Download Popular Titles Audiobooks in Nonfiction, Economics

Wine Wars Audiobook by Mike Veseth

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Mike Veseth) — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 20:52:06 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Wine Wars Subtitle: The Curse of the Blue Nun, the Miracle of Two Buck Chuck, and the Revenge of the Terroirists Author: Mike Veseth Narrator: Clinton Wade Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins Language: English Release date: 01-14-14 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 65 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Writing with wit and verve, Mike Veseth (a.k.a. the Wine Economist) tells the compelling story of the war between the market trends that are redrawing the world wine map and the terroirists who resist them. Wine and the wine business are at a critical crossroad today, transformed by three powerful forces. Veseth begins with the first force, globalization, which is shifting the center of the wine world as global wine markets provide enthusiasts with a rich but overwhelming array of choices. Two Buck Chuck, the second force, symbolizes the rise of branded products like the famous Charles Shaw wines sold in Trader Joe's stores. Branded corporate wines simplify the worldwide wine market and give buyers the confidence they need to make choices, but they also threaten to dumb down wine, sacrificing terroir to achieve marketable, McWine reliability. Will globalization and Two Buck Chuck destroy the essence of wine? Perhaps, but not without a fight, Veseth argues. He counts on "the revenge of the terroirists" to save wine's soul. But it won't be easy as wine expands to exotic new markets such as China and the very idea of terroir is attacked by both critics and global climate change. Veseth has "grape expectations" that globalization, Two Buck Chuck, and the revenge of the terroirists will uncork a favorable future for wine in an engaging tour-de-force that will appeal to all lovers of wine, whether it be boxed, bagged, or bottled. Members Reviews: Narration Tanks an Otherwise-Interesting Book I have survived my most painful audiobook experience yet. "Wine Wars" is a fascinating book for those deep into wine, wine economics, and issues pertaining to globalization versus local character. While some of the subject matter can be a bit dry, Verseth infuses his narrative with interesting characters, amusing stories, and a fair amount of wit. I learned a TON from this book; it has deepened my understanding of the global, "glocal," and local wine and food trade immensely. So why should you buy the physical or e-book instead of the audiobook? Simple -- the narration is simply AWFUL. The narration is flat, lifeless, miserable, and soporific, taking a sometimes dry subject and completely ruining it. Wade lacks expression and his reading marches along like a droning professor -- featureless and bland. The bits of humor in the text pass by in the same awful metronomic cadence as the other content, blending into a soporific drumbeat of expressionless speech. Adding insult to injury, Wade's pronunciation of foreign-language words is just pathetic and ruins the flow of the narration like nails on a chalkboard to anyone who has taken half a semester of French or Italian. Thankfully I never took German, so his presumed butcherings of those words passed by unnoticed. Heck, Wade even insists on pronouncing household name Robert Mondavi as "mon-DAH-vay" when even a 30-second visit to Mondavi's (ends with "vee") website would set him straight.

What's Mine Is Yours Audiobook by Roo Rogers, Rachel Botsman

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Roo Rogers) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 02:53:05 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: What's Mine Is Yours Subtitle: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption Author: Roo Rogers, Rachel Botsman Narrator: Kevin Foley Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins Language: English Release date: 09-14-10 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 71 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: The recent changes in our economic landscape have only exposed and intensified a phenomenon: an explosion in sharing, bartering, lending, trading, renting, gifting, and swapping. From enormous marketplaces such as eBay and Craigslist to emerging sectors such as peer-to-peer lending (Zopa), "swap trading" (Swaptree), and car sharing (Zipcar), Collaborative Consumption is disrupting outdated modes of business and reinventing not only what we consume but how we consume. While ranging enormously in scale and purpose, these companies and organizations are redefining how goods and services are exchanged, valued, and created - in areas as diverse as finance and travel, agriculture, and technology, and education and retail. Traveling among global entrepreneurs and revolutionaries and exploring rising ventures as well as established companies adapting to these opportunities, authors Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers outline in bold and imaginative ways how Collaborative Consumption may very well change the world. Anyone interested in the business opportunities and social power of collaboration will enjoy this smart, timely book. Critic Reviews: "A convincing, charming and in every sense collaborative account of how the new networks that have disrupted our lives are also likely to alter them, and entirely for our good." (Adam Gopnik, author of Paris to the Moon) Part cultural critique and part practical guide to the fledgling collaborative consumption market, the book provides a wealth of information for consumers looking to redefine their relationships with both the things they use and the communities they live in. (Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: An Important Topic I am always looking for books that will help me fathom the new social media/electronic environment. "What's Mine is Yours" seeks to fill a void in that area by addressing social media and consumer behavior. If you have little back ground in the two areas this is a good enough place to start. It is well short of insights not well covered elsewhere. However, is is filled with anecdotes and illustrations that are very inspiring and informative. It is hard to write, publish, and then make a volume ready for Audible in a timely fashion so this one is just a little behind the curve. Another book that is, perhaps, more helpful is Clay Shirky's "Cognitive Surplus." That said, if you have little or no background in social media and consumer behavior - don't miss this book because it is a "business book." Its application is wide ranging. Sharing Can Be Fun! If you enjoyed Freakonomics or The Tipping Point, I recommend this book. The first part is an interesting look at how we got to where we are as consumers, and the rest of the book outlines various ways that people are creating collaborative environments with the help of social media. I found it to be inspiring.

A Colossal Failure of Common Sense Audiobook by Patrick Robinson, Lawrence G. McDonald

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Patrick Robinson) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:23:10 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A Colossal Failure of Common Sense Subtitle: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Lehman Brothers Author: Patrick Robinson, Lawrence G. McDonald Narrator: Erik Davies Format: Unabridged Length: 16 hrs and 38 mins Language: English Release date: 07-21-09 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 191 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In A Colossal Failure of Common Sense, Larry McDonald, a Wall Street insider, reveals, the culture and unspoken rules of the game like no book has ever done. The book is couched in the very human story of Larry McDonald's Horatio Alger-like rise from a Massachusetts "gateway to nowhere" housing project to the New York headquarters of Lehman Brothers, home of one of the world's toughest trading floors. We get a close-up view of the participants in the Lehman collapse, especially those who saw it coming with a helpless, angry certainty. We meet the Brahmins at the top, whose reckless, pedal-to-the-floor addiction to growth finally demolished the nation's oldest investment bank. The Wall Street we encounter here is a ruthless place, where brilliance, arrogance, ambition, greed, capacity for relentless toil, and other human traits combine in a potent mix that sometimes fuels prosperity but occasionally destroys it. The full significance of the dissolution of Lehman Brothers remains to be measured. But this much is certain: it was a devastating blow to America's - and the world's - financial system. And it need not have happened. This is the story of why it did. Members Reviews: First take: Tale of the narcissist I almost gave up on this book because of the unnecessary autobiographical and self laudatory detail the author indulged in for the first 4 or 5 chapters. He's just soooooo amazing, how he single handedly pulled himself up by his boot straps and launched his own brilliant career. Isn't he just wonderful?!? It went on and on in this tone, "I'm just the greatest, amazing, how I overcame all these obstacles, like I'm the only person who ever worked 20 hour days ..." blah blah blah. 4 hours into it and not a word about Lehman experience yet. Profoundly disappointing and stupid. I will revise when/if I ever get through this nauseating thing. Failure of Common Sense by the Publisher Lawrence McDonald, former pork chop salesman, did his greatest selling job ever in getting Random House to publish this book. It is an auto-hagiography with some gossip added. It would be better published in comic book form because all the characters are either good or evil. Not only is it an extremely tedious and boring book, it is very poorly written. I know that Patrick Robinson has written other books, but I hope they are better written than this. It is full of well worn cliches, but the worst part is the rampant metaphor abuse. Some of them go on for paragraphs and most are unoriginal. There is no question that Richard Fuld made horrible management mistakes in the failure of Lehman Brothers, but this book certainly does not offer any real evidence. I hope someone like Michael Lewis, who can write and is not full of himself, takes on this important topic. I have read scores of books on Wall Street and this is without a doubt the worst book on the subject I have ever read/listened to. It may be the worst book on any subject I suffered through. Fascinating Story, Pooly Delivered Seems that all of the reviews are accurate. The author is a narcissist, and parts of the book are very poorly written, comically so at times. Yes, there is rampant metaphor abuse; the narration is so amateur I thought is was read by the author.

Economics Rules Audiobook by Dani Rodrik

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Dani Rodrik) — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 02:01:13 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Economics Rules Subtitle: The Rights and Wrongs of the Dismal Science Author: Dani Rodrik Narrator: James Conlan Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins Language: English Release date: 10-13-15 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 154 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Rethinking economics, from the inside out. In the wake of the financial crisis and the Great Recession, economics seems anything but a science. In this sharp, masterfully argued book, Dani Rodrik, a leading critic from within, takes a close look at economics to examine when it falls short and when it works, to give a surprisingly upbeat account of the discipline. Drawing on the history of the field and his deep experience as a practitioner, Rodrik argues that economics can be a powerful tool that improves the world - but only when economists abandon universal theories and focus on getting the context right. Economics Rules argues that the discipline's much-derided mathematical models are its true strength. Models are the tools that make economics a science. Too often, however, economists mistake a model for the model that applies everywhere and at all times. In six chapters that trace his discipline from Adam Smith to present-day work on globalization, Rodrik shows how diverse situations call for different models. Each model tells a partial story about how the world works. These stories offer wide-ranging, and sometimes contradictory, lessons - just as children's fables offer diverse morals. Whether the question concerns the rise of global inequality, the consequences of free trade, or the value of deficit spending, Rodrik explains how using the right models can deliver valuable new insights about social reality and public policy. Beyond the science, economics requires the craft to apply suitable models to the context. The 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers challenged many economists' deepest assumptions about free markets. Rodrik reveals that economists' model toolkit is much richer than these free-market models. With pragmatic model selection, economists can develop successful antipoverty programs in Mexico, growth strategies in Africa, and intelligent remedies for domestic inequality. At once a forceful critique and defense of the discipline, Economics Rules charts a path toward a more humble but more effective science. Members Reviews: Excellent Book read mediocrely Where does Economics Rules rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far? This is an excellent, short listen if you enjoy thinking about the good things that economics does as well as economics' various shortcomings. I plan to use the book in my classes (I teach economics), in particular to teach the students about the importance of modeling and why having a model that is appropriate to a given situation is so important in economics. Who was your favorite character and why? Not applicable. Who would you have cast as narrator instead of James Conlan? Someone who could read economics jokes as they're intended. Whats the most interesting tidbit youve picked up from this book? I can't think of anything specific. Mostly the book took ideas that I'm familiar with and put them in a well written, condense and well thought structure. It helped me improve my thinking rather than giving me one particular item that I want to tell everyone about. Any additional comments? Someone really should have given the reader some coaching on economics. I had to go back several times to listen to a few passages to realize that they were in fact jokes or written comically, but this didn't come across at all with the way it was read.

Bait and Switch Audiobook by Barbara Ehrenreich

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Barbara Ehrenreich) — Fri, 19 Aug 2005 18:03:02 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Bait and Switch Subtitle: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream Author: Barbara Ehrenreich Narrator: Anne Twomey Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins Language: English Release date: 08-19-05 Publisher: Macmillan Audio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 186 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed explored the lives of low-wage workers. Now, in Bait and Switch, she enters another hidden realm of the economy: the world of the white-collar unemployed. Armed with a plausible resume of a professional "in transition", Ehrenreich attempts to land a middle class job undergoing career coaching and personality testing, then begins trawling a series of EST-like boot camps, job fairs, networking events, and evangelical job-search "ministries". She gets an image makeover to prepare her for the corporate world and works hard to project the winning attitude recommended for a successful job search. She is proselytized, scammed, lectured, and, again and again, rejected. Bait and Switch highlights the people who've done everything right: gotten college degrees, developed marketable skills, and built up impressive resumes, yet have become repeatedly vulnerable to financial disaster and not simply due to the vagaries of the business cycle. Today's ultra-lean corporations take pride in shedding their "surplus" employees, plunging them, for months or years at a stretch, into the twilight zone of white-collar unemployment, where job-searching becomes a full-time job in itself. As Ehrenreich discovers, there are few social supports for the new disposable workers, and little security even for those who have jobs. Critic Reviews: "Jarring, full of riveting grit....This book is already unforgettable." (Newsweek) Members Reviews: A terrible book - princess Barbara goes undercover A terrible read. This book might as well have been written by someone who had lived in a cave for the last 30 years and decided to go seek an executive job and complained about how hard it was. The book does a terrible disservice to the white collar unemployed, since many of these folks do face extreme hardships, often through no fault of their own (whereas the book definitely makes it obvious to me that I would never hire the author in a million years, so she should stop whining). The author's prior book, Nickeled and Dimed, was at least a more enjoyable read, but now I'm beginning to wonder if that too wasn't completely overdramatized by this princess of an author. A few highlights of the book: 1) The author decides to seek an executive job, but has absolutely no prior relevant experience. When seeking a sales job for example, she says she wants to be the sales manager, though she has no sales experience. Is it no surprise she doesn't get a job? 2) The author seeks out a strange group of coaches (which I have to wonder if she has misrepresented these poor folks as well, given the rest of the book). The coaches ask her to take several personality tests. She fabricates random answers to these tests. The tests, given the random answers, point her in many different directions. Author's conclusion: the tests are worthless (they may be, but making up random answers wouldn't be my way of proving it) 3) The author obtains further advice. She is 'surprised' that corporate hiring managers would like to hire people that are likable and that can dress appropriately for an interview.

The Futures Audiobook by Emily Lambert

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Emily Lambert) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:39:23 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Futures Subtitle: The Rise of the Speculator and the Origins of the World's Biggest Markets Author: Emily Lambert Narrator: L. J. Ganser Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins Language: English Release date: 12-28-10 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 48 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In The Futures, Emily Lambert, senior writer at Forbes magazine, tells us the rich and dramatic history of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Chicago Board of Trade, which together comprised the original, most bustling futures market in the world. She details the emergence of the futures business as a kind of meeting place for gamblers and farmers and its subsequent transformation into a sophisticated electronic market where contracts are traded at lightning-fast speeds. Lambert also details the disastrous effects of Wall Street's adoption of the futures contract without the rules and close-knit social bonds that had made trading it in Chicago work so well. Ultimately, Lambert argues that the futures markets are the real "free" markets, and that speculators, far from being mere parasites, can serve a vital economic and social function, given the right architecture. The traditional futures market, she explains, because of its written and cultural limits, can serve as a useful example for how markets ought to work and become a tonic for our current financial ills. Members Reviews: Great concept, but falls short This had a superficial sort of postcard or store-window quality to it. It was as if a tourist dropped in and took snapshots of people, so we get to see how tall they are, what their brother's name is, when they showed up, but the deeper stuff, the substantive workings and mechanics of these markets, the deal details, the most intense inner contraditions and conflicts, seem lacking. This seems almost a sentimental journey. I can stand this narrator's voice, but find it harsh and grating, something I would be happy to overlook for the sake of better content. Superlative work , Excellent performance.
Excellent account of free market creation. Very well written with a superior , impeccable delivery by L.J. Ganser. Should've Listened To A & P Instead Not what I was looking for. There's nothing technical in here. Instead, it's an occasionally stimulating history of various futures markets (focusing on Chicago and traders) but since that's not what I wanted, I kind of wish I would've read that history of the A & P grocery stores.

Economism Audiobook by James Kwak, Simon Johnson - foreword

biacuaduc@gmail.com (James Kwak) — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 01:52:50 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Economism Subtitle: Bad Economics and the Rise of Inequality Author: James Kwak, Simon Johnson - foreword Narrator: Mark Bramhall Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins Language: English Release date: 01-10-17 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 23 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Here is a bracing deconstruction of the framework for understanding the world that is learned as gospel in Economics 101, regardless of its imaginary assumptions and misleading half truths. Economism: an ideology that distorts the valid principles and tools of introductory college economics, propagated by self-styled experts, zealous lobbyists, clueless politicians, and ignorant pundits. In order to illuminate the fallacies of economism, James Kwak first offers a primer on supply and demand, market equilibrium, and social welfare: the underpinnings of most popular economic arguments. Then he provides a historical account of how economism became a prevalent mode of thought in the United States - focusing on the people who packaged Econ 101 into sound bites that were then repeated until they took on the aura of truth. He shows us how issues of moment in contemporary American society - labor markets, taxes, finance, health care, and international trade, among others - are shaped by economism, demonstrating in each case with clarity and élan how, because of its failure to reflect the complexities of our world, economism has had a deleterious influence on policies that affect hundreds of millions of Americans. Members Reviews: With no graphs, the audio version is useless. What disappointed you about Economism? In the printed book there are many supply vs demand curves. Understanding these is essential to understanding the book. These graphs are not provided in this audio version, so a listener will only get a fraction of what this book has to offer. Has Economism turned you off from other books in this genre? No. In fact I'd still like to read it and may still buy the print version. Any additional comments? Before Audible.com posts an audiobook that heavily relies on figures in the printed version of the book, I think Audible.com should either: 1) provide a pdf of the figures; 2) short of that, a notice of this shortcoming should be given to the buyer. An excellent counterpoint to Economics 101 without vilifying academia I dropped a credit on this book after seeing James Kwak on Bloomberg, discussing the ACA. I was looking for an explanation for why our incoming administration is touting the policies that they are, and found it. Kwak does an excellent job providing the historical precedence for economism, beyond the 101ism that has taken over our society as a whole. His explanations of those 101 concepts are succinct and understandable, though the vocabulary is a bit hard to keep track of in an audio format.

VangoNotes for Microeconomics, 2/e Audiobook by Glenn Hubbard, Anthony O'Brien

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Glenn Hubbard) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:12:08 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: VangoNotes for Microeconomics, 2/e Author: Glenn Hubbard, Anthony O'Brien Format: Original Recording Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins Language: English Release date: 03-10-08 Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc. Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from Microeconomics, 2/e and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook: ©2008 Pearson Education, Inc. Members Reviews: From C to A What did you love best about VangoNotes for Microeconomics, 2/e? It was easy to follow and learn from. I was struggling in my Microeconomics class in college and was carrying a C before listening to this book. My last test score was an A! (Even though my instructor wasn't using this textbook.) Would you listen to another book narrated by the narrator? Yes, I am intending on downloading Macroeconomics next. Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting? No, I listened to it in the car while traveling to work.

Nemesis Audiobook by Chalmers Johnson

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Chalmers Johnson) — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 17:51:22 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Nemesis Subtitle: The Last Days of the American Republic Author: Chalmers Johnson Narrator: Tom Weiner Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins Language: English Release date: 02-05-07 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 167 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Drawing comparisons to empires past, Johnson explores in vivid detail the likely consequences of dependence on a permanent war economy, and what it will mean when the globe's sole "hyperpower" is no longer capable of paying for the vaulting ambitions of its leaders - and becomes the greatest hyper-debtor of all time. In his stunning conclusion, Johnson suggests that the crisis of a financial breakdown could ultimately prove to be the only path to a renewed nation. Critic Reviews: "[A] biting, often effective indictment of some ugly and troubling features of America's foreign policy and domestic politics." (Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: The Tone is too harsh I agree with everything the author writes, and then some. It's infuriating, what this country's become. The author's self-righteous tone will appeal mostly to the convinced. In his telling, the US is always bad, bad, and has never done anything on the world stage that's the slightest bit altruistic. While this is mostly true, and while the author has his facts perfectly in line (the account of the US soldiers guarding the Iraqi Oil Ministry while allowing Iraq's irreplaceable historical tresures fall to looting - is especially harrowing), I would probably look elsewhere if you are giving this to someone who already thinks liberals can't stop the reflexive America-bashing. Wow... If We Only Would Learn From History! I thought that this was a fascinating book that really laid out a real possibility of the path that our country is on if we don't start taking measures to do and be better. I study and appreciate history and can clearly see how the US is is headed for serious changes if we aren't careful. The Book Bill O'Rielly Doesn't Want You To Read! Sad but true, the US is not the wandering do-gooder it's made out to be by FoxNews. We've got a long, rich history of meddling in the affairs of other nations with catastrophic results. Chalmers Johnson pulls no punches in explaining why. He details the parallels of the American empire with those of Rome and Britain. Truly scary stuff. You must read this BEFORE appearing on Bill O'Rielly. Well Presented Though this is a book length diatribe against the Bush administration Johnson is a serious researcher and has a very good reputation for knowing what he is talking about. I have read some other things he has written, but they dealt with other issues. He really digs in and goes beyond the silly chanting you hear at rallies and explains what he is furious about...though after a while it is obvious that he is coming from the far left at which point it is difficult to take him as serious. 2 previous were better the 1st 2 books in the series are better. This was redundant. Still a clearly written and damning book. Long live Putin.

Double Entry Audiobook by Jane Gleeson-White

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jane Gleeson-White) — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:15:47 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Double Entry Author: Jane Gleeson-White Narrator: Julia Farhat Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins Language: English Release date: 05-07-13 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 40 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Filled with colorful characters and history, Double Entry takes us from the ancient origins of accounting in Mesopotamia to the frontiers of modern finance. At the heart of the story is double-entry bookkeeping: the first system that allowed merchants to actually measure the worth of their businesses. Luca Pacioli - monk, mathematician, alchemist, and friend of Leonardo da Vinci - incorporated Arabic mathematics to formulate a system that could work across all trades and nations. As Jane Gleeson-White reveals, double-entry accounting was nothing short of revolutionary: it fueled the Renaissance, enabled capitalism to flourish, and created the global economy. John Maynard Keynes would use it to calculate GDP, the measure of a nations wealth. Yet double-entry accounting has had its failures. With the costs of sudden corporate collapses such as Enron and Lehman Brothers, and its disregard of environmental and human costs, the time may have come to re-create it for the future. Critic Reviews: A timely, topical, readable, and thought-provoking look at the history and legacy of double-entry bookkeeping. (Elif Batuman, author of The Possessed) Members Reviews: Parts of this book sing to me Niall Ferguson seemed to break new popularizing ground with "The Ascent of Money," which in some ways resembled Kenneth Clarke's fantastic popularization "Civilization" and Jacob Bronowski's "Ascent of Man" of the 1970s. I enjoyed and was very inspired by all these works. Now, to my delight, many authors are exploring in more depth some themes also found in "Ascent of Money," particularly the transmission across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy of the business math and accounting in late medieval times that would transform the modern world. Here are also bits of art history, as math master and main character Luca Pacioli crossed paths with many important figures of the early Renaissance. Some readers may differ on the author's choices of topics in the later part of this book (and amazon book reviews will show this), but the Italian history alone for me is worth the price of admission. Interesting Work, Terrible Narration What did you like best about Double Entry? What did you like least? The story of double entry accounting sounds mundane, but is fascinating. The narrator is atrocious. It sounds like a robot and I could hardly listen to it. How did the narrator detract from the book? The narration is absolutely unbearable. I have purchased a lot of books from audible and always been pleased. This is an exception. It makes it very difficult to listen to and even harder to try to comprehend. Wonderful book with puzzling narration. Julia Farhat is a wonderfully talented narrator. This work is so different from her other work that the responsibility for the mechanical delivery must lie with someone else entirely. The content of this work is important and interesting. Julia Farhat is always crystal clear in her delivery, but this time she sounds like a robot. The mind delights, the ears bleed. Interesting book, but narrator is monotonous. This is an interesting account on so many levels of what would appear to be a dry topic. However, the performance literally puts one to sleep. The history is interesting, but preachy ending Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not? Only recommend to people very interested in history or accounting.

