, and an ongoing economic downturn. But Microsoft has not only survived; it has thrived, prospering to the point that it is the second most recognizable brand in the world (behind Coca-Cola). Bestselling author Robert Slater explains exactly how the company has adapted in the last few years, taking readers into Microsoft’s inner circle to tell an amazing story of persistence in the face of adversity. Slater describes the many changes that have led to a new corporate culture, a new strategic direction, new product lines, and new ways of doing business worldwide. There have been many books about Microsoft over the years, but this one brings the story right up to the present, with fresh insights and information. Slater was granted unprecedented access to the company’s n

Ries also shows companies how to focus. He advises that in order to focus, it may necessarily involve sacrifice - giving up some portion of the market, some versions of the product, or some distribution channel. Although such strategies strike many managers as illogical or counter-intuitive, Ries marshals an overwhelming number of examples to prove his case. As long as competition exists, Ries notes, it is impossible to win 100% of any market. From debunking The Quality Axiom to detailing the importance of perception, from describing the five strategies for coping with change to showing how a company can "own" a word in the customer's mind, Al Ries brings his extensive marketing expertise to bear on the problem of competition and the importance of focus. Today's rapidly changing, technology-driven marketplace mandates constant quick thinking and reassessment by managers throughout the corporation. This book lays out the smart way for your company to evolve, increase market share, and enhance shar

Successful management relies on identifying and promoting high-performing employees—and targeting underperformers for serious improvement. Evaluating Performance, a comprehensive and essential resource for any manager on the run, shows you how. Learn to: Monitor day-to-day performance Conduct productive formal reviews Reward consistent, excellent performance through promotions Terminate underperforming employees Create a company-wide performance management system The Collins Best Practices guides offer new and seasoned managers the essential information they need to achieve more, both personally and professionally. Designed to provide tried-and-true advice from the world's most influential business minds, they feature practical strategies and tips to help you get ahead.

Readers get tips and insight regarding what to look for when reading financial statements, how businesses measure profitability, how to stay on top of the budgeting process, and how to track cash flow. 作者简介： Katherine Wagner, C.RA., is a consultant to Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and other top accounting firms. Her articles on business and finance have appeared in a variety of industry magazines, journals, and newsletters.

Gladwell, a New Yorker staff writer, offers an incisive and piquant theory of social dynamics that is bound to provoke a paradigm shift in our understanding of mass behavioral change. Defining such dramatic turnarounds as the abrupt drop in crime on New York's subways, or the unexpected popularity of a novel, as epidemics, Gladwell searches for catalysts that precipitate the "tipping point," or critical mass, that generates those events. What he finds, after analyzing a number of fascinating psychological studies, is that tipping points are attributable to minor alterations in the environment, such as the eradication of graffiti, and the actions of a surprisingly small number of people, who fit the profiles of personality types that he terms connectors, mavens, and salesmen. As he applies his strikingly counterintuitive hypotheses to everything from the "stickiness," or popularity, of certain children's television shows to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, Gladwell reveals that our cherished belief

How can you write a business plan or proposal that will turn readers into enthusiastic supporters and investors? It takes emphasizing the right ideas and actions with the right words. In Perfect Phrases for Business Plans and Business Proposals. Don Debelak draws from his research findings and consultancy experience to give you a virtual blueprint to successful communication. You'll find hundreds of hundreds of effective, ready-to-use phrases for business plans and proposals for every type of business, which will help you Tailor your approach to turn on your target audience Show how and why you can meet customers' needs Describe your market niche and how you'll successfully serve that niche Effectively demonstrate the profitability of your ideas Business plans and proposals are designed to sell your ideas. Perfect Phrases for Business Plans and Business Proposals is your easy-to-use guide to writing a winning plan or proposal that will get you closer to your goals.

From the jungles of the trading [loot to thecasinos of bas Vogas, The bia Short tells the outrageous story ofthe misfits, renegades and visionaries who saw tha.t the biggesteredit bubble of all time was about to burst, bet against thebanking system and made, a killing.

Persuasive Proposals and Presentations shows readers how to develop a winning strategy and how to be clear, organized, and persuasive. It lays out common mistakes in strategy and offers effective advice. 作者简介： Heather Pierce is a veteran business communications writer who has created hundreds of winning proposals and presentations for Fortune 100 corporations and has written for industry magazines, newsletters, and online publications.

Sales is cornerstone: everything starts and falls on sales. And this is the BIBLE OF SALES. THE MOST POWERFUL SYSTEM FOR SALES SUCCESS -- FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BESTSELLING AUDIO "THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SELLING" Strategy, tactics, and mental preparedness separate superior salespeople from the average -- and with technological advances evening the competition, the selling edge is now more important than ever. Drawing on his own successful sales career and on his extensive experience as a sales consultant and seminar leader, Brian Tracy has developed the most comprehensive and effective approach to selling ever created. Advanced Selling Strategies provides you with the techniques and tools used by top salespeople in every industry -- methods that net immediate and spectacular results. This book explains how to: * Develop the self-image to give you the edge in every sales situation * Concentrate on the customer's emotional factors to ensure better sales results * Identify your customer's most pressing concerns and po

The No Asshole Rule is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal,USA Today and Business Week bestseller. It won a Quill Award forthe top business book of 2007, and was recently chosen as one ofaudible.com's top picks as well.

