Economics Books

This has been one of the few books I've ever read that has truly changed the way I think about life. It isn't just a list of awesome jobs, internships and opportunities around the world, but it's a way of living. The working world can wait! Why act like your 35 when your only 22? You've spent 16 years of your life being educated the way they want. Now spend a few years of freedom and independence to learn about the world your way. See the world, see the people in it. Money and material things can wait; they can never replace experiences, memories or relationships.

This book talks about all that. It gives you hundreds of very specific ideas on jobs, finding jobs/opportunities and how to make ends meet. The whole book is mingled with personal accounts from people who actually went out into the world and lived an amazing life. I work in a news room for my college newspaper, and half of the staff is seniors. I've left the book in the office, and everyone of them reads it and tells me how great it is. Best $10 I've ever spent!

I have just started to read this book, and I knew in the first few pages that it was a worthwhile purchase. The author does a great job of motivating the reader to take a less-traveled path, and continues to flood you with ideas and information that are sure to make you hungry for adventure. I have also found that the author is a very entertaining writer, and goes through points and information with a sense of humor and excitement - much like what we would expect from the twenty-something adventure-seeker she says she is.

Overall, I am enjoying the book thoroughly. I find it to be extremely informative, motivating, and well organized. Even the book itself is very nice physically, with a very attractive layout, smooth heavy pages, crisp bold fonts, and a perfect medium size.

Highly recommended!!!

I can't believe there is a book like this. It's so much against what corporate America ingrains into you, that of life being all about the rat race. I'm still doing what I want, experiencing the world, and having experiences I could never have in the US, in my 30's still. I see no reason to stop and surrender to the boring "real world" in America.

I've been traveling the world and doing what I want for the past 5 years now, before finally settling here in the Philippines. Although I'm poor, not accruing any social security or pensions, not following any real career path, etc. I'm happy. And that's the most important thing. I don't believe in getting a serious job unless it's something I love, just because society says so. The purpose of life is to enjoy it, and if you're not enjoying it with enriching experiences, then you are wasting your life in my book, even if you're making good money in a good job.

I have recommended this book to all my email group and list. It gives a whole new dimension on life and offers an alternative that the educational establishment in America never tells you about.

I've created my own website describing the joyous benefits unknown to most Americans of being abroad long term. It's called Happier Abroad at http://www.happierabroad.com. It helps inspire people to pursue international living, dating and traveling, and cultivate an awareness of the positive benefits overseas unknown to most Americans, who instead are living in fear and isolation perpetuated by the US media and culture which tells them that there is nothing good outside the US and that you are empty inside and need to work and consume to fill that emptiness. It's a soulless life lacking connectedness with others and inner life.

Check it out. It'll give you a whole new dimension on life.

Thanks for reading this review.

Sincerely,
Winston

The Renaissance Soul: Life Design for People with Too Many Passions to Pick Just One Learning new things is great but going straight from classroom to career choice just leaves out too many interesting experiences. Delaying the Real World is perfect if you want some stops in between, especially if you prefer variety and combination to choosing just one thing.

This book serves as a catalyst for big ideas. Not everything is about "delaying the real world," much of the book revolves around readers identifying their own talents and putting them into action. It jump started my own thinking on how to make the best out of my twenties and beyond.

After attending a seminar where Carol Frank was a guest speaker, I purchased the book. While it has many good examples of business mistakes, I thought she could have gone a little more in depth when it came to the solutions of the problems. My other minor complaint is that she focused on too many local businesses from her home state of Texas, and not enough on national companies. Overall, it was a good book, though not one I'd likely read a second time.

Do As I Say Not As I Did: Gaining Wisdom in Business Through The Mistakes of Highly Successful People tells various business horror stories from a number of financially successful individuals. This book is divided into eight sections: Know the Business You're In; Employees: A Necessary Evil; When Good Partners Go Bad; The Corporate Culture: If It Ain't Broke; Entrepreneurship 101; Tough Times; and Selling Your "Baby". Each section focuses on common mistakes of a certain general subject. For instance, the section Know the Business You're In shares common mistakes that pertain to due diligence while the section When Good Partners Go Bad examines the problems that occur when you and your partner have conflicting business personalities and different business goals. In all cases, however, highly successful business people frankly share what their actions or inactions cost them and what they learned through making these mistakes.

