THE ESSENTIAL GALBRAITH includes key selections from the mostimportant works of John Kenneth Galbraith, one of the mostdistinguished writers of our time - from THE AFFLUENT SOCIETY, thegroundbreaking book in which he conined the tern "conventionalwisdom," to THE GREAT CRASH, an unsurpassed account of the eventsthat triggered America's worst economic crisis. Galbraith's newintroductions place the works in their historical moment and makeclear their enduring relevance for the new century. THE ESSENTIALGALBRAITH will delight old admirers and introduce one of our mostbeloved writers to a new generation of readers. It is also anindispensable resource for scholars and students of economics,history, and politics, offering unparalleled access to the seminalwritings of an extraordinary thinker.

TheclassicbestsellerbyBenjaminGraham,TheIntelligentInvestorhastaughtandinspiredhundredsofthousandsofpeopleworldwide.Sinceitsoriginalpublicationin1949,BenjaminGraham'sbookhasremainedthemostrespectedguidetoinvesting,duetohistimelessphilosophyofvalueinvesting,whichhelpsprotectinvestorsagainsttheareasofpossiblesubstantialerrorandteachesthemtodeveloplong-termstrategieswithwhichtheywillbecomfortabledowntheroad. Overtheyears,marketdevelopmentshaveborneoutthewisdomofGraham'sbasicpolicies,andintoday'svolatilemarket,TheIntelligentInvestoristhemostimportantbookyouwilleverreadonmakingtherightdecisionstoprotectyourinvestmentsandmakethemasuccess.Featuringnewchapterupdates-whichappendeverychapterofGraham'sbook,leavinghisoriginaltextuntouched-fromnotedfinancialjournalistJasonZweig,thisHarperBusinessEssentialseditionofthetimelessclassicoffersreadersanevenclearerunderstandingofGraham'swisdomasitshouldbeappliedtoday.

John Kenneth Galbraith has long been at the center of Americaneconomics, in key positions of responsibility during the New Deal,World War II, and since, guiding policy and debate. His trenchantnew book distills this lifetime of experience in the public andprivate sectors; it is a scathing critique of matters as they standtoday. Sounding the alarm about the increasing gap between realityand "conventional wisdom" -- a phrase he coined -- Galbraith tells,along with much else, how we have reached a point where the privatesector has unprecedented control over the public sector. We havegiven ourselves over to self-serving belief and "contrivednonsense" or, more simply, fraud. This has come at the expense ofthe economy, effective government, and the business world.Particularly noted is the central power of the corporation and theshift in authority from shareholders and board members tomanagement. In an intense exercise of fraud, the pretense ofshareholder power is still maintained, even with the immediatepart

Updated for paperback publication, Aftershock is a brilliantreading of the causes of our current economic crisis, with a planfor dealing with its challenging aftermath. When the nation’s economy foundered in 2008, blame was directedalmost universally at Wall Street bankers. But Robert B. Reich, oneof our most experienced and trusted voices on public policy,suggests another reason for the meltdown. Our real problem, heargues, lies in the increasing concentration of wealth in the handsof the richest Americans, while stagnant wages and rising costshave forced the middle class to go deep into debt. Reich’sthoughtful and detailed account of where we are headed over thenext decades—and how we can fix our economic system—is a practical,humane, and much-needed blueprint for restoring America’s economyand rebuilding our society.

UNTIL THE SPRING OF 2001,THE HOUSTON energy giant Enron epitomized the triumph of the new economy. Feared by rivals, worshiped by investors,Enron seemingly could do no wrong, its profits rose every quarter; its stock price surged ever upward; its leaders were hailed as visionaries. Then a young Fortune writer named Bethany McLean wrote an article posing a simple question--How, exactly, does Enron make its money?--and the company's house of cards began to collapse. Though other business scandals would follow, none has had the shattering effect of Enron's bankruptcy, which caused Americans to lose faith in a system that rewarded top insiders with millions of dollars while small investors,including many Enron employees, lost everything. Despite enormous media coverage of Enron, the definitive story of its astonishing rise and fall comes alive for the first time in this gripping narrative by McLean and her Fortune colleague Peter Elkind.Drawing on a wide range of private documents and well-placed so