Join the ranks of the more than half-million people who have discovered their true talents and made successful career choices with Discover What You're Best At. Now this bestselling career guide has been revised for the twenty-first century, including valuable new information on the skills in demand in electronic communications, medical technology, and other high-tech fields. The book's unique National Career Aptitude System enables you to identify not only your interests but also your innate talents and potential skills, and then to match your career strengths to dozens of the more than 1,100 jobs described in detail. Discover What You're Best At enables you to set realistic and rewarding career goals based on your abilities. It gives you the edge you need to take on the job market and succeed in your chosen career. Discover What You're Best At will help you: SAVE MONEY -- possibly thousands of dollars -- by heading you in the proper career direction before you choose a school o

The bestselling author of Find It, Fix It, Flip It! returnswith the book you MUST read before you try to buy a home in Today'sMarket! Thinking of buying a home? Not sure what to do in Today's Market?Then you need to read Before You Buy!--before you buy! It's theessential, must-read survival guide for everyone thinking aboutpurchasing a house in today's real estate market. Before You Buy!is the no-hype, straight talking, indispensable step-by-step guideto understanding this market and purchasing a home ...safely,sanely and at a price you can afford. ?Why Now Is the Time to Buy ?How to Avoid the 10 Most Costly Buyers' Blunders ?How to Buy Safe, Smart and Secure in Today's Market ?10 things You Need to Know NOW ...Before You Buy! ?An Essential Step-by Step Guide that Will Save YouThousands ?How to Buy a House You Can Actually Afford Corbett is a nationally recognized real estate expert, bestselling author, and real estate commentator on NBC, CNN and LarryKin

It is commonly believed that the Great Depression that began in1929 resulted from a confluence of events beyond any one person'sor government's control. In fact, as Liaquat Ahamed reveals, it wasthe decisions made by a small number of central bankers that werethe primary cause of that economic meltdown, the effects of whichset the stage for World War II and reverberated for decades. As yetanother period of economic turmoil makes headlines today, Lords ofFinance is a potent reminder of the enormous impact that thedecisions of central bankers can have, their fallibility, and theterrible human consequences that can result when they arewrong.

Eight years ago, Dr. Thomas J. Stanley swept aside the mythical magic curtain of wealth to reveal The Millionaire Next Door. America found out just who and how common the truly wealthy were in this country-and we learned the characteristics and habits that made them so. Now the author of the follow-up The Millionaire Mind focuses on one of the least understood but increasingly rich demographics: Millionaire Women Next Door, available in paperback for the first time. "Why write another book that profiles millionaires?" Stanley asks. "The vast majority of the millionaire respondents (92 percent) in The Millionaire Next Door were men. . . . I felt that it was indeed time for successful businesswomen of the self-made variety to be heard." Readers everywhere will be fascinated by Stanley's thoroughly researched findings and conclusions. They'll come away considerably more knowledgeable and greatly inspired by women who have found the key to riches. Millionaire Women Next Door explores the meaning of we

Be a pro in no time … Ideal for bookkeepers, accounting clerks, and small businessowners, this practical guide goes beyond general accountingprinciples to teach readers how to prepare and manage theircompanies’ books. In this new edition, readers will find completelyrevised and updated information on handling sales and services, andupdated tax information reflecting changes in the tax code. ? Perfect for the many practicing accountants who are unlicensedbookkeepers, accounting clerks, and small business owners ? There are 3.1 million accountants, bookkeepers, and accountingclerks in the U.S. ? There are an estimated 23 million small business owners in theU.S., many of whom manage their own books

What do you really need to get from your work life? Is it to drive up your company's revenues? Get more clients for your own conqpany? Discover how to make a living doing something else? Become more successful without working harder than you already are? Very successful people seem to have the answers to all those questions---and the skill they possess in abundance is that they make the most of their business relationships. In It's Not Business, It's Personal, Ronna Lichtenberg has interviewed today's most exciting business leaders and developed nine relationship principles that are guaranteed to take your work life to new heights of success.effectiveness, and fulfillment. Drawing from hundreds of interviews with successful people ranging from chairmen of Fortune 500 companies and Forbes wealthiest people to giants in the sports, entertainment, and fashion worlds this is a practical and inspira-tional look at the new rules of business. The business landscape has changed, and relationship

Master the six most useful tenses of each verb Find the verb tense you need through easily understandable charts See verbs in action in example sentences Listen to correct pronunciation on the book's free companion site, learnverbs.com