Key Takeaways & Analysis of Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics, by Richard H.

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Instaread) — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 13:49:46 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Key Takeaways & Analysis of Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics, by Richard H. Thaler Author: Instaread Narrator: Michael Gilboe Format: Unabridged Length: 27 mins Language: English Release date: 02-02-16 Publisher: Instaread Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 10 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Misbehaving by Richard H. Thaler | Key Takeaways & Analysis Preview: Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics is an introduction to behavioral economics and an account of Richard H. Thaler's role in developing and popularizing the field. The traditional economic theory of the 1970s presumed that people made economic decisions rationally. In this economic vision, rational individuals - or econs, as Thaler calls them - know what they want, and they know how much they value the things they want.... Please note: This is key takeaways and analysis of the book, and not the original book. Inside this Instaread of Misbehaving: Members Reviews: too much reading too little time The author summed up the important topics nicely. honestly, I would like to listen a second time but am having problems with the player.

The Age of Sustainable Development Audiobook by Jeffrey D. Sachs

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jeffrey D. Sachs) — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 17:52:59 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Age of Sustainable Development Author: Jeffrey D. Sachs Narrator: Bob Souer Format: Unabridged Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins Language: English Release date: 09-13-16 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 17 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Jeffrey D. Sachs has shown himself to be one of the world's most perceptive and original analysts of global development in his groundbreaking books, including The End of Poverty and Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet. Now, in this major new work, he presents a compelling and practical framework for how global citizens can address the seemingly intractable worldwide problems of persistent extreme poverty, environmental degradation, and political-economic injustice. Sachs outlines the holistic way forward: sustainable development. This provocative work offers listeners, students, activists, environmentalists, and policy makers the tools, metrics, and practical pathways they need to achieve sustainable development goals. Far more than a rhetorical exercise, this book is designed to inform, inspire, and spur action. Based on Sachs' 14 years as director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and as special advisor to the United Nations Secretary-General on the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals, The Age of Sustainable Development is a landmark publication and a clarion call for all who care about our planet and global justice. Critic Reviews: "An important, comprehensive and remarkably accessible book - a standout in a sea of jargon-laden titles that fail to explain and vivify this enormously complex topic." ( Kirkus Reviews) Members Reviews: Audible skips too much Although the Audible claims to be "unabridged" it skips all of the discussion of figures. And since the figures and graphs are a large part of this book, audible is missing too much. I know this because I bought the book as well. Sachs offers a really astute assessment of the global situation. He is optimistic (perhaps delusional) about humanity's capacity to pull back from the brink of self-annihilation. However, he acknowledges that we need some major global changes to make any real progress -- what I don't see is how we can make any of that progress. This is always the climate change problem: the assessment of the situation is accurate and acute, but the idiots who have the power to act are so busy greasing their palms that they don't act. Sigh. I really like how Sachs puts together economic development, social inclusion, and sustainability. This cluster makes so much sense it almost hurts. He's not the first to do this, of course -- Naomi Klein in her radical left-wing way and Brian McLaren in his theological way have both gone before -- but Sachs has the credibility of the economist (do economists have credibility???) and of someone who has been working to make a significant difference in the lives of the poor.

The Money Formula Audiobook by Paul Wilmott, David Orrell

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Paul Wilmott) — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 11:37:36 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Money Formula Subtitle: Dodgy Finance, Pseudo Science, and How Mathematicians Took Over the Markets Author: Paul Wilmott, David Orrell Narrator: Gavin Osborn Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins Language: English Release date: 01-11-18 Publisher: Audible Studios Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Explore the deadly elegance of finance's hidden powerhouse The Money Formula takes you inside the engine room of the global economy to explore the little-understood world of quantitative finance, and show how the future of our economy rests on the backs of this all-but-impenetrable industry. Written not from a post-crisis perspective - but from a preventative point of view - this book traces the development of financial derivatives from bonds to credit default swaps, and shows how mathematical formulas went beyond pricing to expand their use to the point where they dwarfed the real economy. You'll learn how the deadly allure of their ice-cold beauty has misled generations of economists and investors, and how continued reliance on these formulas can either assist future economic development, or send the global economy into the financial equivalent of a cardiac arrest. Rather than rehash tales of post-crisis fallout, this book focuses on preventing the next one. By exploring the heart of the shadow economy, you'll be better prepared to ride the rough waves of finance into the turbulent future. How do you create a quadrillion dollars out of nothing, blow it away, and leave a hole so large that even years of "quantitative easing" can't fill it - and then go back to doing the same thing? Even amidst global recovery, the financial system still has the potential to seize up at any moment. The Money Formula explores the how and why of financial disaster, what must happen to prevent the next one. Members Reviews: The Numerical Deceptions Behind Todayâs Trillion Dollar Swindles Just like everything else, mathematics can be corrupted by big money. This book lays bare the mathematical deceptions behind the trillion dollar swindles on Wall Street and in London. These are the false assumptions and claims used to bait both investors and the public, the âinnovationsâ (mathematical models and algorithms) that hide risk and shift it to you and me while pretending to do the opposite. Meanwhile obvious reforms never seem to happen due to the obscene levels of greed, corruption, regulatory capture, etc. The lack of enforced ethical standards in economics and finance is no accident, with the possibility of even bigger financial crashes and scandals in the future. Paul Wilmott and David Orrell are both good applied mathematicians, authors, and critics, with Paul being the consummate insider, or âquantâ, while David is the outsider, having already taken on academic economics with his insightful book âEconomythsâ. Their chatty dialogue explains the key role of the Black-Scholes formula in setting realistic prices for various kinds of financial options, but also emphasizes its limitations, so often ignored in practice. They find it astonishing how many quants actually believe in the Efficient Market Hypothesis, but note how it excuses all manner of selfish behavior, with extraordinary pay and bonuses. Using his insider background, Wilmott exposes a litany of âmathematical tricks for betting on the marketsâ, noting that traditional quant concepts like âmodern portfolio theoryâ and âvalue at riskâ tend to âfail just when you need them mostâwhen apparent stability breaks downâ. However, hedge funds are good at looking âfor small pockets of predictabilityâ while they lastâ.

Predator Nation Audiobook by Charles H. Ferguson

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Charles H. Ferguson) — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:48:59 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Predator Nation Subtitle: Corporate Criminals, Political Corruption, and the Hijacking of America Author: Charles H. Ferguson Narrator: Rob Shapiro Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins Language: English Release date: 05-22-12 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 230 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Charles H. Ferguson, who electrified the world with his Oscar-winning documentary Inside Job, now explains how a predator elite took over the country, step by step, and he exposes the networks of academic, financial, and political influence, in all recent administrations, that prepared the predators' path to conquest. Over the last several decades, the United States has undergone one of the most radical social and economic transformations in its history. If you're smart and a hard worker, but your parents aren't rich, you're now better off being born in Munich, Germany, or in Singapore than in Cleveland, Ohio, or New York. This radical shift did not happen by accident. Ferguson shows how, since the Reagan administration in the 1980s, both major political parties have become captives of the moneyed elite. It was the Clinton administration that dismantled the regulatory controls that protected the average citizen from avaricious financiers. It was the Bush team that destroyed the federal revenue base with its grotesquely skewed tax cuts for the rich. And it is the Obama White House that has allowed financial criminals to continue to operate unchecked, even after supposed "reforms" installed after the collapse of 2008. Predator Nation reveals how once-revered figures like Alan Greenspan and Larry Summers became mere courtiers to the elite. Based on many newly released court filings, it details the extent of the crimes - there is no other word for them - committed in the frenzied chase for wealth that caused the financial crisis. And, finally, it lays out a plan of action for how we might take back our country and the American dream. Critic Reviews: With Predator Nation, Charles Ferguson sets out to finish what he started with his Oscar-winning documentary, Inside Job. This take-no-prisoners account of the financial crisis follows the money, connects the dots, names names, and asks the questions our leaders still refuse to answer: how have those responsible for the crisis not been held accountable, and how can we make sure it doesnt happen again? (Arianna Huffington, president and editor in chief of the Huffington Post Media Group) There is fraud at the heart of Wall Street - deliberate intellectual, business, and political deception. Charles Ferguson is in hot pursuit. Inside Job shook up the cozy world of academic finance. Predator Nation should stir prosecutors into action. And if we fail to reform our political system, you can say goodbye to American democracy. (Simon Johnson, coauthor of White House Burning and MIT Sloan School of Management professor) Ferguson presents a fierce indictment of predatory activities of parts of the financial system and of the corruption of democracy that big money financial lobbying has caused. A book well worth reading regardless of whether you fully agree or not with all of its arguments. (Nouriel Roubini, professor of economics and international business at Stern School of Business, New York University, and chairman of Roubini Global Economics) Members Reviews: The Best Book on the Financial Collapse I have read many of the recently published books on the financial crises over the past few years in an effort to better understand what happened. This book is by far the best that I have read to date.

The Money Bubble Audiobook by James Turk, John Rubino

biacuaduc@gmail.com (James Turk) — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 22:27:35 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Money Bubble Author: James Turk, John Rubino Narrator: Larry Wayne Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins Language: English Release date: 12-05-14 Publisher: Listen and Think Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 164 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In their 2004 book The Coming Collapse of the Dollar, James Turk and John Rubino advised readers to bet against the housing bubble before it popped and to buy gold before it soared. Those were literally the two best investment ideas of the decade. Now Turk and Rubino are back to say that history is about to repeat. Instead of addressing the causes of the 2008 financial crisis, the world's governments have continued along the same path, accumulating even more debt and inflating even bigger financial bubbles. So another - even bigger - crisis is coming. Whether it ends up being called a "crack-up boom" or "the End of Paper Money" or "the Second Great Depression," it will change everything, from the kinds of investments that create new fortunes to the kinds of money that most of us save and spend. Among many other things, the authors explain: "Because the Money Bubble involves the world's major currencies rather than just a discrete asset class like houses or tech stocks, its bursting will be both far more devastating for the unprepared and far more profitable for those able to understand it and act accordingly. Our goal is to usher you into this small but happy second group." - James Turk and John Rubino, The Money Bubble Members Reviews: Outstanding! I went through this audiobook in less than a day! I highly recommend it. I'll probably listen to it again. xsox1951 awesome insight! A must for everyone. I wish they would teach this in school the U.S. would be better off for it. Great overview of the Fiat money scheme James and John explain complex International economic arrangements in a way that nonprofessionals can understand. Their explanation of how Gold fits in to the international money system is quite enlightening. The money bubble is really talking about the Fiat money bubble which gold and silver will likely pop soon. Very insightful and logical. Where does The Money Bubble rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far? It is so good, I have listened to it for a third time. Any additional comments? The financial future road-map is in this book Best book explaining the present financial chaos. Would you consider the audio edition of The Money Bubble to be better than the print version? No, because much of the data needs to be reread. What did you like best about this story? Clear explanation of how corruption has taken over. Which scene was your favorite? Prediction that manipulators will eventually fail. If you could give The Money Bubble a new subtitle, what would it be? How the Financial Mafia Stole Our Lives. Any additional comments? Shows how corrupt gov and financial institutions have stolen our wealth and lives.

Plutocrats Audiobook by Chrystia Freeland

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Chrystia Freeland) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:46:35 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Plutocrats Subtitle: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else Author: Chrystia Freeland Narrator: Allyson Ryan Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins Language: English Release date: 10-29-12 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 164 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: There has always been some gap between rich and poor in this country, but in the last few decades what it means to be rich has changed dramatically. Alarmingly, the greatest income gap is not between the 1 percent and the 99 percent, but within the wealthiest 1 percent of our nation - as the merely wealthy are left behind by the rapidly expanding fortunes of the new global super-rich. Forget the 1 percent; Plutocrats proves that it is the wealthiest 0.1 percent who are outpacing the rest of us at break-neck speed. What's changed is more than numbers. Today, most colossal fortunes are new, not inherited - amassed by perceptive businessmen who see themselves as deserving victors in a cut-throat international competition. As a transglobal class of successful professionals, today's self-made oligarchs often feel they have more in common with one another than with their countrymen back home. Bringing together the economics and psychology of these new super-rich, Plutocrats puts us inside a league very much of its own, with its own rules. The closest mirror to our own time is the late 19th century Gilded Age - the era of powerful "robber barons" like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. Then as now, emerging markets and innovative technologies collided to produce unprecedented wealth for more people than ever in human history. Yet those at the very top benefited far more than others - and from this pinnacle they exercised immense and unchecked power in their countries. Today's closest analogue to these robber barons can be found in the turbulent economies of India, Brazil, and China, all home to ferocious market competition and political turmoil. But wealth, corruption, and populism are no longer constrained by national borders, so this new Gilded Age is already transforming the economics of the West as well. Plutocrats demonstrates how social upheavals generated by the first Gilded Age may pale in comparison to what is in store for us, as the wealth of the entire globalized world is concentrated in fewer and fewer hands. Cracking open the tight-knit world of the new global super-rich is Chrystia Freeland, an acclaimed business journalist who has spent nearly two decades reporting on the new transglobal elite. She parses an internal Citigroup memo that urges clients to design portfolios around the international "Plutonomy" and not the national rest; follows Russian, Mexican, and Indian oligarchs during the privatization boom as they manipulate the levers of power to commandeer their local economies; breaks down the gender divide between the vast female-managed "middle class" and the world's one thousand billionaires; shows how, by controlling both the economic and political institutions of their nation, the richest members of China's National People's Congress have amassed more wealth than every branch of American government combined - the president, his cabinet, the justices of the Supreme Court, and both houses of Congress. Though the results can be shocking, Freeland dissects the lives of the world's wealthiest individuals with empathy, intelligence, and deep insight.

Aftershock Audiobook by Robert Reich

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Robert Reich) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 02:17:53 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Aftershock Subtitle: The Next Economy and Americas Future Author: Robert Reich Narrator: Robert Reich Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins Language: English Release date: 09-21-10 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 597 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: The author of 12 acclaimed books, Robert B. Reich is a Chancellors Professor of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and has served in three national administrations. While many blamed Wall Street for the financial meltdown, Aftershock points a finger at a national economy in which wealth is increasingly concentrated at the top - and where a grasping middle class simply does not have the resources to remain viable. Critic Reviews: "Reich's thesis is well argued and frighteningly plausible: without a return to the 'basic bargain' (that workers are also consumers), the "aftershock" of the Great Recession includes long-term high unemployment and a political backlash - a crisis, he notes with a sort of grim optimism, that just might be painful enough to encourage necessary structural reforms." (Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: Very plausible assessment of our economy I heard Mr Reich discuss this book on NPR and immediately downloaded this Audible version. His arguments are very clear, and I 100% agree with his analysis. Im not completely sure I agree with his solutions but they are thought provoking ideas. I energetically recommend this book to anyone who is trying to understand these times 5 Concise Reasons to Read I love short books. Can you recommend any good, but concise, nonfiction? Great reads under 200 pages? Here are my 5 concise reasons to read Robert Reich's latest book "Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future" Reason #1 - Conciseness: Most books are too long. Aftershock is a blessed 192 pages; 4 hours and 29 minutes short in audiobook format. Reason #2 - Originality: Reich's big argument is that out economy is fundamentally unbalanced. That the growth of inequality that has concentrated economic gains among the top 5 percent of the populations has resulted in an inability of most Americans to adequately consume. We cannot afford to buy what we produce (a problem near and dear to the heart of any parent who works in higher education). Reason #3 - The Higher Education Plan: Reich actually has a plan for higher education. He would make tuition free (to public institutions), and recoup the costs with a levy on future earnings for anyone who participated. His proposal is more complex than this description, and wildly unlikely to ever be enacted anywhere, but still fun to debate. Reason #4 - History: Reich was one of the first academic popularizers that I discovered. Back in 1992, he wrote The Work of Nations: Preparing Ourselves for 21st Century Capitalism, in which he argued that economic gains and options would accrue to the "symbolic analysts" - those who manipulate and create information. Reich was ahead of the game in 1992, and if we had listened more carefully to his warnings we might be in better shape today. Reason #5 - Narration: Reich narrates his own book - and does it beautifully. Usually reading what you have written does not work out so well. Narration is a skill best left to professional readers. But in this case, Reich is the right person to read his own words Shocking, Scary, but with some hope I've listened to this book twice so far and I will again. I assume the print version has pictures or graphics or charts that support his arguments. But Reich is persuasive without them. You can get an idea of that by listening to his commentaries on NPR's Marketplace.

Blood Oil Audiobook by Leif Wenar

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Leif Wenar) — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 18:29:43 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Blood Oil Subtitle: Tyrants, Violence, and the Rules That Run the World Author: Leif Wenar Narrator: Kevin Stillwell Format: Unabridged Length: 20 hrs and 28 mins Language: English Release date: 02-15-16 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 80 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Natural resources empower the world's most coercive men. Autocrats like Putin and the Saudis spend oil money on weapons and repression. ISIS and Congo's militias spend resource money on atrocities and ammunition. For decades resource-fueled authoritarians and extremists have forced endless crises on the West - and the ultimate source of their resource money is us, paying at the gas station and the mall. In this sweeping new book, one of today's leading political philosophers, Leif Wenar, goes behind the headlines in search of the hidden global rule that thwarts democracy and development - and that puts shoppers into business with some of today's most dangerous men. Listeners discover a rule that once licensed the slave trade and apartheid and genocide, a rule whose abolition has marked some of humanity's greatest triumphs - yet a rule that still enflames tyranny and war and terrorism through today's multitrillion-dollar resource trade. Blood Oil shows how the West can now lead a peaceful revolution by ending its dependence on authoritarian oil and by getting shoppers out of business with the men of blood. The book describes practical strategies for upgrading world trade: for choosing new rules that will make us more secure at home, more trusted abroad, and better able to solve pressing global problems like climate change. This book shows citizens, consumers, and leaders how we can act together today to create a more united human future. Members Reviews: HEAVY but practcal! How western nations are cursed when buying stolen resources from authoritarian rulers; how & why we must stop. A must Read! Caveat: Human beings -- Totally untrustworthy This book is a thorough primer on world affairs. It clarified a lot of things for me with brilliant examples and tidbits, particularly about our relationship with the Saudi Kingdom and other such states. However, in my jaded view, conflict and war is part of our DNA like water and salt. We humans will never change and will always find something to quarrel about. The book demonstrates this human pitfall in its discussions regarding alternative solutions. ... Better technology and upheaval because of new technology is most often the driver of social progress and setbacks. For example the abolition of slavery and the American Civil War was an industrial vs agrarian conflict. (And it can be argued that the freeing of the slaves was Lincoln's version of Truman dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.) In the case that the author cited, the abolition of the slave trade by England, it is noted that the TRADE of slaves was abolished but NOT SLAVERY itself. For tactical reasons, the abolitionist in England believed that slavery itself would wither away on its own, which was true enough. Industrialization and the replacement of brute manpower with machine power, however, was the ultimate driver (i.e., better profits). Likewise, alternative fuels or even lifestyles might ultimately cure our dependency on oil; provided, the powers that be allows us to go forward with these alternative lifestyles. Yes, allow --the forces of commercialism and the constant brainwashing are difficult to overcome even by the fiercest of romantics.

The Economics and Politics of Race Audiobook by Thomas Sowell

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Thomas Sowell) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 08:31:55 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Economics and Politics of Race Subtitle: An International Perspective Author: Thomas Sowell Narrator: Robert Morris Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins Language: English Release date: 11-20-12 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 38 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Using an international framework, Sowell analyzes how much a racial groups economic fate is determined by the surrounding society and how much by internal patterns that follow that same group around the world. Members Reviews: Very interesting material, with not very good audi Where does The Economics and Politics of Race rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far? The content would be pretty high, but issues with the audio brought down the overall experience. I'm not sure if I would recommend this read to anyone What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative? The content was very interesting and presented in a way that you would likely never hear in school. What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike? Audio was awful and I had a lot of issues hearing every word clearly. If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be? This shouldn't be a film Any additional comments? It is always good to hear the views of both sides of a story. It was pretty enlightening to see how so much information in our modern life is framed in order to bolster the position of one side over another. eye opening a wonderful survey of races and cultures often left out of the discussion on race and races and cultures over represented in the discussion in an objective light with critical evaluation of commonly misunderstood metrics. Explaining the value of human capital One of the finest and most thorough explanations of the futility of prejudice and governmental attempts to remedy past descrimination beyond freeing an oppressed group. The book was written in 1984, but is just as up to date as if it were written yesterday. The only things missing are current examples which would not add significantly to the clarity of the points well made by Mr. Sowell. excellent history book if you want to better understand how culture affects groups economically; then this book is an essential starting point to organize your framework. get this book. listen to this book. read this book. share this book. Excellent book, very poor narration quality Would you be willing to try another one of Robert Morriss performances? No. The volume fluctuates from acceptable to nearly inaudible which makes it very difficult to hear. Also, there are constant, sharp, whistling "s" sounds. I've listened to many other books and the others have been fine either playing on my portable audio device with headphones and through my car's speaker system. Also, apart from the quality of the narration, this book suffers from the same problem as many of the other books I've got on audible. I keep hearing faint noises in the background. I don't know what that's about. My speculation is that it's some sort of copyright protection audio watermark, but I find it to be annoying. Any additional comments? The overall book is original, but the individual examples are not wholly original to Sowell's works. For example, he's talked about the phenomenon of middle-men minorities and other minorities which quickly surpassed native majorities economically (the Jews in many countries, the expatriate Chinese in SE Asia and the US, the Lebanese in Africa, Italians in Argentina, etc.) in at least a few of his other books.