This book was written to offer encouragement and basicinformation to the individual investor. Who knew it would gothrough thirty printings and sell more than one million copies? Asthis latest edition appears eleven years beyond the first, I'mconvinced that the same principles that helped me perform well atthe Fidelity Magellan Fund still apply to investing in stockstoday. It's been a remarkable stretch since One Up on Wall Street hit thebookstores in 1989. I left Magellan in May, 1990, and pundits saidit was a brilliant move. They congratulated me for getting out atthe right time -- just before the collapse of the great bullmarket. For the moment, the pessimists looked smart. The country'smajor banks flirted with insolvency, and a few went belly up. Byearly fall, war was brewing in Iraq. Stocks suffered one of theirworst declines in recent memory. But then the war was won, thebanking system survived, and stocks rebounded. Some rebound! The Dow is up more than fourfold since October, 1990,from the 2,400 lev

"Home Economics" reintroduces readers to all Grandma's thriftytips, down-home know-how, honest-to-goodness advice, and deliciousrecipes. Modeled on and compiled from vintage home-ec textbooks,this adorable guide contains everything needed to whip up and keepup a happy, healthy, and - most important - economical homelife.

Although Africa has long been known to be rich in oil,extracting it hadnt seemed worth the effort and risk untilrecently. But with the price of Middle Eastern crude oilskyrocketing and advancing technology making reserves easier totap, the region has become the scene of a competition between majorpowers that recalls the nineteenth-century scramble forcolonization there. But what does this giddy new oil boom meanforAmerica, for the world, for Africans themselves? John Ghazviniantraveled through twelve African countriesfrom Sudan to Congo toAngolatalking to warlords, industry executives, bandits, activists,priests, missionaries, oil-rig workers, scientists, and ordinarypeople whose lives have been transformednot necessarily for thebetterby the riches beneath their feet. The result is a high-octanenarrative that reveals the challenges, obstacles, reasons fordespair, and reasons for hope emerging from the worlds newestenergy hot spot.

Your Road to Lifelong Financial Independence It’s about time you felt empowered tobetter manage your money because–in tough economic times more thanever–your financial freedom depends on making smart choices. Butit’s hard to know where to begin, especially when you’re juststarting out. And of course, it only gets more complicated as yougo through life: How do you establish good credit? Do you buy orrent? What kinds of health coverage do you really need? How do youactually stay afloat in an uncertain market? The Wall Street Journal Guide to Starting YourFinancial Life gets you off on the right financial foot, fromtackling everyday choices like cell-phone plans and pet ownershipto big decisions such as smart investment strategies and buying acar or a house. You’ll learn: ? How to open your first checking and savingsaccounts, get your first credit card, and establish goodcredit ? The ins and outs of starting a job, includinginformation about taxes, choosing health insurance options,

Have you ever wondered why some people attract wealth whileothers stay financially trapped? The key is learningwealth-friendly, upside-down thinking. In this New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Todaybestseller, Robert Shemin, one-time "idiot" and currently amultimillionaire, illustrates in a witty way how going against thegrain is, in fact, the surest way to gain. Learn how to: ? set only one powerful success goal—and make it a big one ? play while your money goes to work ? stop building someone else’s business and start building yourown ? live and think like a millionaire while you’re becoming one ? use the power and smarts of other Rich Idiots to help you jointhe Rich Idiot Club Spend just a few pages with Robert and his Rich Idiot friends andyou’ll be convinced that “if they could do it, I can do it.”