Do As I Say Not As I Did contains a wealth of information about common business mistakes and potentially difficult business situations. This book explains that the cost of these mistakes is more than just monetary. Valuable time, energy, and friendships are also lost in the process. Moreover, this book demonstrates what qualities and actions are required to become financially successful. This book will be an invaluable asset to any entrepreneur that dreams of building a financially successful business.

If you own a business and don't read this book then YOU are making a serious mistake. Carol Frank leads us through an amazing set of real life stories from seasoned business owners. Do As I Say is a quick read, but I found that the stories make a lasting impression.

A fabulous read- I thought Miss Frank gave a clear and accurate view that is a must read for every new entrepreneur!

Thank you so much for being completely honest about the joys, pains, pitfalls, patience required and road blocks that apparently we all face - it's easy to believe that "I'm the only one" riding this insane roller coaster called entrepreneurship, you convinced me otherwise and I will be sure to share information on how to purchase this book with all of my friends!

If you are new to the writing profession, or, if you are a veteran who needs to re-charge, this book will help you in many ways. The 19-page chapter on writers' block alone will help you overcome procrastination. Her chapter on personal and professional writing also contains many useful tips.

Effective Business and Nonfiction Writing is full of practical steps and how-to's - you can see your progress toward better writing immediately. I will be a better writer because of this book.

Many non-fiction books have great content, are well-researched but are written in a poor style and in a language you don't understand. So what do you do? You put the book back on the shelf and it will never be read.

The author Jan Yager, Ph.D., teaches us to keep things simple and write so it's understandable to anyone. This is not just a book for a professional writer. This is a book for everybody who writes. Everything from e-mails to non-fiction books is featured and don't we all write non-fiction in our daily life? Think about that!

In `Effective business and non-fiction writing you'll learn about time management, how to get your writing published, how to overcome writer's block, researching, interviewing and much more. Furthermore, the book is filled with examples and exercises. This is really good work and the book is very well-written.

Many non-fiction books have great content, are well-researched but are written in a poor style and in a language you don't understand. So what do you do? You put the book back on the shelf and it will never be read.

The author Jan Yager, Ph.D., teaches us to keep things simple and write so it's understandable to anyone. This is not just a book for a professional writer. This is a book for everybody who writes. Everything from e-mails to non-fiction books is featured and don't we all write non-fiction in our daily life? Think about that!

In `Effective business and non-fiction writing you'll learn about time management, how to get your writing published, how to overcome writer's block, researching, interviewing and much more. Furthermore, the book is filled with examples and exercises. This is really good work and the book is very well-written.

Many non-fiction books have great content, are well-researched but are written in a poor style and in a language you don't understand. So what do you do? You put the book back on the shelf and it will never be read.

The author Jan Yager, Ph.D., teaches us to keep things simple and write so it's understandable to anyone. This is not just a book for a professional writer. This is a book for everybody who writes. Everything from e-mails to non-fiction books is featured and don't we all write non-fiction in our daily life? Think about that!

In `Effective business and non-fiction writing you'll learn about time management, how to get your writing published, how to overcome writer's block, researching, interviewing and much more. Furthermore, the book is filled with examples and exercises. This is really good work and the book is very well-written.

This book is for you ... you know who you are. You need money, you need financial freedom, then read and apply this book in your life. Mr. Salomon my prayers are with you in your time of trials.
As an immigrant to this great country I will surely use this book.

This book has a lot of information in a well written, easy to read style. Beginners can easily understand it, and those already knowledgeable about financial matters will pick up new information. Learn from one who has done it!

This book is so easy to read that anyone can become financially independent by reading it. I normally don't like books about money-making because they use complicated words and phrases that the Average Joe (or Average Jane in my case) can't understand. This book, however, is written in a way that everybody can understand. Through Eddie Solomon's personal experiences, the reader grows wise even if they're young like I am. It's an excellent book for anyone and is well worth the price. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a steady financial future (which should be everyone I would think!). Eddie Solomon is a genius but more importantly, he's incredibly generous.