Mises Audiobook by Jörg Guido Hülsmann

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jörg Guido Hülsmann) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 06:15:55 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Mises Subtitle: The Last Knight of Liberalism Author: Jörg Guido Hülsmann Narrator: Paul Strikwerda Format: Unabridged Length: 31 hrs and 2 mins Language: English Release date: 10-13-11 Publisher: Ludwig von Mises Institute Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 47 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Here is a magisterial book for today and the ages, one that inspires awe for both the subject and the author who accomplished the seemingly impossible: a sweeping intellectual biography, constructed from original sources, of the 20th century's most astonishing dissident intellectual. It has the apparatus of a great scholarly work but the drama of a classic novel. Ludwig von Mises' colleagues in Europe called him the "last knight of liberalism" because he was the champion of an ideal of liberty they considered dead and gone in an age of central planning and socialism of all varieties. During his lifetime, they were largely correct. And thus the subtitle of this book. But Mises was not deterred in any respect: not in his scientific work, not in his writing or publishing, and not in his relentless fight against every form of statism. Born in 1881, he taught in Europe and the Americas during his century, and died in 1978 before the dawn of a new epoch that would validate his life and ideals in the minds of millions of people around the world. The last knight of liberalism triumphed. Jörg Guido Hülsmann, professor of economics at the Université d'Angers, tells the full story of his dramatic and inspiring life and contributions - and in the course of it, provides a reconstruction of the history of the Austrian School of economics of which Mises was the leading expositor, including the entire history of economic thought on the European continent and in the United States during the 20th century.Virtually everything in this book is new, a result of ten years of combing archives in five countries and unprecedented access to the voluminous papers of Mises and those of his colleagues - and written by an author who is a master of the discipline and all the languages involved (German, English, and French). Though the book is huge (1,200 pages), it reads like a great novel, with a fast pace and high drama, which Paul Strikwerda brings alive with his narration. Members Reviews: Glad this exists I was amazed to find a 31-hour biography of someone so relatively obscure. While the book does not really explore Mises' flaws, and the author is obviously a fan, that is to be expected in a book sponsored by the Mises Institute. Hülsmann is not on a level with the great biographers, but it is still very well done. The narration is clear through about 1.8x, my only complaint being I am not a fan of accents in quotes during non-fiction books. A great view of a man and an époque This is economic history. It gave me a greater understanding of his time and how he got to develop his views. It was even exciting, at times, and the book gave me a better understanding of recent history. Masterly, scholarly, a great summation. A great summation of the immeasurable contributions of Mises to free-market economics and individual freedom. Threaded throughout with the intellectual development of his ideas, placed within its historical context and the opposing views he combated.

Bad Samaritans Audiobook by Ha-Joon Chang

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Ha-Joon Chang) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:19:07 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Bad Samaritans Subtitle: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism Author: Ha-Joon Chang Narrator: Jim Bond Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins Language: English Release date: 09-18-08 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 195 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: On the contrary, Chang shows, today's economic superpowers - from the United States to Britain to his native South Korea - all attained prosperity by shameless protectionism and government intervention in industry. We in the wealthy nations have conveniently forgotten this fact, telling ourselves a fairy tale about the magic of free trade and - via our proxies such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organization - ramming policies that suit ourselves down the throat of the developing world. Unlike typical economists who construct models of how economies are supposed to behave, Chang examines the past: what has actually happened. His pungently contrarian history demolishes one pillar after another of free-market mythology. We treat patents and copyrights as sacrosanct - but developed our own industries by studiously copying others' technologies. We insist that centrally planned economies stifle growth - but many developing countries had higher GDP growth before they were pressured into deregulating their economies. Both justice and common sense, Chang argues, demand that we reevaluate the policies we force on weaker nations. Bad Samaritans calls on America to return to its abandoned role, embodied in programs like the Marshall Plan, to offer a helping hand, instead of a closed fist, to countries struggling to follow in our footsteps. Members Reviews: Would Be Better As An Article Would have made an excellent Atlantic article - not enough for a book. It is good that Chang challenges the conventional wisdom of the Washington consensus on free-trade. As an Economist reader I'm happy to my assumptions challenged. The best chapters are routed in history - not argument. I very much enjoyed hearing a first-hand account of the risk of South Korea, from one of the world's poorest countries to one of the wealthiest - and the policies that allowed this transformation. This story is particularly interesting to me as my in-laws are Korean immigrants. But Chang does not have enough new to say for a whole book, and ends up repeating himself and his argument far too often. Everyone should have to read this book If you couple this book with Alan Greenspans book and hold our current economic crisis against them you can easily see where we have failed to apply what we know but instead began to believe our own propaganda. The only truly successful Free MArket Societies are regulated one. It is not arguable. History simply proves it. Greats Points This book delivers great points for those who believe the U.S. does only "good" around the world. I enjoyed the arguments very much and agree with the viewpoint of the author. However, I liked "The Open Veins of Latin America" better. That book is better composed and more succinctly and historically makes similar points. It's worth your time but don't expect an easy or comfortable read. It's a kick in the gut---and we deserve it. Not Convinced! I read this book as someone in favor of free trade looking for counter arguments from someone who is not. This book, however, failed to change my view. The author makes several good arguments, but ultimately fails to see practical implication of his own views. He repeatedly uses the success of Japan and S. Korea as best evidence that protectionist policies work.

The Rainforest Audiobook by Victor W. Hwang, Greg Horowitt

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Victor W. Hwang) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:16:10 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Rainforest Subtitle: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley Author: Victor W. Hwang, Greg Horowitt Narrator: Tom Lorenz Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins Language: English Release date: 04-12-13 Publisher: Victor W. Hwang Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 31 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: What makes places like Silicon Valley tick? Can we replicate that magic in other places? How do you foster innovation in your own networks? Discover the answers in this groundbreaking book from two of the world's leading experts at the intersection of venture capital and global development. Victor W. Hwang and Greg Horowitt propose a radical new theory to explain the nature of "innovation ecosystems": Human networks that generate extraordinary creativity and output. They argue that free market thinking fails to consider the impact of human nature on the innovation process. This ambitious work challenges the basic assumptions that economists have held for over a century. The authors argue that such ecosystems - what they call "Rainforests" - can only thrive when certain cultural behaviors unlock human potential. People in Rainforests belong to "tribes of trust" and follow a secret unwritten code: The Rules of the Rainforest. The theory of the Rainforest is influenced by several breakthrough ideas in academia, including insights on sociobiology from Harvard, economic transactions from the University of Chicago, design theory from Stanford, and the latest research in neuroscience and social network theory, among others. With an unorthodox and entertaining narrative, the book reveals the mysterious mechanisms of Rainforests. Furthermore, the authors provide practical tools for listeners to design, build, and sustain new innovation ecosystems. The Rainforest will transform the way you think about technology, business, and leadership. Critic Reviews: " an insightful, forward-thinking assessment of what makes Silicon Valley tick. an engaging, highly creative analysis The text is enhanced by well-designed graphic illustrations and explanatory charts. Hwang and Horowitt write with authority and wit, carefully backing up their theory with substantive examples. Readers get the feeling that the authors have unveiled a very big, important concept, one that could serve as the basis for intentionally, methodically developing other "rainforests" similar to Silicon Valley. A provocative study of innovation." ( Kirkus Reviews) "...a detailed analysis of the power of environment on startup success, and in particular an explanation of why Silicon Valley has been such a powerful incubator of ideas and innovation.... If you are interested in the interplay of environment and business, and in understanding in broader terms how our professional relationships define our success, I recommend picking up a copy." ( Forbes) "I thought I was planting seeds, but I have been planting weeds. This amazing book relates innovations to random propagations of life in the rainforest. I haven't read a book this innovative since Bionomics." (Tim Draper, Draper Fisher Jurvetson) Members Reviews: Touches the core of innovation--the human element This book delves into the core of what spawns true innovation--or rather innovative environments--the human element. Innovation is not defined by technology or scientific discoveries or brilliant ideas. It is true that these elements are essential components of the process, but they are far from sufficient.

Austrian Economics and Public Policy Audiobook by Richard Ebeling

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Richard Ebeling) — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 15:58:30 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Austrian Economics and Public Policy Subtitle: Restoring Freedom and Prosperity Author: Richard Ebeling Narrator: Larry Wayne Format: Unabridged Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins Language: English Release date: 04-26-17 Publisher: Listen and Think Audio Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 9 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Austrian economics is the most powerful explanation of why governments, no matter how well-intentioned, lack the knowledge, wisdom, and ability to direct the lives of multitudes of people better than those people can do for themselves. In this book, economist Richard Ebeling introduces you to the central ideas in Austrian economics, as well as their importance for us today. Over the last 100 years, governments have attempted to replace people's own free actions for mutual betterment with systems of government regulation, planning, redistribution, and control. These have gone under the names of socialism, communism, fascism, National Socialism (Nazism) interventionism, welfare statism, "progressivism", the "third-way", social democracy, Keynesianism, and many others. Their common premise is that those in political authority and power can micro- and macro-manage the social and economic affairs of human society in ways better and more socially just than the free market. Austrian economics shows why and how it is that all these attempts at government social engineering have failed and often with disastrous consequences. So what is Austrian economics? And what makes it so important to understanding the economic policy issues we face today? Listen to this book and find out. Members Reviews: Great intro into Austrian Economics Will recommend this book to anyone who wants to dip their toe into austrian economics since it gives a good description of the ideas espoused by austrian economists regarding public policy, which is where it really shines. AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY A discussion of political stupidity. Loved it. Systematic debunking of social ism and Obama think. Should be required reading for government.

A Macat Analysis of Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations Audiobook by John Collins

biacuaduc@gmail.com (John Collins) — Mon, 30 May 2016 07:16:22 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A Macat Analysis of Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations Author: John Collins Narrator: Macat.com Format: Unabridged Length: 1 hr and 34 mins Language: English Release date: 05-30-16 Publisher: Macat International Limited. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 6 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: More than 200 years after Adam Smith published The Wealth of Nations, governments around the world continue to address many of the issues discussed in the book. The most powerful states in the world are still committed to international trade, but questions are repeatedly asked about the role of governments in the economy and the effectiveness of the free market. Smith wanted to show that mercantilism - the dominant economic theory of his time - was wrong. Mercantilism argues that the national economy only exists to strengthen the government; so the government should control and regulate the economy. Smith opposes this idea in his book. He says that the government only has three roles within society: Beyond these, government should not interfere. Smith argues that when people are free to pursue their own self-interest within a competitive free market, productivity increases.

The Great Contraction, 1929-1933 Audiobook by Milton Friedman

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Milton Friedman) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:39:16 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Great Contraction, 1929-1933 Author: Milton Friedman Narrator: A. C. Fellner Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins Language: English Release date: 09-17-09 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 43 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Published as a stand-alone paperback in 1965, The Great Contraction, 1929-1933 argued that the Federal Reserve could have stemmed the severity of the Depression, but failed to exercise its role of managing the monetary system and ameliorating banking panics. The book served as a clarion call to the monetarist school of thought by emphasizing the importance of the money supply in the functioning of the economy--a concept that has come to inform the actions of central banks worldwide. This edition of the original text includes a new preface by Anna Jacobson Schwartz, as well as a new introduction by the economist Peter Bernstein. It also includes comments from the current Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke, originally made on the occasion of Milton Friedman's 90th birthday, on the enduring influence of Friedman and Schwartz's work and vision. Members Reviews: Very factual, but not exactly a page turner! Is there anything you would change about this book? No. It is good for what it is. It could be made more interesting by adding contemporary comparisons, but this would make the book lose its relevance over time. Did A. C. Fellner do a good job differentiating all the characters? How? Not Applicable Could you see The Great Contraction, 1929-1933 being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be? No, no chance! Any additional comments? Comparisons to competing Economic theories and practitioners would be interesting too. Had to Stop Listening What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you? This book may be great for one economist to understand another. My problem is that I'm not coming from the perspective of a 4th year economics major. The terms and tone are not for the lay person trying to understand general economic principles. I was hoping for something more in line with Surprising, but dry. I was pleased to see that Milton Friedman was not as doctrinaire as some that have followed him. I particularly appreciate many of his arguments in favor of Fed intervention. The follow on piece by Ben Bernanke was good to clarify, or reinforce, arguments made in this book. I know his focus was on Monetary policy, but I missed something about the conditions which might have contributed to many of the phenomenon he wrote about. It seems to be things like bank failures were as much about overall economic conditions as they were about poor policy choices. Interesting, but dry, and filled with jargon. A different explanation for the Great Depression. Would you consider the audio edition of The Great Contraction, 1929-1933 to be better than the print version? Yes. I tend to fall asleep reading a complicated book. Who was your favorite character and why? N/A What about A. C. Fellners performance did you like? Easily understood. Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry? It was very sad to realize how much hardship for so many was caused by misguided government policies!

Principles of Microeconomics Explained Audiobook by Can Akdeniz

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Can Akdeniz) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 15:32:23 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Principles of Microeconomics Explained Subtitle: Simple Textbooks, Book 4 Author: Can Akdeniz Narrator: Saethon Williams Format: Unabridged Length: 40 mins Language: English Release date: 12-28-15 Publisher: Can Akdeniz Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Whether you are an economics student, or a businessman, or you run a shop, or you manage a restaurant, this course is essential for you on the grounds that it helps you in different economic situations. This helpful course is about Principles of Microeconomics. You must listen to this course to clear your concepts regarding Microeconomics. What you'll learn in this book: Make your decision now, without wasting your time anymore, buy it now! Members Reviews: Like my reviews for the other two titles The Third book from this author that we have used as a companion guide. Like my reviews for the other two titles, this was a great addition. Can Akdeniz does a great job breaking down tough topics into easy to understand concepts.

The New Golden Age Audiobook by Ravi Batra

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Ravi Batra) — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 12:33:41 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The New Golden Age Subtitle: The Coming Revolution against Political Corruption and Economic Chaos Author: Ravi Batra Narrator: Brian Emerson Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins Language: English Release date: 04-05-07 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 59 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Bringing the same insight and expertise that made an international best-seller of his book The Downfall of Capitalism and Communism, Batra takes on falling minimum wages, corporate scandals, rocketing oil prices, and many of the other crises facing the world economy. He offers an expansive, optimistic vision of how the international community can address them and bring about something historically unprecedented: true global economic prosperity. Critic Reviews: "As always, his economic arguments are expressed elegantly." (Publishers Weekly) "Ravi Batra has made an outstanding reputation in the United States as an international economic theorist in the best Western tradition." (New York Times) "When it comes to the bottom line so beloved of economists, one can learn a lot about events by thinking about them in cyclical regularities, of which Batra gives a novel and brilliant exposition." (Lester C. Thurow) Members Reviews: Jaw-Dropping Insight Dr. Ravi Batra clearly and succinctly reveals some amazing economic insights. Almost a year in advance, Batra convincingly predicts economic trends occurring today and clearly explains the Whys and Hows of his theory in a way that requires little effort to understand. I used to believe that my layman's suspicions about what was happening to our national and global economies stemmed from some conspiratorial bias I somehow came to possess, but Batra has given me confidence that my own beliefs and philosophy about the economy, free trade, outsourcing and the existence of human greed in general are indeed supported by historical evidence and scholarly economic thinking. Batra's "Cycles" were a bit peculiar to me at first, as they seem quite unorthodox in economic discourse. However, these Cycles are the basis for Batra's nearly infallible prediction record. It is well worth your time to listen to these several chapters covering the Cycles. It may take a few passes to fully take in the concept of these cycles, but it all comes together in the end. The book is expertly narrated by Brian Emerson, one of my all-time favorite narrators. Great book. Dull narration. I would rather hear Ravi Batra read his own book. The reader did not pick up on Mr. Batra's sense of humor, which makes this subject interesting. I still enjoyed the book as a whole. Thoughtful Good content but was disappointed at the rather unsophisticated sources. Actually cited Wikipedia and commercial encyclopedias.

The Warhol Economy Audiobook by Elizabeth Currid

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Elizabeth Currid) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:39:38 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Warhol Economy Subtitle: How Fashion, Art, and Music Drive New York City Author: Elizabeth Currid Narrator: Jennifer Van Dyck Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins Language: English Release date: 09-17-09 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 11 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In The Warhol Economy, Elizabeth Currid argues that creative industries like fashion, art, and music drive the economy of New York as much as - if not more than - finance, real estate, and law. And these creative industries are fueled by the social life that whirls around the clubs, galleries, music venues, and fashion shows where creative people meet, network, exchange ideas, pass judgments, and set the trends that shape popular culture. The implications of Currid's argument are far-reaching, and not just for New York. Urban policymakers, she suggests, have not only seriously underestimated the importance of the cultural economy, but they have failed to recognize that it depends on a vibrant creative social scene. They haven't understood, in other words, the social, cultural, and economic mix that Currid calls the Warhol economy. With vivid first-person reporting about New York's creative scene, Currid takes the listener into the city spaces where the social and economic lives of creativity merge. p>The book has fascinating original interviews with many of New York's important creative figures, including fashion designers Zac Posen and Diane von Furstenberg, artists Ryan McGinness and Futura, and members of the band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.The economics of art and culture in New York and other cities has been greatly misunderstood and underrated. The Warhol Economy explains how the cultural economy works-and why it is vital to all great cities. Editorial Reviews: Though a dissertation on the finer points of urban planning perhaps usually would not be viewed as light reading for a general audience, Elizabeth Currid's surprisingly entertaining and accessible fresh take on the sparkle of New York City is the exception to this rule. Armed with a wide variety of data needed to destroy the increasingly outdated notion that Wall Street should get all the credit for making New York the thriving metropolis it is, Currid's manifesto on the contributions of culture and nightlife is energetically delivered in the voice of Jennifer Van Dyck. Van Dyck blends gossipy demystification of the city's network of creativity with a graceful assurance that comes from knowing all facts point to Currid's conclusion. There is no alienating terminology here. The author weaves an intricate and intimate portrait of New York's real foundations by culling the best moments from her series of interviews with bizarre and famous artists who are indisputably in the know. From graffiti artists to fashion designers to rock bands, Van Dyck renders these colorful characters and amusing anecdotes with a scientific simplicity, validating the conclusion they drive home again and again. Currid's reevaluation of the matrix of social and creative connections that is truly responsible for making New York one of the greatest cities on earth ends with a series of concrete suggestions for policymakers interested to preserve this rich cultural heritage, or at least stop stomping it out. Van Dyck explains these recommendations with an appropriate dose of bitterness stemming from the harsh reality that those greedy and inept tycoons receive billions in bailout funds while an iconic taste-making club like CBGB is allowed to perish without the slightest helping hand from government.

Fragile by Design Audiobook by Charles W. Calomiris, Stephen H. Haber

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Charles W. Calomiris) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 03:24:41 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Fragile by Design Subtitle: The Political Origins of Banking Crises and Scarce Credit Author: Charles W. Calomiris, Stephen H. Haber Narrator: Basil Sands Format: Unabridged Length: 20 hrs and 21 mins Language: English Release date: 03-04-14 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 73 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Why are banking systems unstable in so many countries--but not in others? The United States has had 12 systemic banking crises since 1840, while Canada has had none. The banking systems of Mexico and Brazil have not only been crisis prone but have provided miniscule amounts of credit to business enterprises and households. Analyzing the political and banking history of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil through several centuries, Fragile by Design demonstrates that chronic banking crises and scarce credit are not accidents due to unforeseen circumstances. Rather, these fluctuations result from the complex bargains made between politicians, bankers, bank shareholders, depositors, debtors, and taxpayers. The well-being of banking systems depends on the abilities of political institutions to balance and limit how coalitions of these various groups influence government regulations. Fragile by Design is a revealing exploration of the ways that politics inevitably intrudes into bank regulation. Charles Calomiris and Stephen Haber combine political history and economics to examine how coalitions of politicians, bankers, and other interest groups form, why some endure while others are undermined, and how they generate policies that determine who gets to be a banker, who has access to credit, and who pays for bank bailouts and rescues. Members Reviews: An all-time favorite in banking, history, politics All my main interests converge in this book. The authors' labors came to great fruit in a thorough, eye-opening tour of banking in several countries and centuries. I learned more about the histories of Brazil and Mexico (despite having read other books, and traveled extensively in Mexico) than I ever knew, in a few hours. The narratives frame banking systems and their impacts on nations as the products of a "game of bank bargains" in each nation, and in each time-frame, between various interest groups. This makes enormous sense, and is a refreshing departure from partisan screeds that lazily serve up the same pre-set heroes and villains. I like the authors' approach of blending disciplined narratives showing particular nations' contexts and nuances, in easy-to-follow stories, with some telling numbers. Various institutional weaknesses are highlighted, or flawed bargains, as sources of trouble: opposing groups can be, at best, powerful checks and balances on each other, and often these balances have become too lopsided, and banking crises are sure to follow. In this light, the collapse of banking systems, currencies, and governments makes clear sense. The result of this approach: deeper knowledge of history and sharper thinking and analysis. And all this is delivered in an accessible, listenable form. Some with a brittle partisan pre-loaded set of desired answers (on either side) may be perturbed at turns. Some on the left will be uncomfortable when a microscope is turned onto the banker-urban-populist bargains in the runup to USA's 2008 subprime credit bust. But by the time this story is detailed, we are already well briefed on a history of unstable banking bargains in US history, among various players.

A Radically Beneficial World Audiobook by Charles Hugh Smith

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Charles Hugh Smith) — Mon, 23 May 2016 10:43:44 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A Radically Beneficial World Subtitle: Automation, Technology and Creating Jobs for All Author: Charles Hugh Smith Narrator: Leslie James Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins Language: English Release date: 05-23-16 Publisher: SpokenTome.media Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: What if we could hit the reset button on the way we create money, work, commerce, and community? This is not an idle question, for technology now enables us to hit that reset button and organize the creation of money, work, commerce, and community in new ways. If we could start from scratch, what would a new system look like? To answer that, we must understand why the current system is failing. The current system is based on five principles that are assumed to be true: Money created by banks trickles down to create work for all, technology creates more jobs than automation destroys, centralization is the solution to large-scale economic problems, expanding debt and consumption (i.e. growth) is the path to prosperity, and maximizing private gain organizes the economy to the benefit of all. All five have proven to be untrue. No wonder inequality is rising and opportunity is declining. Clearly, we need a new system that offers what the current system cannot: meaningful work for all. This book describes a global system that integrates money, work, commerce, and community in new ways, using social/technical innovations that are already in daily use. This book is the practical blueprint of a new system that offers opportunities for meaningful work and ownership of the sources of prosperity not just to a few, but to everyone. In this system, every individual has the power to change the system for the betterment of themselves and every other participant. Being at the top of the heap is no longer a prerequisite. Everyone who is powerless in the current arrangement is empowered in this new system. Empowered to not just better themselves and their family, but better their community and the larger community of planet Earth. A radically beneficial world beckons - what are we waiting for? Members Reviews: Narrator needs to slow down Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not? subject matter was interesting. Very difficult to comprehend the subject matter because the narrator speaks too fast. annoying. Almost didn't listen to the whole book. What did you like best about this story? Subject matter was very interesting. Can't say I agree with all of it. Would you be willing to try another one of Leslie Jamess performances? No. Tried listening at 3/4 speed but that was worse because it sounded like the narrator was stoned on pot. Audible needs to computer alter the narration by introducing small gaps/spaces between words to space out and slow down the read. If this book were a movie would you go see it? NA Any additional comments? I work as a Manufacturing Engineer. and I can tell you the US will be in serious trouble within the next 10 years. There simply are not enough young people "in-the-pipeline" to replace babyboomer aged Toolmakers, Machinists, Engineers, etc. Our manufacturing will grind to a slow crawl. Robots can't do it all. Worst Narration Ever!!! Is there anything you would change about this book? The Narration. The reading of this book reminded me of a nervous kid in middle school reading as fast as he could just to get it over with. No pauses or inflection, just one long sentence running for 6 hours. Would you be willing to try another one of Leslie Jamess performances? No. Was A Radically Beneficial World worth the listening time? I love CHS.