For Making Sense of Investing Today...the Fully Revised and Expanded Edition of the Bestselling The Motley Fool Investment Guide Today, with the Internet, anyone can be an informed investor. Once you learn to tune out the hype and focus on meaningful factors, you can beat the Street. The Motley Fool Investment Guide, completely revised and updated with clear and witty explanations, deciphers all the new information -- from evaluating individual stocks to creating a diverse investment portfolio. David and Tom Gardner have investing ideas for you -- no matter how much time or money you have. This new edition of The Motley Fool Investment Guide is built for today's investor, sophisticate and novice alike, with updated information on: * Finding high-growth stocks that will beat the market over the long term * Identifying volatile young companies that traditional valuation measures may miss * Using Fool.com and the Internet to locate great sources of useful information

Fighting about money is the #1 reason for divorce in America.From first-time newlyweds at the start of new careers to peoplemarrying later in life or on their second or third marriage,couples face an overwhelming task when creating and managing atwo-income household. Most couples find themselves frustrated whenit comes to combining their complex financial histories, and, as aresult, both their relationships and bank accounts cansuffer. David Bach, nationally renowned financial advisor and author ofthe bestselling Smart Women Finish Rich, knows that it doesn't haveto be this way. After years of first-hand experience working withcouples young and old, David Bach reveals that throughcommunication and partnership, planning your finances together canbe both fun and easy when you have the right tools. In Smart Couples Finish Rich, David Bach offers couples astep-by-step guide to building and maintaining financial wealth foryears to come. Instead of avoiding each other when it comes time tobalance

The international bestseller on the extent to which personalfreedom has been eroded by government regulations and agencieswhile personal prosperity has been undermined by governmentspending and economic controls. New Foreword by the Authors;Index.

If you are a baby boomer nearing fifty and you haven't saved adime, don't panic. Charles Schwab, one of America's most trustedand respected names in financial services will help you takecontrol of your financial life.In You're Fifty -- Now What? hewalks even the most inexperienced person through the process ofinvesting money to prepare for tomorrow, while offering solidanswers to tough questions. He helps you figure out exactly whatyou'll need for your retirement, how to maximize the best earningand investing years of your life, and how to work out your wisestbalance of asset allocation by offering straightforward advice thatenables you to put your affairs in order and your mind at ease.

Even after the ruinous financial crisis of 2008, America isstill beset by the depredations of an oligarchy that is now bigger,more profitable, and more resistant to regulation than ever.Anchored by six megabanks—Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase,Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley—whichtogether control assets amounting, astonishingly, to more than 60percent of the country’s gross domestic product, these financialinstitutions (now more emphatically “too big to fail”) continue tohold the global economy hostage, threatening yet another financialmeltdown with their excessive risk-taking and toxic “business asusual” practices. How did this come to be—and what is to be done?These are the central concerns of 13 Bankers, a brilliant,historically informed account of our troubled politicaleconomy. In 13 Bankers, Simon Johnson—one of the most prominent andfrequently cited economists in America (former chief economist ofthe International Monetary Fund, Professor of Entre

When financial advisor Spencer Sherman found himself crossinga police line to retrieve his work files from a burning officebuilding, he realized he had money madness. He noticed it in hisclients, too: those irrational feelings about money that makeotherwise rational adults behave foolishly—buying high, sellinglow, overspending, lying to their spouses, equating theirself-worth with their net worth. Money madness stresses us out,poisons our relationships, and keeps us from making as much moneyas we can. So Spencer invented the cure. Now, in The Cure for MoneyMadness, he gives us the tools that have helped thousands of peoplefind greater peace of mind—and make more money. Money madness, Spencer shows us, comes from unproductive messagesthat we received long ago. “It takes money to make money.” “Payingrent is just throwing money down the drain.” “Don’t talk aboutmoney.” When you challenge the messages, you can transform allaspects of your money life: earning, spending, saving