This book cuts through the bull.
I've read many books on this subject and this book stands out as the best of the bunch.
I highly recommend this book to any one who truly wants to begin to understand the true way of financial independence.

Absolutely incredible! Forget everything you think you know about money, banking and commerce. As this book concisely and effectively points out, hardly any of what you think you know about such things is accurate; it's impossible to know what you don't know. In fact, as you read on you quickly realize that if you think about money issues in a "conventional" way, it will greatly diminish if not entirely eliminate your ability to create, sustain and protect wealth.

Step aside Trump, Allen, Getty, et al. Those books are written based on the same regurgitated "wisdom" of the Carnegie's, Rockefeller's and Rothschild's. While the theory of what they write about is true, they inexplicably fail to provide us with the, until now, esoteric keys to wealth creation. In an attempt to keep us always pining but forever unable to duplicate their success, they've in essence, built the house and conveniently, actually intentionally, forgot to give us the all important key. In an apparent mission from God and/or genuine good will, Mr. Solomon has humbly offered up that elusive key.

You have to know how the money and banking industries truly operate in order to properly manage your assets. In an entirely comprehensive and palpable way, the author Eddie Solomon, teaches several different ways to accomplish the same thing: wealth creation, money management and asset protection. This book will challenge even the most "knowledgeable" banking authorities.

It shoots from the hip, unapologetic about revealing the unsavory nature of our friendly neighborhood bankers and still inspires you to accept the ways thing really are, commit to a plan to rise above the nefarious anatomy of our money markets and finally, to realize your god given right to freedom and prosperity.

Daring, provocative, revealing and inspiring; unlike anything I've ever read. In a collection of almost four thousand books, Financial Independence by Eddie Solomon is displayed prominently in this library and subsequently, lent out often and always brought back with rave reviews. This book is a must have for all those looking for financial freedom and an honest perspective of how the world of money works.

Learn how to create Gates, Vanderbilt and Murdoch size wealth. It's all for the taking, once you know how.

First, Best or Different is an absolutely excellent book. I first read this book just over a year ago and its helpful insights continue to help me develop great marketing ideas of my own. The topics that are covered are vast and the knowledge provided is in depth but not overwhelming. The structure of the book and short chapters allow for the book to be quickly read and for its knowledge to be passed on quickly. This book is an asset to the thought process of any business person and should be an essential tool in the toolbox of all marketers, from professionals to students. In summary, BUY THIS BOOK! It will make you a better business person.

John Bradley Jackson is the real deal. I've implemented his advice and created a successful niche product. I'll never look at marketing the same way again.

Whether you are an entrepreneur of a small company or an intrapreneur in a big corporation, this book will add value to your pursuits. It provides an extensive coverage of the field of marketing--from the fundamental paradigms to the author's experiences as a marketer.

What I like most about the book is it stays current, especially within the realm of the internet. John's book will be able to elevate or even recreate some of the ideas you currently have.

used as course material in a marketing course, this book has continued my education with the ever changing market today, as i constantly find new ways to apply the learnings into my job as a marketing coordinator.
if you are looking into understanding the complex minds of today's information savvy customers, this book is definitely worth the time to read.
its written in a very direct and easy to read format that most should be able just pick up, and read any specific part that applies to whatever the occasion calls for.

First Best or Different is a book that will enable you to further you and your business, if your business is selling advertising or an off-road manufacturing business. First best or different is easy reading that gets to the point and full of useful information for small, medium, and large businesses. I highly recommend First Best or Different if you are looking for a book that will give you vital information for your business or future business. "Make it Happen"

... then try this book! There are no cheesy gimmicks here, just simple and sound advice on how to bring people you meet into your fold by asking, "What can I do for this person?" rather than "What can they do for me?".

Even experienced networkers could learn something valuable from this book.

Thank you Darcy, Judy and Gayle for this wonderful book. With the tips & best practices you laid out so clearly, I have gained substancial confidence this past year with my "Tribal Introduction". Your abundance message rings true with the dramatic increase in my personal network within my community and business organization. As a recruiter and President of my district's Netwroking Association, your book has inspired me to 'work my pond' with ever increasing success.