Black Market Billions Audiobook by Hitha Prabhakar

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Hitha Prabhakar) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:30:24 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Black Market Billions Subtitle: How Organized Retail Crime Funds Global Terrorists Author: Hitha Prabhakar Narrator: Elisabeth Rodgers Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins Language: English Release date: 11-21-11 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 8 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Black Market Billions blows the lid off the world's fastest-growing illicit industry: organized retail crime. Hitha Prabhakar reveals how criminals with ties to terrorist groups around the world are committing huge product thefts, and using the profits to fund terrorist acts. Prabhakar connects the dots and follows the money - from consumers dying for a deal to terrorist cells eager to do the killing. Critic Reviews: "[I]lluminates how organized retail crime (ORC) thrives amid a recessive economy as penny-pinching consumers turn to cheaper ways of purchasing everything from luxury items to prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Prabhakar's indignation is well supported by chapters on the many interlocking facets of black-market thievery.... Sharp-pencil analysis on the seemingly futile battle against retail fraud." (Kirkus Reviews Online) Members Reviews: ORC and Terror Finance A good read for a documentary...the stats did not drown the interesting facts of the 'story' - well written. This is a good and solidly researched book on a very challenging and important topic. It confronts the reader with the dilemma of bargain hunting vs partaking in organised crime and terror financing. The book highlights the differences between ML and TF as well as the challenges of combating one with the same tools as the other while they are fundamentally different. The book seems to be quite dated with majority of case studies from 2008-2010 and no further updates. This is also quite US-centric from a legal and regulatory perspective, but the linking of US-based ORC with avtivities in other countries is most enlightening. Factual and startling reality -- Who knew the Blackmarket invades our everyday lives? Good factual descriptions of Organized Retail Crime scams --some of which fund terror. Very sobering reality of the blackmarket world. The author interviewed many security professionals and explained in detail the multi-layered resale and fencing system. a basic primer A little basic but a good intro to help people understand how dangerous the world of counterfeit items is and how purchasing counterfeit items assists these criminals and terrorists. Great book! Really opened my eyes to what's going on the world of organised retail crime. Highly recommend this book. My only gripe is that some chapters felt a bit drawn out and difficult to get through, but apart from that it was fantastic! Good insight to the world of bargains A must read for anyone who has ever had their credit card hacked or has been confronted by a street vendor hawking bags. Really makes you wonder about the origins of your ebay purchases and flea market finds as well as where the money actually ends up.

The Future Audiobook by Al Gore

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Al Gore) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:40:00 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Future Subtitle: Six Drivers of Global Change Author: Al Gore Narrator: Al Gore Format: Unabridged Length: 18 hrs and 46 mins Language: English Release date: 01-29-13 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 224 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: From the former vice president and #1 New York Times best-selling author comes An Inconvenient Truth for everything - a frank and clear-eyed assessment of six critical drivers of global change in the decades to come. Ours is a time of revolutionary change that has no precedent in history. With the same passion he brought to the challenge of climate change, and with his decades of experience on the front lines of global policy, Al Gore surveys our planets beclouded horizon and offers a sober, learned, and ultimately hopeful forecast in the visionary tradition of Alvin Tofflers Future Shock and John Naisbitts Megatrends. In The Future, Gore identifies the emerging forces that are reshaping our world: From his earliest days in public life, Al Gore has been warning us of the promise and peril of emergent truths - no matter how inconvenient they may seem to be. As absorbing as it is visionary, The Future is a map of the world to come, from a man who has looked ahead before and been proven all too right. Critic Reviews: This is a great book. From political policy and economics to science and the most thorny ethical issues, Al Gore has stated the human condition and the issues we face forthrightly, fearlessly, and in easily understood language - and has said what must be done. I asked myself halfway through who else could have written a book of this magnitude. The only answer I could imagine was Jefferson. (E. O. Wilson, Harvard University, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize) Members Reviews: An essential read to understand this crazy world I had the pleasure of personally meeting Mr. Gore in one of his fund's events and was very impressed by what he said and what he represents to millions of climate-concerned citizens worldwide. Although I had very high expectations regarding the messages in his new book, I was gladly surprised by the breadth and depth of the information he provided. If one wishes to better understand the crazy world we live in, this book is a good starting point and a must read. Wonderful content, poorly read Would you try another book from Al Gore and/or Al Gore? Without a doubt! How did the narrator detract from the book? I think Al Gore is a brilliant man, and wish he had been president of the United States. This book is an excellent detailed overview of the issues facing our time, and a considered approach to how to address each issue. However, I wish Al Gore himself hadn't narrated it. His dry, sometimes slow, drawl was hard to engage with, and it lulled me to sleep on more than one occasion. Listen to this book and change your perspective I am afraid. In THE FUTURE, Al Gore opened my eyes about how urgent we need to act. We are heading for a world of destruction, of poverty, of loss of jobs, thirsty and hunger. And we are the guilty ones. But we still can change the planet and our future. Listen to it and see the world in another light. Who said a book should be easy? Demanding but Amaz If you could sum up The Future in three words, what would they be? Taxing, Comprehensive, Must. What other book might you compare The Future to and why? Singularity (Ray), Abundance (Dimantis) Any additional comments? At times overwhelming, at times taxing.

Lentil Underground Audiobook by Liz Carlisle

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Liz Carlisle) — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 05:34:56 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Lentil Underground Subtitle: Renegade Farmers and the Future of Food in America Author: Liz Carlisle Narrator: Tavia Gilbert Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins Language: English Release date: 11-21-17 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: The story of the "Lentil Underground" begins on a 280-acre homestead rooted in America's Great Plains: the Oien family farm. Forty years ago, corporate agribusiness told small farmers like the Oiens to "get big or get out." But 27-year-old David Oien decided to take a stand, becoming the first in his conservative Montana county to plant a radically different crop: organic lentils. Unlike the chemically dependent grains American farmers had been told to grow, lentils make their own fertilizer and tolerate variable climate conditions, so their farmers aren't beholden to industrial methods. Today, Oien leads an underground network of organic farmers who work with heirloom seeds and biologically diverse farm systems. Under the brand Timeless Natural Food, their unique business-cum-movement has grown into a million dollar enterprise that sells to Whole Foods, hundreds of independent natural foods stores, and a host of renowned restaurants. From the heart of Big Sky Country comes this inspiring story of a handful of colorful pioneers who have successfully bucked the chemically based food chain and the entrenched power of agribusiness's one percent. Journalist Liz Carlisle weaves an eye-opening and richly reported narrative that will be welcomed by everyone concerned with the future of American agriculture. Members Reviews: A fine read! Very well-written, entertaining, and informative. Five Stars ok The future of agriculture (we should all hope) Great story and wise insights about the opportunities, innovators, and constraints facing the next generation of agriculture. Sociology applied to systems change. Stewardship of planet earth. Thought provoking look at our food, consumption, and our planet. Good analysis of the role of social networks in sustainable food systems Case study on Montana agriculture systems. Great analysis and easy read. Good read for anyone interested in suitability or learning more about the farming process.

Liberalism Audiobook by Ludwig von Mises

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Ludwig von Mises) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 01:04:13 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Liberalism Subtitle: In the Classical Tradition Author: Ludwig von Mises Narrator: Wanda McCaddon Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins Language: English Release date: 09-11-12 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 68 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In 1927, classical liberalism, based on a belief in individualism, reason, capitalism, and free trade, was dying, when one of the 20th century's greatest social thinkers wrote this combative and convincing restatement. Nowhere are the key principles of Mises' philosophy better represented than in this timeless work. Mises was a careful and logical theoretician who believed that ideas rule the world, and this especially comes to light in Liberalism. "The ultimate outcome of the struggle" between liberalism and totalitarianism, say Mises, "will not be decided by arms, but by ideas. It is ideas that group men into fighting factions, that press the weapons into their hands, and that determine against whom and for whom the weapons shall be used. It is they alone, and not arms, that, in the last analysis, turn the scales." Members Reviews: Excellent! Need I say more? What made the experience of listening to Liberalism the most enjoyable? This book explains what real Classical Liberalism is, not the current Liberalism known to the North Americans who hijacked the term and made it mean exactly the opposite of what it is supposed to be! Here you here it from the best Libertarian Austrian Economist of them all! Almost a monotone voice Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not? Yes! But most of the people who need to hear this wouldn't take the time. What other book might you compare Liberalism to and why? On Liberty: John Stuart Mill What three words best describe Wanda McCaddons performance? Better a male voice...sorry Was Liberalism worth the listening time? Yes... a piece at a time. Any additional comments? Almost never disappointed.

State Capitalism Audiobook by Joshua Kurlantzick

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Joshua Kurlantzick) — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 11:51:16 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: State Capitalism Subtitle: How the Return of Statism Is Transforming the World Author: Joshua Kurlantzick Narrator: Fajer Al-Kaisi Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins Language: English Release date: 04-05-16 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: The end of the Cold War ushered in an age of American triumphalism best characterized by the Washington Consensus: the idea that free markets, democratic institutions, limitations on government involvement in the economy, and the rule of law were the foundations of prosperity and stability. The last 15 years, starting with the Asian financial crisis, have seen the gradual erosion of that consensus. Many commentators have pointed to the emergence of a powerful new rival model: state capitalism. In state capitalist regimes, the government typically owns firms in strategic industries. Not beholden to private-sector shareholders, such firms are allowed to operate with razor-thin margins if the state deems them strategically important. China, soon to be the world's largest economy, is the best known state capitalist regime, but it is hardly the only one. In State Capitalism, Joshua Kurlantzick ranges across the world - China, Thailand, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, and more - and argues that the increase in state capitalism across the globe has, on balance, contributed to a decline in democracy. He isolates some of the reasons for state capitalism's resurgence: the fact that globalization favors economies of scale in the most critical industries and the widespread rejection of the Washington Consensus in the face of the problems that have plagued the world economy in recent years. That said, a number of democratic nations have embraced state capitalism, and in those regimes state-backed firms like Brazil's Embraer have enjoyed considerable success. Kurlantzick highlights the mixed record and the evolving nature of the model, yet he is more concerned about the negative effects of state capitalism. When states control firms, whether in democratic or authoritarian regimes, the government increases its advantage over the rest of society. The combination of new technologies, the perceived failures of liberal economics and democracy in many developing nations, the rise of modern kinds of authoritarians, and the success of some of the best-known state capitalists have created an era ripe for state intervention. State Capitalism offers the sharpest analysis yet of what state capitalism's emergence means for democratic politics around the world. Members Reviews: Interesting Politics and political systems seem to go full circle and according to the author of this book the state is back in business, control is good and it will keep society on track. State capitalism will help slowly get the excesses of the wilder elements of the free market economy back in order. Or will it? This was an interesting, albeit difficult at times, book. It takes a thoughtful look at the world and its changing political currents, noting how governments are again holding companies of strategic interest rather than letting them be privatised. Of course, some governments have not yet got the memo or are letting their need for income to cloud their judgement. Some of the state-owned ventures may have previously been in private hands too, but were bailed out and/or nationalised when the economy hit the skids. Think about state control and many will instantly think of âCommunist countriesâ such as China placing control on every industry. Others will automatically assume âineffective businessâ.

Bitcoin Explained Simply Audiobook by Mark Jeffrey

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Mark Jeffrey) — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 18:23:57 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Bitcoin Explained Simply Subtitle: An Easy Guide to the Basics That Anyone Can Understand Author: Mark Jeffrey Narrator: Bob Milhoan Format: Unabridged Length: 1 hr and 33 mins Language: English Release date: 01-07-15 Publisher: Listen and Think Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 72 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Industry Expert Mark Jeffrey is an award-winning serial entrepreneur of innovative technology companies backed by Tier One investors, and now he breaks down Bitcoin for you in simple, easy-to-understand language! It is still very early in the Bitcoin game: only 0.03% of the world owns bitcoins; we still have 99.97% left to go! Knowing the contents of this book is literally like knowing about the potential of the Internet back in 1993! In this volume, you'll learn: This is exactly the book I wish someone had handed to me when I was first learning about Bitcoin. Members Reviews: A great start to understanding btc Jeffrey gives an interesting account without getting bogged down in intricate detail . Spurns one on to learn more . What you need to know about Bitcoin Very thorough explanation of Bitcoin. However, I felt their were too many times that it said, "More on this later." Introducing topics, but continuing them later was not so easy to follow as an audiobook. Well Written and Narrated What made the experience of listening to Bitcoin Explained Simply the most enjoyable? Mark Jeffery has written and enjoyable treatment of what could have easily been a dry and boring exercise. Narrator Bob Milhoan does a great job of keeping it interesting with his inflection and pacing. What did you like best about this story? It is very easy to understand for bitcoin beginners. Which scene was your favorite? It's a 'how-to' book, so there are no scenes. If you could give Bitcoin Explained Simply a new subtitle, what would it be? If you can't 'get' this, unplug your computer and put it in a closet. To the point no fluff Great info and suggestions. Will listen to his other books as well going forward. Now very comfortable with the BTC subject Easy to understand and super informative If you are interested in bitcoin but don't know where to start, listen to this audiobook.

The Best Way to Rob a Bank Is to Own One Audiobook by William K. Black

biacuaduc@gmail.com (William K. Black) — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 23:56:32 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Best Way to Rob a Bank Is to Own One Subtitle: How Corporate Executives and Politicians Looted the S&L Industry Author: William K. Black Narrator: Scotty Drake Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins Language: English Release date: 01-05-15 Publisher: University Press Audiobooks Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 13 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In this expert insider's account of the savings and loan debacle of the 1980s, William Black lays bare the strategies that corrupt CEOs and CFOs - in collusion with those who have regulatory oversight of their industries - use to defraud companies for their personal gain. Recounting the investigations he conducted as Director of Litigation for the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, Black fully reveals how Charles Keating and hundreds of other S&L owners took advantage of a weak regulatory environment to perpetrate accounting fraud on a massive scale. In the new afterword, he also authoritatively links the S&L crash to the business failures of 2008 and beyond, showing how CEOs then and now are using the same tactics to defeat regulatory restraints and commit the same types of destructive fraud. Black drives home the larger point that control fraud is a major, ongoing threat in business that requires active, independent regulators to contain it. His book is a wake-up call for everyone who believes that market forces alone will keep companies and their owners honest. Members Reviews: Bank frauds and their pet regulators, 1980s-2000s Another title might be, "mud wrestling in a tangled snake pit over the privilege to steal other people's money." Yet another, "a bipartisan masterpiece of machinations and sleaze: following the bread crumbs, naming names, good and bad, and among the bad, the incredibly slippery." A few slither away with big money, and the final bill, in a familiar story, is handed to the taxpayer, with Congress hacks helping the perps, greatly enlarging that bill, and altogether making us all measurably poorer for life. This may be a by-product of every go-go era, and go-go-eras have produced some great good for the public. This book focuses on the exploiters of such times, and I think we probably have another such prosperous phase of the cycle coming (so watch out). Did Alan Greenspan really say he thought there shouldn't be fraud laws (as attributed here, as having been remarked to Brooksley Born?) If so, wow. People plus econ theory can go to some very abstract, exotic places. That is, until one realizes: many hacks in the private and public sectors have their bread fundamentally buttered with information asymmetry: they actively embrace the view of a world of suckers and the suckered. The manipulators (and their house theory-propounders) make huge fortunes from it, want it, and must think the defrauded get what they deserve. Why should we slow down and take note of the fools who just haven't paid the information costs of being kingpins (and thus, in a sense, deserve their losses, and bargained for them)? It is an interesting ethos and set of questions. Some version of it is also a central cash flow machine for a huge political and business elite, despite the protestations of many (hauling out the easy bumper sticker phrase) that this is merely the magical free market in operation. (Adam Smith knew better, castigating fraud and what is now called agency problems, but who really reads him? Might as well watch the adult cartoons on TV creatively cherry-picking his writings.) After all, the market finds its equilibrium at some point, and by then, the winners have unassailable amounts of winnings, free and clear and oh-so-cleverly stashed.

Scroogenomics Audiobook by Joel Waldfogel

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Joel Waldfogel) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:46:23 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Scroogenomics Subtitle: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays Author: Joel Waldfogel Narrator: Lloyd James Format: Unabridged Length: 3 hrs and 54 mins Language: English Release date: 11-04-09 Publisher: Princeton University Press Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 38 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Lively and informed, Scroogenomics illustrates how our consumer spending generates vast amounts of economic waste - to the shocking tune of 85 billion dollars each winter. Economist Joel Waldfogel provides solid explanations to show us why it's time to stop the madness and think twice before buying gifts for the holidays. When we buy for ourselves, every dollar we spend produces at least a dollar in satisfaction, because we shop carefully and purchase items that are worth more than they cost. Gift giving is different. We make less-informed choices, max out on credit to buy gifts worth less than the money spent, and leave recipients less than satisfied, creating what Waldfogel calls "deadweight loss." Waldfogel indicates that this waste isn't confined to Americans - most major economies share in this orgy of wealth destruction. While recognizing the difficulties of altering current trends, Waldfogel offers viable gift-giving alternatives. By reprioritizing our gift-giving habits, Scroogenomics proves that we can still maintain the economy without gouging our wallets - and reclaim the true spirit of the holiday season. Critic Reviews: "[Waldfogel] crackles with insight and intriguing stats. We're sold." (Fast Company) "Waldfogel delivers a badly needed poke in the eye at holiday-time consumer madness, positing that not only is compulsory gift giving stressful and expensive, but it's economically unsound.... This lively, spot-on book may be the one gift that still makes sense to buy come Black Friday. (Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: a little dry Excellent research methodology make the premise of this book very credible, but, by virtue of that fact, it is heavy on statistics and economic theory. It isn't a "casual" listen, but if you can stay focused, it makes a very good argument for an alternative to the madness of unwanted Christmas gifts. Bleh-onomics Despite the catchy title and interesting premise, I found my mind drifting after the first 20 minutes of this book. It is clearly trying to capitalize on the success of "Freakonomics" but unfortunately does not engage a reader with no economic background. While "Freakonomics" strives to make economics weird and interesting to the common man, this book feels like it was written for people interested in the finer technical points of economics. There were times when it felt distinctly textbook-y. So 2 stars for effort.

Questions of Value Audiobook by The Great Courses

biacuaduc@gmail.com (The Great Courses) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 10:11:11 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Questions of Value Author: The Great Courses Narrator: Professor Patrick Grim Format: Original Recording Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins Language: English Release date: 07-08-13 Publisher: The Great Courses Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 74 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: We live in a world seemingly dedicated to questions of fact and finance. What should I invest in? What school district is the house in? But the fundamental questions of our lives are actually questions of value: What makes life worth living? Are there values that transcend cultural differences? Is all value subjective? If you've ever felt the tug of such questions - or if you just want to fine-tune your ability to see how deeper questions of ethics and values apply to the choices that make up our lives - these 24 lectures bring to life the insights of thinkers and artists who have grappled with these questions for thousands of years. Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." To examine these questions, Professor Grim casts a wide net, drawing from history, theoretical economics, game theory, theoretical biology, and sociobiology - with a few forays into physics, anthropology, and psychology. But it isn't only scientists and historians who ask us to consider our values. Writers as varied as Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Ursula Le Guin, Mark Twain, Anne Rice, and Jorge Luis Borges have also delved into the meaning of life and the values we live by. In exploring the course's varied sources, Professor Grim takes great care to introduce each concept carefully so that each new concept builds on the last. His presentation - even of the most nuanced material - is consistently clear, even to those with no background in philosophy. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio. Members Reviews: Captivating Excellent speaker, really interesting material. Addresses various means of attempting to determine what is right and good that have emerged throughout the centuries and their implications with regard to the pursuit of meaning, justice and happiness. Worth listening to more than once! A biased opinion on moral philosophy This is NOT an impartial analysis of moral philosophy. It is a presentation with an AGENDA: the teacher wants to convince the listeners that his opinion on questions of value is the right one. He seems almost anxious to convince his audience that he is correct - often reducing the credibility of his own arguments. He does not give fair coverage of his opponents. On most issues, he quickly summarizes the debate before spending most of his time presenting his beliefs. But we didn't sign up for 18 hours on the beliefs of a teacher many have never heard of. Listeners are searching for an honest coverage of various perspectives, leaving open the possibility that different arguments warrant respect and consideration rather than rapid dismissal. Terribly simple and unsophisticated This course is extremely simple. It only covers very basics, albeit in a convoluted and boring manners. So frustrated.

The Euro Audiobook by Joseph E. Stiglitz

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Joseph E. Stiglitz) — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 03:37:59 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Euro Subtitle: How a Common Currency Threatens the Future of Europe Author: Joseph E. Stiglitz Narrator: Alex Hyde White Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins Language: English Release date: 08-16-16 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 154 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Can Europe prosper without the euro? In 2010, the 2008 global financial crisis morphed into the "eurocrisis". It has not abated. The 19 countries of Europe that share the euro currency - the eurozone - have been rocked by economic stagnation and debt crises. Some countries have been in depression for years while the governing powers of the eurozone have careened from emergency to emergency, most notably in Greece. In The Euro, Nobel Prize-winning economist and best-selling author Joseph E. Stiglitz dismantles the prevailing consensus around what ails Europe, demolishing the champions of austerity while offering a series of plans that can rescue the continent - and the world - from further devastation. Hailed by its architects as a lever that would bring Europe together and promote prosperity, the euro has done the opposite. As Stiglitz persuasively argues, the crises revealed the shortcomings of the euro. Europe's stagnation and bleak outlook are direct results of the fundamental challenges in having a diverse group of countries share a common currency - the euro was flawed at birth, with economic integration outpacing political integration. Stiglitz shows how the current structure promotes divergence rather than convergence. The question, then, is: Can the euro be saved? After laying bare the European Central Bank's misguided inflation-only mandate and explaining how eurozone policies, especially toward the crisis countries, have further exposed the zone's flawed design, Stiglitz outlines three possible ways forward: fundamental reforms in the structure of the eurozone and the policies imposed on the member countries; a well-managed end to the single-currency euro experiment; or a bold, new system dubbed the "flexible euro". With its lessons for globalization in a world economy ever more deeply connected, The Euro is urgent and essential listening. Members Reviews: Dud What disappointed you about The Euro? This is a treatment free of data, analysis, theory, or anything other than vacuous polemics. Almost the first hour of this thing is taken up by the author citing the many commissions on which he has served on, the many important people he has met, the books he has written, the schools he has taught at, etc., etc., ad nauseum. This must qualify as the most pompous, tedious introduction in the history of "literature" (to abuse that term in the present case). Following the introduction there is a torrent of abuse aimed at free market economics, and at Germany, endlessly and tirelessly repeated, but without anything substantive to back it up. The author must think that if he repeats the same assertions enough times that translates into an argument. If I were a professor at Columbia, where this fellow says he teaches, and a student handed in this thing, I would flunk him. Don't waste your time. What character would you cut from The Euro? The author! Good Basic Premise but with wacky ideas thrown in. His view on the Euro and its failings is first rate, especially the highlights on Greece e.g. 80% of the Greek bail out went to repay German banks on Greece's nickel.