As you think about retirement, you’ve got facts to face,planning to do, decisions to make and numbers to crunch. With theexperts at The Wall Street Journal to guide you, you’ll learn howto tailor a financial plan for the lifestyle you want. ? Answers your biggest question—How big does my nest egg need tobe?—by linking it to your particular hopes for how you want tospend your days in retirement ? Shows how to translate your dreams and interests into dailyactivities, whether traveling, opening a business, volunteering orgoing back to school ? Provides a timeline for decisions to make and steps to take tenyears, five years and one year before you retire ? Offers tips on investing wisely and working with the rightfinancial adviser ? Tells you how to maximize your benefits from Social Securityand Medicare ? Guides you through the intricacies of 401(k)s, IRAs, annuitiesand other financial tools and resources Today, the average person can expect to spend two d

One of America's most respected and renowned financialplanners provides 1001 tips to help everyone--from CEOs tohomemakers--save money. Learn which corners to cut in various areasof everyday life. Take the revealing self-test and assess whereyour money is being spent. Then allow the expert to guide you tothe most effective and creative ways to save it.

To coincide with his new public television special, airingon PBS stations starting in March 2009, Ed Slott’s proven plan forgenerating enough personal wealth to last you the rest of yourlife Given the challenging economic times, we will all welcome EdSlott’s concrete advice for generating enormous wealth. In thismust-have book you’ll learn how to: ? Retire with more money than you ever could have imagined andstill take care of your loved ones ? Move your money from FOREVER taxed to NEVER taxed ? Make your IRA and 401(k) safer during rocky periods ? Pick the best financial advisor and learn what pitfalls toavoid ? Think and plan like a multimillionaire ? Make Uncle Sam work for you Based on Slott’s fundamental principles of building, protecting,and preserving wealth for you and your loved ones, Stay Rich forLife is filled with real life stories.

Let’s face it: you can't avoid death or taxes. But you can create an estate plan that will make both a whole loteasier for your loved ones and put you in control of howyour assets will get passed to your heirs. Here, Wall Street Journal personal-finance reporter RachelEmma Silverman walks you step-by-step through the process.Chock-full of clear and solid advice on how to get the most out ofthe main estate planning tools - including wills, trusts, lifeinsurance, guardianship papers, and powers-of-attorney documents -the Wall Street Journal Complete Estate-Planning Guidebook will help make your estate-planning process as simple, smooth, andunintimidating as possible. This book will help you: · Clarify your estate-planning goals,such as dividing up property for heirs, reducing taxes or leavingmoney for charity · Understand the key estate-planningdocuments you’ll need, including wills, beneficiary-designationforms, powers-of-attorney and health-care advance directives · Decode the

Owning a home has always been the American Dream, and in The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner , David Bach shows thatbuying a home and investment properties is not only possible, it isstill the surest way to reach your seven-figure dreams on anordinary income. Whether you are a renter or already own a home,Bach’s book offers a lifelong strategy for real estate based ontimeless wisdom that is tried and true—in any market. He includeseverything you need to know, with step-by-step instructions,including phone numbers and web sites, so you can get started rightaway. As long as you’re alive, you have to live somewhere. Why notlet where you live make you financially secure and ultimately rich?David Bach will show you how.

Diversification provides a well-known way of getting something close to a free lunch: by spreading money across different kinds of investments, investors can earn the same return with lower risk (or a much higher return for the same amount of risk). This strategy, introduced nearly fifty years ago, led to such strategies as index funds. What if we were all missing out on another free lunch that’s right under our noses? In Lifecycle Investing, Barry Nalebuff and Ian Ayres—two of the most innovative thinkers in business, law, and economics—have developed tools that will allow nearly any investor to diversify their portfolios over time. By using leveraging when young—a controversial idea that sparked hate mail when the authors first floated it in the pages of Forbes—investors of all stripes, from those just starting to plan to those getting ready to retire, can substantially reduce overall risk while improving their returns. In Lifecycle Investing, readers will learn How to figure out the level of

For more than thirty years, The Only InvestmentGuide You’ll Ever Need has been a favorite finance guide,earning the allegiance of more than a million readers across theUnited States. Now even more indispensable, this completely revisedand updated edition will show readers how to use money to theirbest advantage in the wake of epochal change on Wall Street, nomatter how much or how little they may have.