This book was a disappointement for me, yes, I does give some useful insights into networking and what it is all about. However, most of the chapters are based on common sense that you would do anyway (I hope!!) such as being polite and striking up conservations with people and being nice to everybody regardless of class.

It doesn't give much insight either how to approach contacts at later dates once you have established informal relationships.

If i had to say the one thing i learned the most from this book was to carry business cards where ever i go, they are the golden key to networking.

I loved this book - I see so many people either not giving themselves permission to network and/or not allowing others permission to network at events everyday. Coming to events without business cards and not being ready to introduce yourself is such a loss for all involved - Top it off with showing up but only wanting to speak with the party you came with is so limiting - I love this book and the concept of "Permission to Network" as a focal point was fantastic to see. Everyone needs to read this and then apply the practice at every networking function they attend as well as apply this in general life skills. Good things can only come to those open to recieve them! ;)

I considered giving this book only 4 stars, because it occurred to me that the authors don't live in my world, instead they live in a world where people don't do anything else but jet around the world and network with each other - whereas the furthest I've travelled in my job is Chatswood, a few stops further along the railway line.

But then I thought, that possibly a reflection of differences between Australian culture and the field of work that I'm in (I.T., where people are notoriously insular). I also thought that if they can manage to create relationships like that and have so much fun, then best of luck to them... who am I to hold it against them? Plus, they would obviously know what they're talking about in regard to networking.

So I gave it 5 stars on the basis that the authors have put together a witty and fun book that somehow did wonders for my networking *confidence* - and lets face it, the only person whose attitude you can change is yourselves. And somehow this book managed to do this.

As you consider Enron's Kenneth Lay going to trial, "From Edison to Enron" provides the necessary historical context. Unlike any of the other Enron books, Richard Munson's explains where Enron fits within the power business. Munson also provides good portraits of Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and Samuel Insull, who has amazing simililarities to Ken Lay, although 70 years ago. This is a really good book.

Richard Munson's "From Edison to Enron" is the best book available on the power industry, which is the nation's largest and arguably its most important business. Munson provides zest to the story with entertaining profiles of Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, Nicola Tesla, Samuel Insull, Kenneth Lay, and others. He also provides a cogent review of current trends and emerging technologies. Anyone interested in biography and/or business will find this book to be informative, entertaining, and well reasoned.

Electricity is perhaps our most important industry. It certainly is our largest. It also is our least understood. That's where Richard Munson provides such a valuable service. He offers an engaging historical overview -- with first-rate profiles of Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, Samuel Insull, George Norris, and other industry giants -- and he also provides an insightful review of the current issues and challenges facing the electricity business. This book is a real resource for university history as well as business (and even engineering) classes, and it offers an entertaining read for the general reader interested in the environment and the economy.

I was particularly taken by Munson's comparison of Samuel Insull -- an energy tycoon of the 1920s and 1930s -- and Enron's Kenneth Lay. The author reveals both men's accomplishments and deceits, but he also highlights how each brought change to the industry.

Munson also is effective when he discusses the potential for improvements in the power business. While noting the industry's stagnant efficiency, pollution, and lack of reliability, he argues for removing the regulatory barriers that were developed over the last century to promote and protect monopolies, which have had no incentive to innovate. He describes clearly several innovative technologies and profiles some of the entrepreneurs trying to bring those innovations to the market. Munson is even handed, showing how some utility executives as well as environmental activists are protecting the status quo and blocking efficiency.

The book is well written, effectively integrating information from history, politics, as well as engineering. It is the best business book of the last year.

Electrification is the single greatest achievement in the 20th century. Electricity revolutionized commerce and transportation and improved both the standard of living and the quality of life for all who had access to it. Economic progress without it would be slow and tortuous. Like water in any society, electricity has become a critical resource (or rather, service) in modern society, and like any other critical resource, it is subject to often intense politics.