Unexpected Economics Audiobook by The Great Courses, Timothy Taylor

biacuaduc@gmail.com (The Great Courses) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 08:50:06 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Unexpected Economics Author: The Great Courses, Timothy Taylor Narrator: Professor Timothy Taylor Format: Original Recording Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins Language: English Release date: 07-08-13 Publisher: The Great Courses Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 129 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Why are we choosing to have fewer children, even as we put more time into raising each one? Why are we so often willing to follow the herd and the opinions of strangers when making important decisions, even when those decisions are deeply personal? Most surprising: Why are questions like these increasingly attracting the attention of economists? Find out why with these 24 fascinating lectures that will help you grasp as never before the ways in which these mechanisms for making choices are operating even in areas in which you may never have considered the forces of economics to be at work. Professor Taylor puts to rest the oft-quoted misconception of economics as "the dismal science." Instead, you'll take part in a wide-ranging and enjoyable investigation of how economic thinking - whether applied personally, nationally, or globally - relates to, and sheds fresh light on, just about everything. With the aid of findings from recent Nobel Prize winners and rapidly evolving leading-edge fields like behavioral economics, you'll look at subjects ranging from discrimination and natural disasters to charity and risk-taking, and even whether terrorism can be considered a "career choice." As you roam with Professor Taylor across this fascinating landscape, you'll discover unique vantage points from which to survey and understand these exciting and vital territories being explored every day by economists. And you'll gain a deeper understanding of the role of choice in your own life, whether choices you've made for yourself, or those made for you by leaders you've entrusted with that authority. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio. Members Reviews: Riveting Take on Big Issues from Econ Perspective In the vein of Freakonomics, Professor Taylor, undoubtedly one of the best Great Courses lecturers, provides you with a novel perspective on a variety of issues. Kidney transplants, traffic congestion, terrorism, marriage, procreation, discrimination, addiction, obesity, and voting; Prof. Taylor gently but fascinatingly analyzes all of these areas with economics in mind. He doesn't tell you what to but how to think more clearly about these subjects. Highly recommended. New Insights Into Familiar Topics This was an enjoyable, informative course. I purchased it on a friend's recommendation, and I'm better for it. Professor Taylor takes a variety of subjects--sports, obesity, risk, uncertainty, and more--and looks at them through an economist's lens. One needn't know much about the study of economics to enjoy and appreciate this lecture series--the lecture topics are pertinent to to the lives we actually lead, and not just the stuff of academics. Not bad. Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not? I love the Great Courses. This one was OK, but not my favorite. I guess the title made me think this would be full of fun, 'unexpected' economic story-telling...the untold story behind big events, etc. It is not that. This is an overview of various social science topics that could (unexpectedly) be considered to be 'economics'. Many of the lectures were simplistic probability theory sort of stuff. Some were opinions rationalized through selective inclusion of data.

Modern Economic Issues Audiobook by The Great Courses

biacuaduc@gmail.com (The Great Courses) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 07:55:35 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Modern Economic Issues Author: The Great Courses Narrator: Professor Robert Whaples Format: Original Recording Length: 19 hrs and 1 min Language: English Release date: 07-08-13 Publisher: The Great Courses Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 51 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Gross domestic product. Health insurance. Soaring energy prices. Major economic issues dominate today's news, but how do these issues impact the average citizen? This primer in 21st-century economics for the non-economist surveys today's most urgent economic issues that affect both global events and our everyday lives. You'll learn what economics has to say about making the decisions - big or small - that affect our daily lives: What factors come into play when you're deciding whether to buy this car or that one, or even commute by bus? Mow the lawn or take a nap? Grill a burger with a bubbling slice of cheese or eat a simple salad? And you'll see how this same kind of analysis applies to the major issues of public policy, where the needs and wants of a nation and its people - whether financial security, safety from terrorism, or even an available kidney for someone desperately waiting on a transplant list - involve tradeoffs, which are sometimes obvious and sometimes not. Whether dealing with the traditional sorts of topics most of us are used to seeing in an economics course - Social Security, inflation, unemployment, immigration, taxation, and the like - or issues perhaps surprising, such as gambling, major sports franchises, and even overeating, these 36 lectures offer a steady flow of insights about public policy and the American economy. By showing the full range of economic factors at work, this course can help you become an even more insightful judge of policy recommendations and of the leaders and policy makers who advocate them. And you may well learn to supplement your own analyses as you make the real-life economic choices each of us faces every day, becoming an even wiser consumer and manager of your own economic future. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio. Members Reviews: Great intro, but outdated. The overall presentation of economics is nicely done, but unfortunately completed in 2006. The last decade has been massively important to modern economic theory. For that reason I cannot recommend. The housing crisis, new expansive monetary policy (Federal Reserve changes), bailouts, stimulus, all need complete coverage for a Modern Economic Issue lecture series. economics would like to see same lectures updated a little, to reflect current events but otherwise excellent. Fantastic. Balanced, yet provocative. I've listened to almost all of the economics Great Courses and this might be the best one. I just finished listening to it a second time. I wish Robert Whaples did more courses. His survey of economists' opinions is a great supplement to the data and arguments he provides for the respective issues. Every lecture is packed with data and powerful arguments backed by economic theory. The Walmart lecture was very enlightening. Prof. Whaples disabuses the listener of the many misconceptions about the company and provides the economists' consensus analysis regarding its huge benefit to society. He convinced me that the Postal Service needs to be privatized, the inflation rate is egregiously overstated year after year by the CPI, and the U.S. poverty rate is in need of serious revision. I learned so much from this course. Prof. Whaples really makes you think about things that you don't often think about.

The Price of Prosperity Audiobook by Todd G. Buchholz

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Todd G. Buchholz) — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 01:57:20 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Price of Prosperity Subtitle: Why Rich Nations Fail and How to Renew Them Author: Todd G. Buchholz Narrator: Todd G. Buchholz Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins Language: English Release date: 06-07-16 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 19 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In this bold history and manifesto, a former White House director of economic policy under President George H. W. Bush exposes the economic, political, and cultural cracks that wealthy nations face and makes the case for transforming those same vulnerabilities into sources of strength - and the foundation of a national renewal America and other developed countries, including Germany, Japan, France, and Great Britain are in desperate straits. The loss of community, a contracting jobs market, immigration fears, rising globalization, and poisonous partisanship - the adverse price of unprecedented prosperity - are pushing these nations to the brink. Acclaimed author, economist, hedge fund manager, and presidential advisor Todd G. Buchholz argues that without a sense of common purpose and shared identity, nations can collapse. The signs are everywhere: Reckless financial markets encourage people to gamble with other people's money. A coddling educational culture removes the stigma of underachievement. Community traditions such as American Legion cookouts and patriotic parades are derided as corny or jingoistic. Newcomers are watched with suspicion and contempt. As Buchholz makes clear, the United States is not the first country to suffer these fissures. In The Price of Prosperity he examines the fates of previous empires - those that have fallen as well as those extricated from near-collapse and the ruins of war thanks to the vision and efforts of strong leaders. He then identifies what great leaders do to fend off the forces that tear nations apart. Is the loss of empire inevitable? No. Can a community spirit be restored in the U.S. and in Europe? The answer is a resounding yes. We cannot retrieve the jobs of our grandparents, but we can embrace uniquely American traditions, while building new foundations for growth and change. Buchholz offers a roadmap to recovery, and calls for a revival of national pride and patriotism to help us come together once again to protect the nation and ensure our future. Members Reviews: Past, present and future. An honest look at the United States through the lens of failed nations. This book is enlightening and enlightened. It describes which features have led to continued success of nations, as well as the common features of unsuccessful one. As a result it is a cautionary tale. But Mr. Buchholz not only diagnoses the problem he also prescribes a cure. Leaders would be wise to listen. How the West Was Lost This book hovers around excellent, but falls a bit flat. I believe this will be one of the great topics of the early 21st Century as we watch the most prosperous nations of the Western world struggle to maintain a high standard of living. Some of these great nations will reconstitute and find a way forward, but some will founder. This book makes the case that prosperous nations are at great risk of collapse under certain conditions. The authors further explains why he believes those conditions have arisen in both Europe and the United States. Unchecked immigration, cultural diffusion and catastrophic debt are common themes in other books as well as this one. However Mr. Buchholz does touch on the newer phenomena of in the 21st Century. He discusses the Anti-Nationalist trend where holidays, heroes, and national myths are denounced in favor of political conformity.

The Improbability Principle Audiobook by David J. Hand

biacuaduc@gmail.com (David J. Hand) — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 07:35:57 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Improbability Principle Subtitle: Why Coincidences, Miracles, and Rare Events Happen Every Day Author: David J. Hand Narrator: Paul Hodgson Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins Language: English Release date: 02-11-14 Publisher: Macmillan Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 124 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In The Improbability Principle, the renowned statistician David J. Hand argues that extraordinarily rare events are anything but. In fact, theyre commonplace. Not only that, we should all expect to experience a miracle roughly once every month. But Hand is no believer in superstitions, prophecies, or the paranormal. His definition of "miracle" is thoroughly rational. No mystical or supernatural explanation is necessary to understand why someone is lucky enough to win the lottery twice, or is destined to be hit by lightning three times and still survive. All we need, Hand argues, is a firm grounding in a powerful set of laws: The laws of inevitability, of truly large numbers, of selection, of the probability lever, and of near enough. Together, these constitute Hands groundbreaking Improbability Principle. And together, they explain why we should not be so surprised to bump into a friend in a foreign country, or to come across the same unfamiliar word four times in one day. Hand wrestles with seemingly less explicable questions as well: What the Bible and Shakespeare have in common, why financial crashes are par for the course, and why lightning does strike the same place (and the same person) twice. Along the way, he teaches us how to use the Improbability Principle in our own lives - including how to cash in at a casino and how to recognize when a medicine is truly effective. An irresistible adventure into the laws behind "chance" moments and a trusty guide for understanding the world and universe we live in, The Improbability Principle will transform how you think about serendipity and luck, whether its in the world of business and finance or youre merely sitting in your backyard, tossing a ball into the air and wondering where it will land. Members Reviews: Really interesting and fun This is an exciting book and a wonderful listen. There is a history of how people think about probability. The oldest known records are tables of outcomes in an ancient gambling game. You will love this book if you like being challenged and finding out why things are the way they are in science, math and the human mind. I didn't want it to end. I now have much more insight into probability than I did before. I definitely recommend this book. You will love it! The narration is excellent. This book is exciting and fun, I highly recommend it, especially if you like math, science, and psychology and want to know the reasons why things are the way they are in the universe. The author explains why miracles absolutely DO happen. Listen to find out why. Debunking superstitions What did you love best about The Improbability Principle? Difficult mathematics of probability theory explained clearly in non-mathematical language. What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative? The different laws of improbability are explained convincingly that the impossible is plausible. Have you listened to any of Paul Hodgsons other performances before? How does this one compare? No, not before. Paul's narrative is excellent, spoken with clarity and enthusiasm. If you could give The Improbability Principle a new subtitle, what would it be? Not that impossible Any additional comments? Better to listen to a chapter or two each time and not in its entirety (if you have that much of time).

Corporations Are Not People Audiobook by Jeffrey D. Clements

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jeffrey D. Clements) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:10:46 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Corporations Are Not People Subtitle: Why They Have More Rights Than You Do and What You Can Do About It Author: Jeffrey D. Clements Narrator: Fred Filbrich Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins Language: English Release date: 03-20-13 Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: This is the first practical guide for every citizen on the problem of corporate personhood and the tools we have to overturn it. Jeff Clements explains why the Citizens United case is the final win in a campaign for corporate domination of the state that began in the 1970s under Richard Nixon. More than this, Clements shows how unfettered corporate rights will impact public health, energy policy, the environment, and the justice system. Where Thom Hartmann's Unequal Protection provides a much-needed detailed legal history of corporate personhood, Corporations Are Not People answers the listener's question: "What does Citizens United mean to me?" And, even more important, it provides a solution: a Constitutional amendment, included in the book, which would reverse Citizens United. The book's ultimate goal is to give every citizen the tools and talking points to overturn corporate personhood state by state, community by community with petitions, house party kits, draft letters, shareholder resolutions, and much more. Members Reviews: Enlightening, Educational, Inspiring As a social-change activist since 1969, and one who has been studying and writing about "The Pernicious Fiction of Corporate Personhood" for many years, I can heartily recommend Jeff Clement's book. It brings the work of the late Richard Grossman (Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy) and Thom Hartmann (Unequal Protection) up to the present moment, lucidly explains the effect of corporate dominance on our daily lives, and paves a path for all those who care about restoring our "improbable" experiment in republican democracy both back to its foundations and forward to its promise. With clarity and eloquence unexpected in such a treatise, Jeff Clements articulates a positive vision and a practical guide for Tea Partiers and #Occupiers alike to join hands in the most important work that American citizens can take on at this pivotal moment in our common journey. It is an inspiration and an invitation. Read it and you will want to do your part in creating a legacy worth leaving to our progeny. In 1776, Thomas Paine published his pamphlet Common Sense, which laid out the historical precedents and current sad state of affairs of America, and proposed that we unite in drawing a line and standing together for "the rights of mankind and of the free and independent states of America". That pamphlet inspired a revolution. Two hundred thirty-six years later, almost to the day, Jeffrey Clements published another clarion call for restoring our human rights and the independence of our nation, with a similarly common sense strategy for a second American revolution. Great, concise Great, concise, easy to read and understand. If you have always had a feeling that something is wrong with America's government, that something seems missing; read this and you will begin to understand why. The Biggest Problem in American Politics This is by far the best work on the problem of money in politics I've ever seen. It comprehensively covers the history of how and why we got into this mess, thoroughly explains the plutocratic mechanisms which are destroying our democratic society, and lays out a detailed plan for recovery. A must read! Scary history, but hopeful suggestions for action.

The Retreat of Western Liberalism Audiobook by Edward Luce

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Edward Luce) — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 00:42:35 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Retreat of Western Liberalism Author: Edward Luce Narrator: Julian Elfer Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins Language: English Release date: 11-02-17 Publisher: Hachette Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 7 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In his widely acclaimed book Time to Start Thinking, Financial Times columnist and commentator Edward Luce charted the course of American economic and geopolitical decline, proving to be a prescient voice on our current social and political turmoil. In The Retreat of Western Liberalism, Luce makes a larger statement about the weakening of western hegemony and the crisis of democratic liberalism - of which Donald Trump and his European counterparts are not the cause, but a symptom. Luce argues that we are on a menacing trajectory brought about by ignorance of what it took to build the West, arrogance towards society's losers, and complacency about our system's durability - attitudes that have been emerging since the fall of the Berlin Wall, treated by the West as an absolute triumph over the East. We cannot move forward without a clear diagnosis of what has gone wrong. Luce contrasts Western democratic and economic ideals, which rest on an assumption of linear progress, with more cyclical views of economic strength - symbolized by the 19th-century fall and present-day rise of the Chinese and Indian economies - and with the dawn of a new multipolar age. Combining on-the-ground reporting with intelligent synthesis of the vast literature already available, Luce offers a detailed projection of the consequences of the Trump administration and a forward-thinking analysis of what those who believe in enlightenment values must do to defend them from the multiple onslaughts they face in the coming years. Critic Reviews: "Read this book: in the three hours it takes you will get a new, bracing and brilliant understanding of the dangers we in the democratic West now face. Luce is one of the smartest journalists working today, and his perceptions are priceless." (Jane Mayer, staff writer on The New Yorker) "His new book, Retreat of Western Liberalism, broadens that picture to cover the Western world. It is a must read for anyone trying to make sense of the waves of populism and nationalism we face today." (Liaquat Ahamed) Members Reviews: Essential Reading For Understanding The Current State Of The West Luce has painted a portrait of the political landscape facing the West which is neither hopeful nor comforting, but which nevertheless must be recognised. He outlines the underlying forces of a rising China, a European Union wracked by African and Middle Eastern immigration and backlash populism, and an America-under-Trump in which few thought leaders have learnt the lessons which produced the 2016 election result. Ultimately, it is a concise and compelling essay on the current shaky ground the West stands upon, which Julian Elfer narrates beautifully.

The Undercover Economist Strikes Back Audiobook by Tim Harford

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Tim Harford) — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:06:57 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Undercover Economist Strikes Back Subtitle: How to Run - or Ruin - an Economy Author: Tim Harford Narrator: Cameron Stewart, Gavin Osborne Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins Language: English Release date: 01-16-14 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 113 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: A provocative and lively exploration of the increasingly important world of macroeconomics, by the author of the bestselling The Undercover Economist. Thanks to the worldwide financial upheaval, economics is no longer a topic we can ignore. From politicians to hedge-fund managers to middle-class IRA holders, everyone must pay attention to how and why the global economy works the way it does. Enter Financial Times columnist and best-selling author Tim Harford. In this new book that demystifies macroeconomics, Harford strips away the spin, the hype, and the jargon to reveal the truth about how the worlds economy actually works. With the wit of a raconteur and the clear grasp of an expert, Harford explains whats really happening beyond todays headlines, why all of us should care, and what we can do about it to understand it better. Members Reviews: Macroeconomics is hard What did you love best about The Undercover Economist Strikes Back? Tim Harford is the Great Explainer of economics, and no one could have de-mystified the subject of macroeconomics as well as Tim. But still, no one really knows how the macroeconomy works, and "teaching the controversy" is a tall order even for the greatest of explainers. Any additional comments? Tim's first book, The Undercover Economist, is on more solid theoretical and empirical ground, simply because microeconomic phenomena (buying and selling things) are so much better understood than macroeconomic phenomena (recessions, booms, growth and inflation). Good as far as it goes.... Interesting and understandable, though I imagine it is more enjoyable to listen to than to read. The main issue I have is with what it doesn't say. Harford seems to try to be balanced between Keynesian and Classical economists, but fails to account for Austrian School solutions or perspectives, in favour of Keynes. That aside, it doesn't stray too far into the weeds to be boring or incomprehensible. All the things wrong with economics While central planning of the populous by elites has been proven disastrous everywhere, economists still think the economy should be centrally planned. They discuss the economy like a machine in which the author of this book places a person 'in charge of the economy' What it ethically means to put someone in charge of the economy and who is being charged, I leave up to the readers imagination. It involves monopolies, central banks an governments. The wise men in power who control interest rates to print money for those in power. All that is wrong with non austrian economists, employed by power, is repeated here.

Summary of Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson | Includes Analysis Audiobook

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Instaread) — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 03:20:27 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Summary of Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson | Includes Analysis Author: Instaread Narrator: Dwight Equitz Format: Unabridged Length: 24 mins Language: English Release date: 10-13-16 Publisher: Instaread Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty is an examination of the causes of economic inequality. Authors Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson conclude that underdevelopment is caused by political institutions and not by geography, climate, or other cultural factors. Elites in underdeveloped countries deliberately plunder their people and keep them impoverished. The city of Nogales is half in Mexico and half in the United States. People in Nogales on the US side of the border are well-educated, prosperous, and have long life expectancies. Those on the Mexican side are poor, poorly educated, and have shorter life expectancies. The differences in Nogales can't be explained by geography or culture. Instead, different governments cause the differences in development. The United States historically established pluralist institutions that encouraged technological innovation and spread wealth throughout the population. Please note: This is key takeaways and analysis of the book and not the original book. Members Reviews: Like reading an expanded abstract or a book review I would never pay for something like this again. It was very much like reading a long book review or a book report of dubious quality. The full book sounds like it might be interesting, but this is just a summary of that.

The Dollar Trap Audiobook by Eswar S. Prasad

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Eswar S. Prasad) — Tue, 06 May 2014 08:49:15 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Dollar Trap Subtitle: How the U.S. Dollar Tightened Its Grip on Global Finance Author: Eswar S. Prasad Narrator: Dennis Holland Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins Language: English Release date: 05-06-14 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 38 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: The U.S. dollars dominance seems under threat. The near collapse of the U.S. financial system in 2008-2009, political paralysis that has blocked effective policymaking, and emerging competitors such as the Chinese renminbi have heightened speculation about the dollars looming displacement as the main reserve currency. Yet, as The Dollar Trap powerfully argues, the financial crisis, a dysfunctional international monetary system, and U.S. policies have paradoxically strengthened the dollars importance. Eswar Prasad examines how the dollar came to have a central role in the world economy and demonstrates that it will remain the cornerstone of global finance for the foreseeable future. Marshaling a range of arguments and data, and drawing on the latest research, Prasad shows why it will be difficult to dislodge the dollar-centric system. With vast amounts of foreign financial capital locked up in dollar assets, including U.S. government securities, other countries now have a strong incentive to prevent a dollar crash. Prasad takes the listener through key contemporary issues in international finance - including the growing economic influence of emerging markets, the currency wars, the complexities of the China-U.S. relationship, and the role of institutions like the International Monetary Fund - and offers new ideas for fixing the flawed monetary system. Listeners are also given a rare look into some of the intrigue and backdoor scheming in the corridors of international finance. The Dollar Trap offers a panoramic analysis of the fragile state of global finance and makes a compelling case that, despite all its flaws, the dollar will remain the ultimate safe-haven currency. Members Reviews: The best currency in a shaky neighborhood One needn't agree with the thesis here (that the dollar has reasons to remain the world's primary reserve currency for some time to come) to benefit from this smart tour of big issues in global money. The US dollar's demise has been proclaimed countless times, and for a host of reasons (many reviewed here), it keeps bobbing up to the surface for another interval as the most important global currency. Much of it might be called its enduring network externalities -- it serves needs no other currency can -- and the other contenders for various reasons haven't shown themseves ready for prime time. This continues to provide Americans an "exorbitant privilege" (a French politician's onetime term of resentment), so it is worth focusing on -- as life could be quite different in a world of faded dollar hegemony. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts, while being mentally limber for what might come next. Here I also sensed a subtext -- the USA has some unique qualities of internal robustness and stability (sometimes despite what seems like our best efforts) that this enduring buoyancy reflects. We are still in many ways a haven from world chaos, for people as well as their money.

Rewriting the Rules of the American Economy Audiobook by Joseph E. Stiglitz

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Joseph E. Stiglitz) — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 08:15:56 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Rewriting the Rules of the American Economy Subtitle: An Agenda for Growth and Shared Prosperity Author: Joseph E. Stiglitz Narrator: Fred Sanders Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins Language: English Release date: 11-02-15 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 64 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Inequality is a choice. The United States bills itself as the land of opportunity, a place where anyone can achieve success and a better life through hard work and determination. But the facts tell a different story - the US today lags behind most other developed nations in measures of inequality and economic mobility. For decades, wages have stagnated for the majority of workers while economic gains have disproportionately gone to the top 1 percent. Education, housing, and health care - essential ingredients for individual success - are growing ever more expensive. Deeply rooted structural discrimination continues to hold down women and people of color, and more than one-fifth of all American children now live in poverty. These trends are on track to become even worse in the future. Some economists claim that today's bleak conditions are inevitable consequences of market outcomes, globalization, and technological progress. If we want greater equality, they argue, we have to sacrifice growth. This is simply not true. American inequality is the result of misguided structural rules that actually constrict economic growth. We have stripped away worker protections and family support systems, created a tax system that rewards short-term gains over long-term investment, offered a de facto public safety net to too-big-to-fail financial institutions, and chosen monetary and fiscal policies that promote wealth over full employment. Members Reviews: The foundation for a successful economy This book is amazing. It's insightful to the underlying issues plagueing working class people. This should be mandatory reading for any person working on economic and tax policy. Rediseñemos las reglas! Genial puesta al día de la influencia de las reglas en la economía hoy en día, y su influencia en la desigualdad, el crecimiento etc. Centrado en EEUU pero de interés para todo el mundo. A Plan for the future Stiglitz is the best. A great progressive economist. He also explains the causes of our economic problems. Valid Assertions But Lacking Support and Structure Stiglitz' fundamental thesis and underlying assertions remain as true and urgent as in 2013 when he published The Price of Inequality. Indeed, the urgency has only increased since then. However, the book reads like a never-ending stream of strong statements but lacks accessible supporting evidence and examples. Additionally, the major and minor points don't come together in a cohesive dialog that audio listeners will easily follow. I highly recommend Saving Capitalism by Robert Reich as a much better book covering nearly all the same points as Stiglitz. However, I will grant that Stiglitz states at that beginning that this is essentially a report that was prepared for policy makers. It reads like a report ... kind of dull. All that said, I would still recommend this book to anyone looking for solid coverage of the breadth and depth of underlying problems in our economy, and the fact that the RULES make a bigger difference than we commonly hear. The Bible for the New Economy And incredibly clear and straightforward explication about the problems are economy faces and the solution: how to change our incentives from short-term profit taking to long-term growth and investment.

The Billionaire's Apprentice Audiobook by Anita Raghavan

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Anita Raghavan) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 07:06:27 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Billionaire's Apprentice Subtitle: The Rise of the Indian-American Elite and the Fall of the Galleon Hedge Fund Author: Anita Raghavan Narrator: Dan Woren Format: Unabridged Length: 16 hrs and 33 mins Language: English Release date: 07-01-13 Publisher: Hachette Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 80 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Just as WASPs, Irish-Catholics, and Our Crowd Jews once made the ascent from immigrants to powerbrokers, it is now the Indian-American's turn. Citigroup, PepsiCo, and Mastercard are just a handful of the Fortune 500 companies led by a group known as the "Twice Blessed". Yet little is known about how these Indian émigrés (and children of émigrés) rose through the ranks. Until now... The collapse of the Galleon Group - a hedge fund that managed more than $7 billion in assets - from criminal charges of insider trading was a sensational case that pitted prosecutor Preet Bharara, himself the son of Indian immigrants, against the best and brightest of the South Asian business community. At the center of the case was self-described King of Kings, Galleon's founder Raj Rajaratnam, a Sri-Lankan-born, Wharton-educated billionaire. But the most shocking allegation was that the éminence grise of Indian business, Rajat Gupta, was Rajaratnam's accomplice and mole. If not for Gupta's nose-to-the-grindstone rise to head up McKinsey & Co and a position on the Goldman Sachs board, men like Rajaratnam would have never made it to the top of America's moneyed elite. Author Anita Raghavan crisscrosses the globe from Wall Street boardrooms to Delhi's Indian Institute of Technology as she uncovers the secrets of this subculture - an incredible tale of triumph, temptation and tragedy. Members Reviews: Utterly ridiculous performance What would have made The Billionaire's Apprentice better? Every time an Indian character speaks in this book, they are given a stupid imitation Indian accent. Even emails and instant messages by Indian characters get the same Saturday-night live treatment. You get a middle aged white guy spending the whole book putting on this stupid accent. If the author countenanced this, it was an incredible mistake. Even if the intent was to honor the ethnic mannerisms of the characters, this approach overlooks that when one is reading, they don't assign characters any particular accent. Having to listen to this completely takes the reader out of the book. Narrator ruins the experience What didnt you like about Dan Worens performance? Dan, for some strange reasons, decided to speak the lines of Indian characters in a made up accent. It sounds like a combination of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Apu from Simpsons. All the Indian characters sound exactly the same. It doesn't matter whether the Indian person was born and brought up in the USA. Every time Dan spoke in this weird accent I cringed. It killed the book for me. Unfortunately the sample didn't play his Arnold-Apu accent. The Indian Connection Would you listen to The Billionaire's Apprentice again? Why? No.I found it fantastic just listening to it once. What did you like best about this story? The writing was high fantastical.

Talking to My Daughter About the Economy Audiobook by Yanis Varoufakis

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Yanis Varoufakis) — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 08:27:39 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Talking to My Daughter About the Economy Subtitle: A Brief History of Capitalism Author: Yanis Varoufakis Narrator: Leighton Pugh Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins Language: English Release date: 10-19-17 Publisher: Random House Audiobooks Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 7 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Random House presents the audiobook edition of Talking to My Daughter About the Economy: A Brief History of Capitalism by Yanis Varoufakis. Why is there so much inequality? In this short book, world famous economist Yanis Varoufakis sets out to answer his 11-year-old daughter Xenia's deceptively simple question. Using personal stories and famous myths - from Oedipus and Faust to Frankenstein and The Matrix - he explains what the economy is and why it has the power to shape our lives. Intimate yet universally accessible, Talking to My Daughter About the Economy introduces listeners to the most important drama of our times, helping to make sense of a troubling world while inspiring us to make it a better one. Members Reviews: Amazing Very intersting and smart book. Hope it will reach lots of people. There is always another sulotion! Brief, easy to assimilate, yet deals with the big questions of our societies. This book can be read in six hours, provides huge amounts of thought provoking insights into our world and existence. Do yourse!f a favour and take the time to read it Unexpectedly excellent This book was completely different to what I expected when I bought it. It paints the picture of the economy in an exceptionally simple yet thorough way. The method of writing as if to a child is very well executed and works wonderfully. To understand the future read this book Yanis, as ever,clearly explains key concepts and adds his point of view. This is a great primer on the key elements of the economy and how capitalism works and the problems that it causes as well as what it solves. One vital area he looks at what impact AI and Automation all have on the future of society. This alone is why you should buy this book as this is a conversation that everyone should be having. We are at a cross-roads we can live the good life or the bulk of the population can become serfs... the choice is ours and we must help lead our politicians to do the right thing Brilliant introduction to economics Very engaging and easy to follow. Yanis really did a good job of explaining things in a clear and easy to understand way.

The Origins of Value Audiobook by William N. Goetzmann (editor), K. Geert Rouwenhorst (editor)

biacuaduc@gmail.com (William N. Goetzmann (editor)) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 00:53:15 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Origins of Value Subtitle: The Financial Innovations That Created Modern Capital Markets Author: William N. Goetzmann (editor), K. Geert Rouwenhorst (editor) Narrator: Christine Marshall Format: Unabridged Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins Language: English Release date: 02-03-14 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 19 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: From the invention of interest in Mesopotamia and the origin of paper money in China, to the creation of mutual funds, inflation-indexed bonds, and global financial securities, here is a sweeping survey of financial innovations that have changed the world. Written by a distinguished group of experts - including Robert Shiller, Niall Ferguson, Valerie Hansen, and many others - The Origins of Value traces the evolution of finance through 4,000 years of history. Listeners see how and why many of our most important financial tools and institutions - loans, interest rates, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, the corporation, and the New York Stock Exchange, to name a few - came into being. We see, for instance, how ancient Rome developed an early form of equity finance that resembles the modern corporation and read about the first modern corporation - the Dutch East India Company - and its innovative means of financing the exploration and expansion of European business ventures around the globe. We also meet remarkable financial innovators, such as the 13th century Italian Fibonacci of Pisa, whose mathematics of money became the foundation for later developments in the technology of Western European finance (and may explain why the West surpassed the East in financial sophistication). And we even discover a still-surviving "perpetuity" dating from the Dutch Age of Reason - an instrument that has been paying interest since the mid-17th century. Placing our current age of financial revolution in fascinating historical perspective, The Origins of Value tells a remarkable story of invention, illuminating many key episodes in the course of financial history. Members Reviews: A treat for financial history fans I already have this book in print -- which has gorgeous color plates of many of the financial instruments described. If you like works such as Niall Ferguson's 'Ascent of Money,' Jack Weatherford's 'History of Money,' or Philip Coggan's 'Paper Promises' (each available at audible), then you may delight in this. (Niall Ferguson wrote one of the segments here). Here we get financial concepts wrapped in a developmental story, indeed in their stories of origin (as best our scholarship can tell). Those familiar with tales of John Law and Dutch financial innovation will yet find fresh perspectives. But this book digs further back, with translations for example of cuneiform business records from the Near East, a few thousand years BCE (as far back before the year 1 CE, as we are after that date)! The pace slows down a few times, as for example during recitations of terms of several loan deals in that ancient setting. If it bogs down, it doesn't for long, and we are treated to work of many fine authors. But this overall hits the sweet spot for me, between brisk walks through straightforward financial ideas and teminology, scenes of business history (with bits of historical coloration to keep it interesting, but always generally sticking to the point), commentary about meanings and impacts of all this in history, and the fostering of a deeper comprehension of today's financial innovations.

Fault Lines Audiobook by Raghuram Rajan

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Raghuram Rajan) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 02:10:60 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Fault Lines Subtitle: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World's Economy Author: Raghuram Rajan Narrator: Richard Davidson Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins Language: English Release date: 09-24-10 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 115 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Raghuram Rajan was one of the few economists who warned of the global financial crisis before it hit. Now, as the world struggles to recover, it's tempting to blame what happened on just a few greedy bankers who took irrational risks and left the rest of us to foot the bill. In Fault Lines, Rajan argues that serious flaws in the economy are also to blame, and warns that a potentially more devastating crisis awaits us if they aren't fixed. Rajan explains how the individual choices that collectively brought about the economic meltdown - made by bankers, government officials, and ordinary homeowners - were rational responses to a flawed global financial order in which the incentives to take on risk are incredibly out of step with the dangers those risks pose. He traces the deepening fault lines in a world overly dependent on the indebted American consumer to power global economic growth and stave off global downturns. He exposes a system where America's growing inequality and thin social safety net create tremendous political pressure to encourage easy credit and keep job creation robust, no matter what the consequences to the economy's long-term health; and where the U.S. financial sector, with its skewed incentives, is the critical but unstable link between an overstimulated America and an underconsuming world. In Fault Lines, Rajan demonstrates how unequal access to education and health care in the United States puts us all in deeper financial peril, even as the economic choices of countries like Germany, Japan, and China place an undue burden on America to get its policies right. He outlines the hard choices we need to make to ensure a more stable world economy and restore lasting prosperity. Members Reviews: Well written, well argued, but nothing new I have to admit I was a little disappointed. I was expecting Rajan, former IMF Chief Economist and current CBI governor to be much more original, "out there". Maybe it's because his book was written earlier, I can't help but think that I've read this same book several times before. I enjoyed his description of French govt annuities in the 17th century as a form.of securitisation -- that was original. I also found intriguing the idea that the US is ultra-responsive to economic shocks because of the Bush I jobless recovery cautionary tale, exacerbated by the relatively poor safety net available to US workers. The rest, however, incmuding his discussion of the financial sector, left me a little meh. Worth reading, though, as with everything by Raghuram Rajan. Get another reader The book takes several steps back from the financial crisis to consider underlying factors - fault lines - that contributed to the crisis. While he provides some suggested policy responses to prevent a recurrence, he does not address any responses to the down turn itself for which he has been criticized (e.g., Krugman and Well in their review in the New York Review of Books). However, that was not Rajan's intent. Overall the book is far ranging, thoughtful and interesting. However, I largely turned off the audible version to read it myself as I found the reader to be ham-handed, monotonic and completely unengaging.

The Indispensable Milton Friedman Audiobook by Lanny Ebenstein

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Lanny Ebenstein) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 06:30:47 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Indispensable Milton Friedman Subtitle: Essays on Politics and Economics Author: Lanny Ebenstein Narrator: Traber Burns Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins Language: English Release date: 10-02-12 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 69 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Milton Friedman is one of the most famous economists in history. His writings and theories on everything from capitalism and freedom to deregulation and welfare have inspired movements, influenced government policies, and changed the course of Americas economic history. Now, acclaimed Friedman biographer Lanny Ebenstein brings together 20 of Friedmans greatest essays inThe Indispensable Milton Friedman: Essays on Politics and Economics. The only collection of Friedmans writings to span his entire career, this book features some of Friedmans never-before-republished writings as well as the best and most timeless of his works. These exceptional essays not only illuminate the progression of Friedmans thought, but explain how America might overcome some of its most difficult challenges.During this time of economic uncertainty,The Indispensable Milton Friedmanis more necessary than ever. About the author: Dr. Lanny Ebenstein is a radio host and author. He has been on C-SPANs Booknotes, and his work has appeared in National Review, the Los Angeles Times, and more. He currently works for 1290 AM in Santa Barbara and is an editorialist for the Santa Barbara News Press. Additionally, he is a visiting professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute. Critic Reviews: Milton Friedman was the most authoritative exponent of the libertarian tradition in economics. He will be remembered as long as the subject endures, and this collection epitomizes the power of his mind and range of his mastery. (George Gilder,New York Timesbest-sellingauthor ofWealth and Poverty) A worthy homage to Friedmans ideas. (Financial Times) Economists can succeed Milton Friedman, but nobody can replace him. As this collection of rare but brilliant essays confirms, he was one of a kind, and is greatly missed. (Mark Skousen, editor,Forecasts & Strategies) Members Reviews: Every prime minister should read this book! Would you listen to The Indispensable Milton Friedman again? Why? I already did! There is so much to learn from this book, that it is good to listen to it a couple times to retain all the wisdom it contains. What about Traber Burnss performance did you like? Perfect intonation. Warm voice. Whats the most interesting tidbit youve picked up from this book? The open letter to Bill Bennet written in 1989 and still valid today; actually all that M. Friedman announced in 1989 (and previously in 1972) came true! Had they listened to him, our world would have been a less violent one! Any additional comments? A must read! Ten percent good stuff. ninety percent not Friedman is awesome, however, this is not. lots of listening to unimportant fluff to get to the good stuff. Insightful and thought provoking What did you love best about The Indispensable Milton Friedman? Always interesting to hear the "down-to-earth" appproach that the Friedmans take to economic and political material. Easy to understand and follow. Very helpful when trying to digest current events Any additional comments? I did not listen to the entire collection -- maybe about half. I omitted the reminiscence of famous economists, and a few of the essays that seemed to duplicate earlier material. -- not to cast a bad light on the collection in any way.

Fatal Risk Audiobook by Roddy Boyd

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Roddy Boyd) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:04:46 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Fatal Risk Subtitle: A Cautionary Tale of AIG's Corporate Suicide Author: Roddy Boyd Narrator: Joe Barrett Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins Language: English Release date: 08-13-12 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 35 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Long-listed for the FT & Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award 2011. The true story of how risk destroys, as told through the ongoing saga of AIG From the collapse of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, the subject of the financial crisis has been well covered. However, the story central to the crisis-that of AIG-has until now remained largely untold. Fatal Risk: A Cautionary Tale of AIG's Corporate Suicide tells the inside story of what really went on inside AIG that caused it to choke on risk and nearly brining down the entire economic system. The book: Fatal Risk is the comprehensive and compelling true story of the company at the center of the financial storm and how it nearly caused the entire economic system to collapse. Members Reviews: My favorite business-finance writing, full stop Awhile back I read this in print, and I like the audio even better. This qualifies as popular business history, though it is a mild shade more sober and less tinselly-popular than Michael Lewis's (for example, time is not spent on physical and personal quirks of people unless it very directly feeds the meaning of the story). Yet, we get vivid portraits of these players as distinctive personalities, decision makers and actors in business. It is right at the sweet spot for me. This author can craft a clear, short, tight sentence that will teach the reader a lot about recent/contemporary business and finance in a few words, wrapped nicely into a story that moves briskly. Of course, I am a seasoned business history reader who is very centered there, so the terminology is already familiar. As for the story itself: we get plenty of fly-on-the-wall moments, with just the right nuances, as AIG evolved from its fascinating origins in Shanghai and founder C.V. Starr via the amazing stewardship of Maurice "Hank" Greenberg (a business genius by anyone's measure) into a player in an increasingly whirling environment of modern financial markets. We see the personalities as key to the various steps that wound up in its historic crisis and bailout. The rivalries and battles, the doubts and flareups are here without sugarcoating. And the central toipic of life, as I see it, risk and its pricing and management, is cast in so many different lights. This story has everything I look for in Shakespeare, in modern dress. Instructive This is another instructive book about the mortgage crisis of 2008 as it related to AIG. The writing is clear, the audible narration is performed well paced and the voice is well suited to the subject. I would recommend that the reader have some knowledge in finance and accountingat least in the basics, to appreciate the descriptions of the financial vehicles. I have read other books that have discussed AIG and its executives, but this one emphasizes AIG. Is it worth reading then? Yes. A book on criticizing Hank Greenberg The author has a hate for Hank Greenberg and criticizes his management style; makes some very wild accusations about him. his sources are NEVER clear. Only to say... "someone close to the matter said..." or "high level officials agree..." if you know your history, AIG started to do shady deals after Greenberg left. Because Greenberg was a jerk to work with and had his nose in everything. The author has to admit that, but always compliments Greenberg with his backhand. He continually hold Spitzer as a stand up guy.

The World of Choices Audiobook by Timothy Taylor

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Timothy Taylor) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:28:56 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The World of Choices Author: Timothy Taylor Narrator: Timothy Taylor Format: Unabridged Length: 30 mins Language: English Release date: 10-28-11 Publisher: The Great Courses Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In this introductory lecture, encounter a definition of economics far broader than the one understood by most people. Also, learn that economics is about the choices you make in every aspect of life, their consequences, and the degree to which the realm of choice itself is larger than you would think. ©2011 The Great Courses (P)2011 The Great Courses

Summary of Dark Money by Jane Mayer | Includes Analysis Audiobook by Instaread

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Instaread) — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 01:38:53 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Summary of Dark Money by Jane Mayer | Includes Analysis Author: Instaread Narrator: Michael Pauley Format: Unabridged Length: 32 mins Language: English Release date: 03-24-16 Publisher: Instaread Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 29 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Summary of Dark Money by Jane Mayer | Includes Analysis Preview: Dark Money by Jane Mayer profiles the wealthy donors who have funded and established organizations to promote libertarian ideals, particularly the brothers Charles and David Koch. They and their two other brothers were raised by parents who promoted free-market capitalism and were suspicious of anything related or sympathetic to Communism. The four Koch brothers inherited portions of their father's oil business, and later Charles and David conspired to buy out their other brothers' portions of the company.... Please note: This is key takeaways and analysis of the book, and not the original book. Inside this Instaread Summary of Dark Money: About the Author With Instaread, you can get the key takeaways, summary, and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways, and analyze them for your convenience. Members Reviews: It's Koch, like Coke - not cotch!!! The constant mispronunciation of "Koch" marred an otherwise good summary. That is a HUGE oversight! Disappointed I would have preferred a little more detail and analysis then was provided. I was also disappointed that the Koch brother's name was mispronounced. I felt that if trying to present yourself as knowledgeable on the subject that the name would be pronounced correctly. Can't pronounce "Koch" The narrator mispronounces name "Koch" throughout, but otherwise was fine. The summary itself was informative. Poor Summary of Book Has Summary of Dark Money by Jane Mayer | Includes Analysis turned you off from other books in this genre? No, this has turned me off to Instaread. What didnt you like about Michael Pauleys performance? Can't even pronounce the Koch's name properly. Really, they are the central characters. Do not spend one penny on this. This summary is useless. The whole book is about the Koch brothers and the machine reading this mispronounces Koch every single time. I am planning to try to get my money back.

VangoNotes for Principles of Microeconomics, 8/e Audiobook by Karl E. Case, Ray C. Fair

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Karl E. Case) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:03:08 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: VangoNotes for Principles of Microeconomics, 8/e Author: Karl E. Case, Ray C. Fair Narrator: Stow Lovejoy, Alyson Silverman Format: Original Recording Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins Language: English Release date: 09-13-11 Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc. Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 8 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from Principles of Microeconomics, 8/e and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook: ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Economics Audiobook by Partha Dasgupta

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Partha Dasgupta) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:49:22 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Economics Subtitle: A Very Short Introduction Author: Partha Dasgupta Narrator: Gayle Hendrix Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins Language: English Release date: 08-04-09 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 34 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Dasgupta covers enduring issues such as population growth, the environment, and poverty. For example, he explores how the world's looming population problems affect us at the local, national, and international level. Economics has the capacity to offer us deep insights into some of the most formidable problems of life. Here, Dasgupta goes beyond the basics to show it's innate effects on our history, culture, and lifestyles. Members Reviews: Great Book to know some economics This is great book for you to understand some economics. Another good book is Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell. The voice of Gayle Hendrix is really sweet! Worth your Money. Half good, half a tad dull This is a good intro to economics. The beginning of the book was quite interesting and engaging but towards the end a little less so. I enjoyed the comparison of the life and opportunities of a girl in the West and a girl in the rural undeveloped world. But for some reason the book is not as engaging in the second half of the book. Not the introduction I was expecting. What was most disappointing about Partha Dasguptas story? The writer jumps around between topics and, in doing so, loses clarity. For a clearer, more comprehensive and stimulating introduction to economics, which includes the history of economic thought, I would recommend Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics. It is far superior! Narrowly focused and incomplete The author focuses primarily on the economics of climate change and developing countries contrasted with developed countries. While authoratative on that narrow aspect of the subject, it is not an overview of the development and present state of economic theory, which is what the title had led me to expect. If you want to learn about climate change from an economic perspective, and why poor countries are poor, this is the book for you. If you want a brief overview of economics, you will be disappointed.