Edison set the stage when he perfected the humble light bulb, and Tesla got things moving when he discovered the interesting properties of alternating current and the transformer. Edison also put into play the first combined heat and power plant, for which many today (including the author) feel is the future of electricity. However, these knaves fail to acknowledge that on the one hand, electricity is high-grade energy, one that can be used far from its source of production, while heat is low grade energy which must be put into play immediately where it is produced. Lord Kelvin and Westinghouse, seeing the benefits of alternating current, each played a role in setting the stage for centralized, monopoly electricity production. However, it was Samuel Insull who championed for the formation of the traditional, investor-owned-utility (IOU) that most every ratepayer is familiar with today. A slew of politicians, from Democrat FDR to Republican George Norris, turned electricity into a populist cause, and basically ensured that the CEO of every IOU henceforth would be a rabid Republican.

Some say that the greatest technological achievement of the 20th century belongs to computers, or to antibiotics, but these individuals overlook one important thing. Electricity is the great enabler, as it allows people to free themselves from the whims of natural rhythms, escape lives of tedium and drudgery, and above all, achieve a level of convenience and prosperity unheard of in recorded history.

The key thing here is convenience. Electricity made possible a whole slew of appliances, from the humble stove and refrigerator to the mighty microwave and washing machine, that made life easier for all who access to it. Once it was proven safe and (more or less) reliable, the key thing then was to ensure access to service for all that needed it or wanted it. This was the operating paradigm up until 1970 or so, when things first began to change. Given the state of the technology in that period, transmission and distribution of the electricity presented itself as the key stumbling block, and given the massive investment required to make access available to all, it seemed logical to let one supervised player control all aspects of the service, from generation to transmission and distribution. In return for earning a known return for his investment, this player agreed to strict regulation in exchange for the exclusive right to provide the service to consumers in a given area.

The author seeks to make the case that the technology has progressed to the point where consumers can be their own producers of electricity, and meet their own needs. He neglects to tell the reader that electricity consumers have had this ability for at least four decades now, and the reason that most do not pursue production is because it is more convenient (and cheaper) to let the utility do it for them. Those that need to produce can produce, but most of us do not need to produce what we consume. The author also claims that the traditional IOUs hamper innovation via their monopolistic position and practices. While true to some extent, he neglects to inform the reader of a few things, particularly the fact that most consumers, especially residential ratepayers, do not want innovation; they want the convenience of power at preferably cheap rates.

Because of the populist nature of electricity, for the longest time, business has been in effect subsidizing residential ratepayers via high rates, and only recently has this state of affairs reversed, in part because of greater competition brought about by the rise of the merchant generator and innovative (but not necessarily new) technologies. Nowadays, you essentially have two classes of ratepayer- business and residential. Like most commentators on the subject, the author is openly more interested in the welfare of the business ratepayer (who without a doubt has benefited from de-regulation, seeing prices come down by more than half in some cases), while neglecting the plight of the friendly neighborhood, wage-earning, rent-paying residential ratepaying schmuck (who without a doubt has been the loser in deregulation, seeing her prices actually go up). These two ratepaying classes take access for granted, and nowadays have very different concerns and priorities. The over-riding concern of the residential ratepayer is the same then as now- convenience (about all they know about the service is vaguely who to send the bill to... most months!). The business ratepayer has two concerns- lowering his costs thus increasing his profits, and ensuring a steady, reliable supply of energy to ensure that he can deliver his good or service so as to thus avoid lost business.

Perhaps the author's biggest omission is this: electricity is a commodity that it seems no one, either the business or residential consumer, wants to shoulder the full cost for. This key omission holds considerable horrors for anyone looking to be involved in this industry (especially on the investment side). In sum, the experience with (electric) utilities has shown that competition is indeed good for some, particularly big business consumers, and innovation, though very cool and sounding very nice, takes a back seat to both convenience and cost concerns for business and residential customers alike.

Richard Munson offers a unique and entertaining look at the 20th century by tracing the efforts to capture and capitalize on electricity. His profiles of Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, Nikola Tesla, Samuel Insull, and others are first rate. He also clearly documents how this unique form of energy has changed our lives and altered our landscapes.

Munson paints a clear-headed critique of our outmoded and inefficient electricity system. He also offers a balanced view of the opportunities for efficiency and innovation.

If you can read but one energy book -- particularly in light of concerns about pollution, climate change, reliable supplies, and economic development -- I strongly recommend "From Edison to Enron."