Act of Congress Audiobook by Robert G. Kaiser

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Robert G. Kaiser) — Tue, 06 May 2014 21:02:16 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Act of Congress Subtitle: How America's Essential Institution Works, and How It Doesn't Author: Robert G. Kaiser Narrator: Matthew Josdal Format: Unabridged Length: 19 hrs and 9 mins Language: English Release date: 05-06-14 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 17 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: An eye-opening account of how Congress today really works - and doesnt - that follows the dramatic journey of the sweeping financial reform bill enacted in response to the Great Crash of 2008. The founding fathers expected Congress to be the most important branch of government and gave it the most power. When Congress is broken - as its justifiably dismal approval ratings suggest - so is our democracy. Here, Robert G. Kaiser, whose long and distinguished career at The Washington Post has made him as keen and knowledgeable an observer of Congress as we have, takes us behind the sound bites to expose the protocols, players, and politics of the House and Senate - revealing both the triumphs of the system and (more often) its fundamental flaws. Act of Congress tells the story of the Dodd-Frank Act, named for the two men who made it possible: Congressman Barney Frank, brilliant and sometimes abrasive, who mastered the details of financial reform, and Senator Chris Dodd, who worked patiently for months to fulfill his vision of a Senate that could still work on a bipartisan basis. Both Frank and Dodd collaborated with Kaiser throughout their legislative efforts and allowed their staffs to share every step of the drafting and deal making that produced the 1,500-page law that transformed Americas financial sector. Kaiser explains how lobbying affects a bill - or fails to. We follow staff members more influential than most senators and congressmen. We see how Congress members protect their own turf, often without regard for what might best serve the country - more eager to court television cameras than legislate on complicated issues about which many of them remain ignorant. Kaiser shows how ferocious partisanship regularly overwhelms all other considerations, though occasionally individual integrity prevails. Act of Congress, as entertaining as it is enlightening, is an indispensable guide to a vital piece of our political system desperately in need of reform. Members Reviews: insightful, and eye opening. Narrator is adequate. story is compelling. content is insightful. a must read for any future politician. Painfully performed! A fascinating, detailed piece rendered almost unbearable to listen to. The bizarre cadence and painfully awkward intonation and emphasis make this difficult to follow or even tolerate listening to. I could deal with the weird Canadian accent, but the stilted unconventional emphasis re: "he said", "he noted" etc. is down right irritating.

The Idealist Audiobook by Nina Munk

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Nina Munk) — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 23:06:60 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Idealist Subtitle: Jeffrey Sachs and the Quest to End Poverty Author: Nina Munk Narrator: Susan Nezami Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins Language: English Release date: 09-10-13 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 56 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: A powerful portrayal of Jeffrey Sachs's ambitious quest to end global poverty "The poor you will always have with you," to cite the Gospel of Matthew 26:11. Jeffrey Sachs - celebrated economist, special advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations, and author of the influential best seller The End of Poverty - disagrees. In his view, poverty is a problem that can be solved. With single-minded determination he has attempted to put into practice his theories about ending extreme poverty, to prove that the world's most destitute people can be lifted onto "the ladder of development." In 2006, Sachs launched the Millennium Villages Project, a daring five-year experiment designed to test his theories in Africa. The first Millennium village was in Sauri, a remote cluster of farming communities in western Kenya. The initial results were encouraging. With his first taste of success, and backed by 120 million dollars from George Soros and other likeminded donors, Sachs rolled out a dozen model villages in ten sub-Saharan countries. Once his approach was validated it would be scaled up across the entire continent. At least that was the idea. For the past six years, Nina Munk has reported deeply on the Millennium Villages Project, accompanying Sachs on his official trips to Africa and listening in on conversations with heads-of-state, humanitarian organizations, rival economists, and development experts. She has immersed herself in the lives of people in two Millennium villages: Ruhiira, in southwest Uganda, and Dertu, in the arid borderland between Kenya and Somalia. Accepting the hospitality of camel herders and small-hold farmers, and witnessing their struggle to survive, Munk came to understand the real-life issues that challenge Sachs's formula for ending global poverty. The Idealist is the profound and moving story of what happens when the abstract theories of a brilliant, driven man meet the reality of human life. Critic Reviews: Munk artfully observes how Sachss infectious enthusiasm and optimism bring attention [to the Millennium Villages Project].Students of economic policy and altruistic do-gooders alike will find Munks work to be a measured, immersive study of a remarkable but all-too-human man who let his vision get the best of him --Publishers Weekly "Trenchant and thought-provoking" --Kirkus Reviews Nina Munk has written a fascinating book about a fascinating manand even more important, about a set of ideas that are intriguing and important. Fareed Zakaria, editor-at-large of Time magazine and author of New York Times Bestseller The Post-American World Jeffrey Sachs is a global phenomenon: no one thinks as big, makes a more passionate case for foreign aid, and works as hard to make the dream of ending global poverty a reality. This terrific book gives you a ringside seat on Sachss tireless global quest to get donors, governments, international agencies, private firms, and poor farmers to buy into his vision of economic development.

The Conscience of a Liberal Audiobook by Paul Krugman

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Paul Krugman) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:10:09 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Conscience of a Liberal Author: Paul Krugman Narrator: Jason Culp Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins Language: English Release date: 09-24-07 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 430 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Now, the tide may be turning, and in The Conscience of a Liberal promises to reshape public debate about American social policy and become a touchstone work for an entire generation. Critic Reviews: "A compelling historical defense of liberalism and a clarion call for Americans to retake control of their economic destiny." (Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: A must for anyone interested in U.S. politics. Where does The Conscience of a Liberal rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far? Krugman goes beyond economics by placing the current economic issues that plague the U.S. into their historical and political context. Easy to understand but not "dumbed down". Great Book!!! I never fully realized what a historical anomaly the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s were. Krugman makes the case that those few decades brought us closer to the vision of our founding fathers than any other time in our history: broad consensus, expanding middle class, a flatter society. The past 30 years have seen the pendulum swing back, a return to the Gilded Age, authoritarianism, corporatism, a disappearing middle class, and a highly privileged few. The founders of our country fought their revolution against the authoritarians and oligarchs of their time. We must do the same against ours. This book is a must read (listen?). Knocked my socks off I wasn't an avid reader of Krugman's columns or books, so I didn't realize the treat I was in for. The knowledge and conveyance of history and economics are unparalleled, and the politcal analysis is astute. One of those books where I listen every chance I get until I reach the end. I might even listen to the whole thing again. It's just that good. Solid narrator, too. Brilliant This is one of those books you should get college credit just for listening to. You may find yourself replaying the chapters again and again in order to fully grasp the concepts. Very well written and presented. The narrator is one of the best I have heard. Overall very interesting information if you agree with the author on everything or not. required reading! If you want to become an informed citizen and not throw away your ballot in what is looking more and more like the most important election in fifty years, this book, along with former Vice President Al Gores recent book, are required reading. Presented in a manor easy to understand, even with statistical research thrown in, Mr Krugman's attack on Movement Conservatism and its threat to all things we hold sacred hits like an approaching storm. His antidotes to get us back on track are well thought out and seem amazingly reachable, like the calm after the storm is over. Five stars also go to the reader. It's read like it was actually written by him.

Who Stole the American Dream? Audiobook by Hedrick Smith

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Hedrick Smith) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:41:36 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Who Stole the American Dream? Author: Hedrick Smith Narrator: Rob Shapiro Format: Unabridged Length: 16 hrs and 32 mins Language: English Release date: 09-11-12 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 112 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Pulitzer Prize winner Hedrick Smiths new book is an extraordinary achievement, an eye-opening account of how, over the past four decades, the American Dream has been dismantled and we became two Americas. In his best-selling The Russians, Smith took millions of readers inside the Soviet Union. In The Power Game, he took us inside Washingtons corridors of power. Now Smith takes us across America to show how seismic changes, sparked by a sequence of landmark political and economic decisions, have transformed America. As only a veteran reporter can, Smith fits the puzzle together, starting with Lewis Powells provocative memo that triggered a political rebellion that dramatically altered the landscape of power from then until today. This is a book full of surprises and revelations - the accidental beginnings of the 401(k) plan, with disastrous economic consequences for many; the major policy changes that began under Jimmy Carter; how the New Economy disrupted Americas engine of shared prosperity, the "virtuous circle" of growth, and how America lost the title of "Land of Opportunity". Smith documents the transfer of $6 trillion in middle-class wealth from homeowners to banks even before the housing boom went bust, and how the U.S. policy tilt favoring the rich is stunting Americas economic growth. This book is essential reading for all of us who want to understand America today, or why average Americans are struggling to keep afloat. Smith reveals how pivotal laws and policies were altered while the public wasnt looking, how Congress often ignores public opinion, why moderate politicians got shoved to the sidelines, and how Wall Street often wins politically by hiring over 1,400 former government officials as lobbyists. Critic Reviews: "Remarkably comprehensive and coherent analysis of and prescriptions for America's contemporary economic malaise by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Smith.... Smith sets out on a mission to trace the history of these strategies and policies, which transformed America from a roughly fair society to its current status as a plutocracy. He leaves few stones unturned.... [F]ascinating detail...brilliant analyses." (Kirkus Reviews) "Hedrick Smith is a clear thinker and a great writer who has done a terrific job chronicling the increasing disarray in the once powerful social compact between America's middle class and our business and political leadership. Smith also presents an American 'Marshall Plan' which is a solid road map for recovery from the results of failed business, media, and political leadership of the last 30 years." (Howard Dean, former Governor of Vermont, former DNC Chairman) "Here now is the terrible story of how the so-called New Economy destroyed the many credos and practices that once pushed and prodded the American way of life. Hedrick Smith gives names, dates, and actions behind the transformation from a corporate and financial culture driven by shared wealth to one of CEO/ownership greed. Read it and weep with profound sadness and then scream with red-faced anger. It seems almost too tame to call it simply a book. It is an indictment that is as stinging, stunning and important as any ever handed down by a grand jury." (Jim Lehrer) Members Reviews: He ties it all together I have been looking for this book for a long time.

Where Am I Eating? Audiobook by Kelsey Timmerman

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Kelsey Timmerman) — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 10:45:14 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Where Am I Eating? Subtitle: An Adventure Through the Global Food Economy Author: Kelsey Timmerman Narrator: David Ledoux Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs Language: English Release date: 08-01-13 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 19 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Bridges the gap between global farmers and fishermen and American consumers. America now imports twice as much food as it did a decade ago. What does this increased reliance on imported food mean for the people around the globe who produce our food? Kelsey Timmerman set out on a global quest to meet the farmers and fisherman who grow and catch our food, working alongside them: loading lobster boats in Nicaragua, splitting cocoa beans with a machete in Ivory Coast, and hauling tomatoes in Ohio. Where Am I Eating? tells fascinating stories of the farmers and fishermen around the world who produce the food we eat, explaining what their lives are like and how our habits affect them. Where Am I Eating? shows how what we eat affects the lives of the people who produce our food, and explores the global food economy including workers rights, the global food crisis, fair trade, and immigration. Where Am I Eating? does not argue for or against the globalization of food, but personalizes it by observing the hope and opportunity, and sometimes the lack thereof, which the global food economy gives to the world's poorest producers. Author Kelsey Timmerman has spoken at close to 100 schools around the globe about his first book, Where Am I Wearing: A Global Tour of the Countries, Factories, and People That Make Our Clothes. He has been featured in the Financial Times and has discussed social issues on NPR's Talk of the Nation and Fox News Radio. Members Reviews: who cooking for you What did you love best about Where Am I Eating?? every think about where your food comes from or how many hand bring you your foods ? in our world it could be hunders what keep it all running an amazing idea and a great story take a listen HIGHLY RECOMMEND What did you love best about Where Am I Eating?? The way the personal stories and first-hand accounts make the supply chain info easy to understand, and take actions of my own. What other book might you compare Where Am I Eating? to and why? His other book, Where Am I Wearing. Another excellent read on supply chain, while making it funny and personal. What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike? Didn't care for the narrator. His pronunciation was off, his voice kept getting soft and I had to adjust the sound multiple times and his inflection made some serious points sound funny. Whats the most interesting tidbit youve picked up from this book? I need to research the food certifications better. Any additional comments? I have read both of Kelsey's books now, and recommend them to anyone who will listen. They are extremely informative, but at the same time being personal and funny. It's a great way to sort through that kind of information. I believer very deeply in the issue of supply chain, and both of this books, Where Am I Wearing and Where Am I Eating, where a big help in research. Sometimes I was left with more questions, like the issue of child labor, but it was a good thing. It will help me help me keep researching. There are a lot of systematic issues in here, ones that will take countries a long time to sort through, but in the mean time, I have the ability to speak with my purchases to let them all know what's important to me. Sort of getting on a plane to meet those world leaders, this helps me make a difference at home...while I'm still booking those plane tickets.

The New Paradigm for Financial Markets Audiobook by George Soros

biacuaduc@gmail.com (George Soros) — Sat, 17 May 2008 16:15:25 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The New Paradigm for Financial Markets Subtitle: The Credit Crisis of 2008 and What It Means Author: George Soros Narrator: Grover Gardner Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 39 mins Language: English Release date: 05-17-08 Publisher: Perseus Books LLC Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 129 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: "This is a once in a lifetime moment," writes Soros in characterizing the scale of financial distress spreading across Wall Street and other financial centers around the world. In a concise essay that combines practical insight with philosophical depth, Soros makes an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the great credit crisis and its implications for our nation and the world. Critic Reviews: "[Soros]...sets out to illuminate the credit crunch through the prism of 'reflexivity'....His prognosis is grim." (Economist.com) Members Reviews: What you take away, you'll have earned. It really is striking to hear how frequently George Soros repeats himself. He must have defined his concept of "reflexivity" about one hundred times over. He can be very efficient though, when he wants to be. His telling of historical events in the markets and their cause/effect relationships was brief and clear and fantastic. I am reminded of "Rain Man". "Rain Man" could count a pile of toothpicks at a glance but, well, there were other things that he simply couldn't do well. Soros muses openly about whether or not he is taken seriously as a philosopher. If Soros is a philosopher, then "Rain Man" is a hot Latin lover. I think Soros has conveyed one good idea, (reflexivity) and then utterly milked it to death. Beyond that he reveals some of his fevered political views. It's breathtaking what an otherwise astute thinker can bring himself to believe. I think that the book does have some real value, you'll just have to wade through an awful lot to reach it. Very well Narrarated George Soros doesn't lack an ego, this is clear in all of his books. I do like to try to see things from his point of view. Reflexivity makes some sense but I am not sure it is really that new of an idea. I would rate this book average. Probably worth the listen or read but don't pick this over real theory if you are trying to learn more about economics. Sleep Aid Soros bores the reader with his ponderous self invented theory of "reflexivity" (sp) which is a pseudo-scientific mess. In vain was there a search for some insight into his investing acumen. God, this was dull. Reflexivity is not the right word! I now finally understand that George Soros, as smart as he may be, does not know how to explain himself all that well. I mean, he's been trying to explain his concept of reflexivity to the world for almost two decades. If nothing else he is persistent, I will concede. I listened to this entire book but I am still not inspired nor enlightened by Mr. Soros nor would I know how to apply the knowledge in the book. Am I just slow? Maybe, but perhaps the problem is not me but the terminology Mr. Soros has chosen to frame his reflexivity concept. That's my two cents. Brilliant but sure to be Controversial This book sets forward a framework for understanding markets, called "reflexology";. I assume that this choose of moniker is a deliberate reference to a kind of mathematical analysis that goes under the same name and is popular in Russia for understanding some game theory like situations, e.g., asymmetric combat.

Age of Discovery Audiobook by Ian Goldin, Chris Kutarna

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Ian Goldin) — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 07:17:55 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Age of Discovery Subtitle: Navigating the Risks and Rewards of Our New Renaissance Author: Ian Goldin, Chris Kutarna Narrator: Mark Meadows Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins Language: English Release date: 07-21-16 Publisher: Audible Studios for Bloomsbury Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 32 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Age of Discovery explores a world on the brink of a new Renaissance and asks: how do we share more widely the benefits of unprecedented progress? How do we endure the inevitable tumult generated by accelerating change? How do we each thrive through this tangled, uncertain time? From gains in health, education, wealth and technology to crises of conflict, disease and mass migration, the similarities between today's world and that of the 15th century are both striking and prophetic: we have been here before. So what must we do to achieve our full potential, individually and altogether, this time around? Will we repeat the glories of the Renaissance, the misery, or both? In Age of Discovery, Ian Goldin and Chris Kutarna show how we can draw courage, wisdom and inspiration from the days of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci in order to fashion our own Golden Age. Whether we're seized by Gutenberg or Zuckerberg, the discovery of the Americas or the rise of China, copperplate etchings or silicon chips, The Bonfire of the Vanities or the destructive fury of ISIS, the spread of syphilis or the Ebola pandemic, such Renaissance moments force humanity to give its best just when the stakes are at their highest. Turning the spotlight on the crises of our time, Age of Discovery shows how we can all define and create a lasting legacy that the world will still celebrate 500 years from now. Members Reviews: A monotonous text disguised as casual reading. As a university professor myself, I recognize text adapted from lectures or, worse still, a book designated as suggested as required reading for students. Thank goodness, I don't sit in Ian Golden's classes! This is quite possibly one of the driest, most boring accounts of what could otherwise be a fascinating account of global development. Important and thought-provoking book What made the experience of listening to Age of Discovery the most enjoyable? As a history buff, I downloaded this a couple days ago, even though the European Renaissance isnt usually my preferred era. I wasnt disappointed by the history, but I was wonderfully surprised by the comparative account the audiobook gives of the present day, of medical and scientific advances, technological leaps forward, and new ways of thinking. What did you like best about this story? I loved the breadth. This is one of those expansive stories that covers an incredible amount of ground. The authors cover the social, political, economic, innovative, artistic, scientific, and religious forces that drive change in a Renaissance era and do an incredible job of convincing the listener that the same kinds of forces that moved Europe in the 14th-17th century are at play today. Have you listened to any of Mark Meadowss other performances? How does this one compare? N/A Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you? My favorite line, and I wrote it down, was: "The present is not merely a repeat of the past, but neither does humanity reinvent itself with each new generation. Circumstances change, technologies change, but our deep purposes remain more stable. And that is why we can paper back into history and bring back important lessons for the present." Any additional comments? This is a cool read. A romp. It's smart.

VangoNotes for Foundations of Macroeconomics, 3/e Audiobook by Robin Bade, Michael Parkin

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Robin Bade) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:15:46 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: VangoNotes for Foundations of Macroeconomics, 3/e Author: Robin Bade, Michael Parkin Narrator: Brett Barry, Alyson Silverman Format: Original Recording Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins Language: English Release date: 09-09-11 Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from Foundations of Macroeconomics, 3/e and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook: ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Supercapitalism Audiobook by Robert B. Reich

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Robert B. Reich) — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 14:01:33 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Supercapitalism Subtitle: The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life Author: Robert B. Reich Narrator: Dick Hill Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins Language: English Release date: 09-07-07 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 158 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: At the same time, argues the former U.S. secretary of labor, Robert B. Reich, the effectiveness of democracy in America has declined. It has grown less responsive to the citizenry, and people are feeling more and more helpless as a result. In Supercapitalism, Reich discusses how capitalism has spilled over into politics, how it threatens democracy, and how citizens both benefit from and lose out because of supercapitalism. Critic Reviews: "A thought-provoking analysis....A must-read for anyone interested in the health of American democracy." (Laura Tyson, former chairman, National Economic Council) "Supercapitalism reminds us that the power of political courage grows when it is joined with clear thinking." (Bill Bradley, author of The New American Story) Members Reviews: Robert Reich for V.P. (of the U.S.) The book carefully explains the rise of and the impact of hyper-competition on business. This is not new to Reich and is probably dealt with in more detail elsewhere, but Reichs treatment is very good. He then points out that this change has emasculated some aspects of democracy. Something that Al Gore has also written about. He then says that the solution has to be better policing of the marketplace and more carful construction of the rules of law. Of course, only government can do this. Reich has had a string of really good books. This one is very good, but perhaps not quite as good as some of his others. Its important to say what he says. Its an important response to the free market mantra. And hes attempting to articulate a middle ground that doesnt involve reverting to unions and over-regulated industries or the gradual decent into lawlessness. As a political statement he may be just right. But as an intellectual statement, he fails to address the question, How do we do this. How do we get the government do a better job of protecting us from fraud and exploitation without gradually reverting to pre-Carter style regulation? Top of the Reading List Very enlightening. Should be retitled "The Mandatory Voter's Handbook." Reich's disaggregation of our inner "consumer-investor-citizen" marvelously clarifies so many social issues today. His insistence that a corporation is not an individual but a legal construct (contracts with investors) pulls the curtain away from the Wizard of Oz. The whole idea of the corporation as a "person" capable of "good corporate citizenship" masks the logical structure and purpose of companies. That's not what they are for, not what they do. They are merely assuming unto themselves the powers that should rest with our legislators. Read it and send a copy to your representatives. Narration is not stellar, but well paced, sober, and quite adequate. Disturbing Robert Reich is a Democrat, but Americans from all walks of life and perspectives will benefit by reading "Supercapitalism." In approximately the first third of the book Reich tells the story of how our economy and democracy has reached this particular juncture. In a second portion he lifts the curtain on how our competitive environment has changed. For example, he links the Viet Nam war and the dramatic increase in Japanese imports. Finally, Reich makes some disturbing points about the decline of democracy and the dangerous role that Supercapitalism plays in its decline.

The Science of Getting Rich Audiobook by Wallace D. Wattles, Mitch Horowitz

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Wallace D. Wattles) — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 18:00:52 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Science of Getting Rich Author: Wallace D. Wattles, Mitch Horowitz Narrator: Mitch Horowitz Format: Abridged Length: 50 mins Language: English Release date: 06-01-16 Publisher: Condensed Classics Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 5 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: A Special Condensation of One of the Most Radical and Effective Success Programs Ever Written This is no ordinary audiobook. You are about to encounter Wallace D. Wattles' brilliant and simple distillation of the inner path to wealth and success. Wattles, a social reformer and positive-mind pioneer, dedicated a lifetime to testing and distilling the principles of achievement espoused by the greatest minds in history. His classic, The Science of Getting Rich, is the result. In this abridgement you will quickly and efficiently discover: Abridged and introduced by PEN Award-winning historian Mitch Horowitz, here is the dramatic and eye-opening masterwork by an incredibly bold thinker who had one simple aim: to bring riches to the masses of people. The Condensed Classics Library "40 Minutes to a New You". Members Reviews: fast review easy listening, resonates with many other philosophies about alinging your vibrations and altering your polarities... enjoyable book Perfect finish to 20 years study I've been studying this way of life now for 20 years, this audio provides the perfect culmination of those works. It not only applies to money but health aswell. During my studies Rhonda Byrne came up with the film "The Secret" in which these methods are not quite going far enough, apply the principals of this audio in full and you'll get whatever you want. It's not my intention to become an author of self help I'll leave that to others, but from personal experience I know these methods work

Small Change: Why Business Won't Save the World Audiobook by Michael Edwards

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Michael Edwards) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:41:28 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Small Change: Why Business Won't Save the World Author: Michael Edwards Narrator: David Desantos Format: Unabridged Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins Language: English Release date: 09-10-10 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 2 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: A new movement is afoot that promises to save the world by applying the magic of the market to the challenges of social change. Its supporters argue that using business principles to solve global problems is far more effective than more traditional approaches. What could be wrong with that? Almost everything, argues former Ford Foundation director Michael Edwards. In this hard-hitting, controversial exposé, he marshals a wealth of evidence to reveal that in reality, a market approach hurts more than it helps. Real change will come when business acts more like civil society, not the other way around. Members Reviews: Read this now! Yes, I mean you. Michael Edwards' SMALL CHANGE is a true wake-up call for our sector, for the professionals and the donors and the boards. Michael challenges our assumptions and provokes us to think about giving and social change and social justice. Maybe social change and social justice scare you. But embrace your fear. It's time that each of us thinks deeply about who gives and why they give. It's time that each of us thinks more deeply about how to make a better world. It's way past time to welcome all donors, not just the mega philanthropists. It's way past time to question our fascination with for-profit corporations and their ways of doing business. This book is easy to read - a nice writing style. This book is quick to read. Give it as a gift to yourself. Give it as a gift to others. Invite all your board members to read it. Talk with your professional colleagues and fellow donors. This is an important book for us all. Thank you, Michael. Counterbalances philanthrocapitalism as a tool for enabling social change I stumbled upon this book after reading Michael Edwards' newest report on "The Role and Limitations of Philanthropy" published in The Bellagio Initiative (a highly recommended read). Over-all, the book presents a good counterbalancing argument to the philanthrocapitalists' camp as it raises the awareness of grassroots and citizens' collective role in identifying, driving and enabling lasting social change. Readers will benefit from taking the best arguments from both sides to have a deeper understanding of the complexities around social issues. They will also appreciate that both technical fixes (that philanthrocapitalists advocate) as well as collective grassroots action are necessary AND complementary tools in enabling lasting social change. Essential Reading I rarely write reviews but this book grabbed my attention, both because of the critical take on a much-celebrated topic, and Edwards' insider's perspective on the world he writes about. If you've read Thomas Frank'sOne Market Under God: Extreme Capitalism, Market Populism, and the End of Economic Democracy, or Boltanski and Chiapello'sThe New Spirit of Capitalism, then this book deserves a place on your shelf. Must reading for everyone in philanthropy Small Change should be required reading for every foundation board member and program officer, every major donor -- in fact, philanthropists of any description.

The Upside of Inequality Audiobook by Edward Conard

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Edward Conard) — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 15:47:46 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Upside of Inequality Subtitle: How Good Intentions Undermine the Middle Class Author: Edward Conard Narrator: Rick Adamson Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins Language: English Release date: 09-13-16 Publisher: Penguin Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 41 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: From the New York Times best-selling author of Unintended Consequences comes another bold and contrarian book by the man who famously defended capitalism and the 1 percent at the height of the Occupy movement. Conventional wisdom says income inequality is rising and harmful to nearly everyone, and the rich are to blame. But as Ed Conard shows, anyone who can produce a product valued by the entire economy will find his or her income growing faster than those who are limited by the number of customers they can serve, such as schoolteachers, plumbers, doctors, and lawyers. Consider Taylor Swift, the current queen of pop, who made $64 million in 2014. She earns more because her audience is huge, not because she takes anything away from the tens of millions of fans who happily pay for all those concert tickets, iTunes downloads, and souvenir T-shirts. Her ability to generate value can scale with the economy. The same is true for others who improve the lives of millions, like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook. The growing success of innovators doesn't hurt the rest of the workforce. In fact the opposite is true: Their success increases the demand for our middle- and working-class labor. Challenging the arguments of liberal economists like Paul Krugman and Joseph Stiglitz, Conard reveals the truth about the income inequality panic. And by drawing on a historical study of the ebbs and flows of our economy, he proposes ways to grow the economy faster, which will benefit everyone on the income spectrum. Members Reviews: Something isn't right here. Although you might be richer than me, you might be smarter than me, and you likely drive a better car than me, I'm not going to just swallow your redistribution is bad diarrhea, not feeling you. Now I'm only part way through this audiobook which perhaps I wouldn't have purchased if I knew how Republican it would be. But as of yet your notion that Germany is worse off than the USA etc. seems to be bullshit because they have universal health care and the only reason we have health care at all in the USA right now is because of Obamacare. Even if Germans earn less etc. if they have universal health coverage they are essentially earning more and so far your book ignores that. Will you mention it? Well you knew Mitt Romney so I'm guessing not. https://freedocumentaries.org/documentary/sicko#watch-film

Monetarism and Supply Side Economics Audiobook by Arjo Klamer, Alan Reynolds

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Arjo Klamer) — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 21:15:58 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Monetarism and Supply Side Economics Subtitle: Free Market Thought in the Late 20th Century Author: Arjo Klamer, Alan Reynolds Narrator: Louis Rukeyser Format: Unabridged Length: 2 hrs and 45 mins Language: English Release date: 07-14-06 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 54 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Alan Reynolds: Supply Side Economics, another modern branch of free market economics, emphasizes the harmful role of impediments to production (such as taxes). Robert A. Mundell is often considered the father of this modern school of economic thought. Supply side economics advocates government policies that would stimulate increased overall economic production, rather than to redistribute existing production. Members Reviews: Author did not take sides as what works. A light review of what economic model worked at different times. Not convincing because author is not taking sides. Simple and concise If you could sum up Monetarism and Supply Side Economics in three words, what would they be? Great 101 on learning monetary economics. It is filled with great references to push me to the next level - names, books and events that evolved this course of economic theory. Thanks for renewing my ambition to go the next level of correct economic thought. May Keynesian rest in peace!

Why Growth Matters Audiobook by Jagdish Bhagwati, Arvind Panagariya

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jagdish Bhagwati) — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 04:00:15 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Why Growth Matters Subtitle: How Economic Growth in India Reduced Poverty and the Lessons for Other Developing Countries Author: Jagdish Bhagwati, Arvind Panagariya Narrator: Manish Dongardive Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins Language: English Release date: 08-23-13 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 17 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In its history since Independence, India has seen widely different economic experiments: from Jawharlal Nehru's pragmatism to the rigid state socialism of Indira Gandhi to the brisk liberalization of the 1990s. So which strategy best addresses India's, and by extension the world's, greatest moral challenge: lifting a great number of extremely poor people out of poverty? Bhagwati and Panagariya argue forcefully that only one strategy will help the poor to any significant effect: economic growth, led by markets overseen and encouraged by liberal state policies. Their radical message has huge consequences for economists, development NGOs and anti-poverty campaigners worldwide. There are vital lessons here not only for Southeast Asia, but for Africa, Eastern Europe, and anyone who cares that the effort to eradicate poverty is more than just good intentions. If you want it to work, you need growth. With all that implies. Members Reviews: Narrated like a children's story tale What would have made Why Growth Matters better? Could someone please tell Manish that this is a book is about the economic past and the future outlook of India. It is NOT a Harry Potter book. And what is with the Indo-American accent? I couldn't get past the 2nd chapter. Definitely not worth the $ insightful and myth busting! Narration was flawless, except one instance where tilted was read as titled (;) damn the puritan in me). clarity of narration was good, and of course hours well spent on this eye opening book. Amateurish narration What would have made Why Growth Matters better? A good analysis of the economic problems facing India, but unfortunately almost impossible to listen to due to the poor narration! The performer mispronounces words and reads in a tone more suitable to a bad adventure novel than to academic argument. An unfortunate choice by the publisher, given the prominence of the author.

Tragedy of the Commons Audiobook by iMinds

biacuaduc@gmail.com (iMinds) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:14:16 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Tragedy of the Commons Subtitle: Ideas & Concepts Author: iMinds Narrator: Luca James Lee Format: Unabridged Length: 7 mins Language: English Release date: 09-11-09 Publisher: iMinds Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Learn about the Tragedy of the Commons with iMinds insightful audio knowledge series.The Tragedy of the Commons is a situation in which a jointly-owned resource is overused or destroyed because each person takes more than they would if the resource was privately owned. With each individual acting independently, the combined pressure on the resource exceeds what is in the interests of the community as a whole. The term was coined in 1967 by Garrett Hardin, a biologist from the University of California, in a famous article in the journal Science. According to Hardin, there are some kinds of problems which society cannot resolve through technology, but which instead require a wholesale change in morality and behavior - what we might now call a cultural shift. Hardin used the example of global population growth, which he felt would eventually threaten our ability to survive as a species by placing too much pressure on the environment. Regardless of how advanced our technologies become, unrestrained population growth will ultimately result in widespread shortages of basic economic resources like land and water. Hardins insight has since been applied to many kinds of environmental problems, including over-fishing, over-irrigation, and pollution. Perfect to listen to while commuting, exercising, shopping or cleaning the house.. iMinds brings knowledge to your MP3 with 8 minute information segments to whet your mental appetite and broaden your mind. iMinds offers 12 main categories; become a Generalist by increasing your knowledge of Business, Politics, People, History, Pop Culture, Mystery, Crime, Culture, Religion, Concepts, Science and Sport. Clean and concise, crisp and engaging, discover what you never knew you were missing. iMinds is the knowledge solution for the information age cutting through the white noise to give you quick, accurate knowledge .. Perfect your dinner party conversation, impress your boss - an excellent way to discover topics of interest for the future. Editorial Reviews: A busy person who seeks a broader cultural literacy would do well to check out iMinds series of ultra-short introductions to some of the scientific and historical issues all informed citizens should know. At under 10 minutes each, iMinds audiobooks are perfect for a commute or a walk on the treadmill. In this instalment, narrator Luca James Lee dives into "The Tragedy of the Commons", a celebrated theory by economist Garrett Hardin. Using the problem of overgrazing livestock and unchecked human population growth, Hardin asked what problems could not be solved by technology and could only be solved by the much trickier task of moral and civic change. At once a mind-bender and an astute analysis, "The Tragedy of the Commons" is an irrefutably important idea. Critic Reviews: "I'm learning all sorts of stuff about stuff I didn't even know I didn't know. And it sticks. In a nutshell: wonderful." (Jonathon Margolis, Financial Times) Members Reviews: Met expectations for the price This is the first "iMinds" publication I've purchased. In terms of providing a high level, general overview of the subject matter, it did indeed do that.

Sold Out Audiobook by Michelle Malkin, John Miano

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Michelle Malkin) — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 17:47:33 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Sold Out Subtitle: How High-Tech Billionaires & Bipartisan Beltway Crapweasels Are Screwing America's Best & Brightest Workers Author: Michelle Malkin, John Miano Narrator: Juliet St. John, Michelle Malkin - introduction Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins Language: English Release date: 11-10-15 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 73 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: The number-one New York Times best-selling author and firebrand syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin sets her sights on the corrupt businessmen, politicians, and lobbyists flooding our borders and selling out America's best and brightest workers. In Sold Out, Michelle Malkin and John Miano reveal the worst perpetrators screwing America's high-skilled workers, how and why they're doing it - and what we must do to stop them. In this audiobook, they will name names and expose the lies of those who pretend to champion the middle class while aiding and abetting massive layoffs of highly skilled American workers in favor of cheap foreign labor. Malkin and Miano will explode some of the most commonly told myths spread in the media, like these: Lie #1: America is suffering from an apocalyptic "shortage" of science, technology, engineering, and math workers. Lie #2: US companies cannot function without an unlimited injection of the most "highly skilled" and "highly educated" foreign workers, who offer intellectual capital and entrepreneurial energy that American workers can't match. Lie #3: America's best and brightest talents are protected because employers are required to demonstrate that they've made every effort to hire American citizens before resorting to foreign labor. For too long, open-borders tech billionaires and their political enablers have escaped tough public scrutiny of their means and motives. Sold Out is an indictment of not only political corruption in Washington but also the journalistic malpractice that enables it. It's time to trade the whitewash for solvent. American workers deserve better, and the public deserves the unvarnished truth. Members Reviews: Detailed information about immigration Well written and fully documented. unfortunately this information leaves the reader depressed because of the truthfulness and the lack of Government action. I have personnally witnessed and been impacted by the immigration issues discussed in this book and it is getting worse every year. great read, good and awakening. I loved her book I currently work security for DHS. I have first hand at immigration. now I feel better informed I feel the American political establishment has worked very few days in the real world and most have degrees in law....they need to see what the real educated worker goes through when faced with the decision of allowing so many H1B employees. Information plus! Interesting and enlightens story of reality.....lets both sides republican and democratic scoundrels be exposed. Tell the tale of corruption in the entire program and takes to task the present money grubbing "entrap ensures the world looks up to. Explains the whys and wherefore of the deceit of the business world at present. Amazing facts there was so many hardcore facts in this book an entire another book could have been written must read for anyone

The Case for Gold Audiobook by Lewis Lehrman, Ron Paul

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Lewis Lehrman) — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 17:52:02 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Case for Gold Author: Lewis Lehrman, Ron Paul Narrator: Jim Vann Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins Language: English Release date: 06-30-17 Publisher: Ludwig von Mises Institute Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In 1982, Ron Paul served on the US Gold Commission to evaluate the role of gold in the monetary system. In fact, the Commission was his idea. It was carrying forth a promise made in the Republican platform. Ron couldn't pick the members, so from the beginning, the deck was stacked. The majority was dominated by monetarists, who saw gold as too scarce and paper as just fine. Ron Paul's team was ready, however, with this marvelous minority report. Rarely has a dissent on a government commission done so much good! The result was The Case for Gold, and it was the greatest result of the commission. It covers the history of gold in the United States, explains that its breakdown was caused by governments, and explains the merit of having sound money: prices reflect market realities, government stays in check, and the people retain their freedom. The scholarship and rigor impressed even the critics of the minority. Ron and Lewis Lehrman worked with a team of economists that included Murray Rothbard, so it is hardly surprising that such a book would result. It still holds up as an excellent blueprint for moving beyond paper money and into the age of sound money. In particular, Ron favors complete monetary freedom to use any commodity as money, to make contracts in any money, and an end to the monopolization and printing power of the Federal Reserve. There is a strong piece of history in this book. Not since the 19th century has a political figure made such a sweeping and devastating case for radical monetary reform. This congressman ran circles around even the experts at the Fed. A dazzling performance indeed, and an inspiring and learned book. Members Reviews: Ron Paul nails it..... Ron Paul talks about our current monetary crisis and gives you a very in depth history of money and banking in the United States. Good read for anyone looking to understand why we need sound money and how to do it without bringing down the system.

Selling America Short Audiobook by Richard C. Sauer

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Richard C. Sauer) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 22:41:42 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Selling America Short Subtitle: The SEC and Market Contrarians in the Age of Absurdity Author: Richard C. Sauer Narrator: Ken Kliban Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins Language: English Release date: 12-10-10 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 19 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: system and the agencies who attempt to control it. During his dozen years as an SEC attorney, author Richard Sauer opened and supervised some of its most notable financial cases-investigations that took him to a dozen countries and returned hundreds of millions of dollars to American investors. While a partner at a major law firm and, later, a hedge fund manager, he saw firsthand the follies and failures of our system. Now, in Selling America Short, he shares his extraordinary experiences with you. Selling America Short is a gripping chronicle of crooked companies, financial philanderers and hapless enforcers told through the eyes of personal experience. Page by page, it shows the damage wrought by the deep biases and lack of worldly experience common among those who hold the reins of our capital markets. With the capital markets in turmoil, people are fascinated with what is happening on Wall Street. This book provides a unique look at the forces and events that led directly to financial tragedy and continue to wreak havoc. Members Reviews: A standout -- informative AND entertaining For those who fancy tales of corporate fraud, dodgy accounting, international permutations of same, PR manipulators, foibles of regulators, weird judges, and such, this one goes to the top of the stack. The author, though an attorney, has a light nimble step of intelligence, great nimbleness and ease with words, ready humor, and is a great explainer of fairly complex things in plain English with relentless puckishness. I found myself smiling incessantly, and repeatedly laughing out loud. The reader was well-cast, matching his effervescently amused tone with the content. Being in legal and teaching fields, I admire this presentation and content. Very detailed analysis of the financial system This book was great if you are an investment banker or securities attorney. I guess if you are a sophisticated investor it would also be of interest. Sauer gives a good explanation of short-selling hedge funds and gives the best defense of short sellers that I have ever heard: that short sellers create a self-regulating environment for the markets. I was always curious about what exactly happened with Overstock and the CEO's crusade against short sellers. This book went into extraordinary detail on the whole affair. It also gave me insight as to the realities of an investigation by the SEC and the internal processes and politics that occur in the SEC. I thought this book was exciting and intellectually engaging. Usually I listen to books at 1.5-2.0 speed. This book was way too complicated to do that. That's not to say that it wasn't well-written. Sauer explains complicated ideas in a relatively simple and readable format, but it's not a light read. Inconclusive and Misnamed There isn't really anything wrong with this book, but you can probably find a better use for your credit. Contrary to the title, short selling and market contrarians play a minor role in the book. Most of it is about the author's time as an SEC enforcement attorney, and the main problem with that is that the investigations this guy participated in are still going on, with no end in sight and no relevance to most of us. It was more appalled at the ineffectiveness of the SEC than excited at a whodunit story.

The Vision of Leon Walras Audiobook by Donald Walker

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Donald Walker) — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 14:58:05 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Vision of Leon Walras Author: Donald Walker Narrator: Louis Rukeyser Format: Unabridged Length: 2 hrs and 50 mins Language: English Release date: 06-26-06 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 11 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Leon Walras (1834-1910) transformed economics from a literary discipline into a mathematical, deterministic science. For the first time, Walras expressed rigorously the view that all markets are related, and that their relationships can be described and analyzed mathematically. These interrelated markets tend toward a "general equilibrium" position, undergoing a constant interactive adjustment process that Walras called a "tatonnement". This conception of economics led to important new insights about the stability of markets and about the capitalist economic system. A follower of Walras, Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923), viewed economics as part of the broader science of sociology, extending Walrasian analysis to say that society at large is an equilibrium system. This view profoundly influenced the modern course of the "social sciences", in which quantitative techniques have become standard analytical tools. Many later scholars have been awarded the Nobel Prize for developing the Walrasian analysis of capitalism. © and (P)1988 Knowledge Products, Inc. Members Reviews: The French connection. Is economics a science like physics and astronomy? Yes and no, answered Leon Walras. The nuances of this outlook are presented splendidly in "The Vision of Leon Walras," written by Prof. Donald Walker and narrated by Louis Rukeyser. Walras (1834-1910) was inspired to mathematize economics, thereby becoming the father of modern input/output analysis, by his father, Auguste. Yet Leon Walras had a second "father" named Auguste - the sociologist Auguste Comte. Dr. Walker only mentions Comte's influence on Vilfredo Pareto (who succeeded to Walras's chair at the University of Lausanne) yet the similarities between Comte's Positivism and Walras's general-equilibrium analysis are impossible to miss for any historian of French thought. Describing the interrelationships of markets and market participants were Walras's greatest achievements. Positivism is largely about identifying and examining relationships between things (not their ultimate causes, as preoccupies metaphysicians and theologians). Walras equated economic equilibrium with order and proportion under conditions of free competition and exchange. This, along with his sentiment that general-equilibrium analysis predicts the direction of change, shows clearly that Walras was swimming in the canal dug by Comte's "anticipatory conservatism" (a phrase used by Prof. Gertrud Lenzer in her introduction to "Auguste Comte and Positivism, The Essential Writings"). Walras's position on monetary policy could have been ripped right from Comte's "System of Positive Philosophy" - "It is impossible to have a reorganization of policy without a prior scientific preparation." Some negative effects flow from Walras's economics (like Comte's math friendly sociology) not because of what he literally said or wrote but, as fate would have it, from the direction in which the doctrines point. His theory of perfect competition has lead to tunnel vision by government regulators of today who only see price competition.

The Federal Reserve Conspiracy Audiobook by Antony C. Sutton

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Antony C. Sutton) — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 03:46:44 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Federal Reserve Conspiracy Author: Antony C. Sutton Narrator: Andrew Heyl Format: Unabridged Length: 2 hrs and 32 mins Language: English Release date: 12-22-14 Publisher: Dauphin Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 65 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Another fine and extremely well researched work by Antony C. Sutton. An expose' of the people and forces behind the takeover of the US economy by the Federal Reserve system, on behalf of the oligarchs. A must for anyone interested in the inner workings of US politics and economics, and the concealed reasons for current events. This is the first audiobook that details hour by hour the events that led up to passage of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 - and the many decades of work and secret planning that private bankers had invested to obtain their money monopoly. Members Reviews: Fascinating history of the Fed's origins This book gives a very well-researched review of the Federal Reserve's origins. The facts presented here are crucial to understanding the politics and economy of the United States. That said, the book is too terse, seeming in retrospect more like a glorified essay than anything else. The narration tends to be dry and rather mechanical, though not painfully so. I would like to have seen more material on the history of the Fed subsequent to its establishment, but, alas, this book does not provide it. Despite its brevity, I definitely urge anyone who has not done so already to give this book a listen. A Classic The author manages to speak truth to power in a careful, measured tone. Thank you Audible, for allowing us access to this work. It may be a generation old, but the story is still timely and relevant. A clear, concise summary of how powerful bankers have taken control. Understanding what the Federal Reserve is and does Loved it, knowledge is power. Understanding how,why and by whom created the Federal Reserve Bank change your interpetation on the world this work will change your point of view on history and how you interpet today's news. most importantly, it will help you understand the future. arm yourself with understanding, removing the filters of misdirection. Don't waste your time Content was so so, but what really makes this terrible is the way it is read.

Shaky Ground Audiobook by Bethany McLean

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Bethany McLean) — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:55:29 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Shaky Ground Subtitle: The Strange Saga of the US Mortgage Giants Author: Bethany McLean Narrator: Gabra Zackman Format: Unabridged Length: 3 hrs and 33 mins Language: English Release date: 09-14-15 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 75 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were created by Congress to serve the American dream of homeownership. By the end of the century, they had become extremely profitable and powerful companies, instrumental in putting millions of Americans in their homes. So why does the government now want them dead? In 2008 the US Treasury put Fannie and Freddie into a life-support state known as "conservatorship" to prevent their failure - and worldwide economic chaos. The two companies, which were always controversial, have become a battleground. Today, Fannie and Freddie are profitable again but still in conservatorship. Their profits are being redirected toward reducing the federal deficit, which leaves them with no buffer should they suffer losses again. China and Japan are big owners of Fannie and Freddie securities, and they want to ensure the safety of their investments - which helps explain why the government is at an impasse about what to do. But the current state of limbo is unsustainable. Based on comprehensive reporting and dozens of interviews, Shaky Ground chronicles the story of Fannie and Freddie seven years after the meltdown and tells us why homeownership finance is now one of the biggest unsolved issues in today's global economy. Cover design by Strick&Williams Members Reviews: Details on the Culture and History of the GSEs The female narrator is very good, the narrator speaks in a voice similar to the actual Bethany McLean. Why cant we get more female narrators? The content is sharp and new. I have read many books on the financial crisis, but nothing with this much detail on the GSEs. Guess what, there is a crime story here. The government took 80% of the equity but is acting like the government took 100% of the equity.This will likely head to the supreme court and will be a significant trial. Ichan, Ackman, and Fariholme versus the Government. We shall see. Most educational book of the year! Very informative & educational on Fanniegate! Thank you Bethany for writing a book on a such a complex subject.

Why Not Socialism? Audiobook by G. A. Cohen

biacuaduc@gmail.com (G. A. Cohen) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:06:29 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Why Not Socialism? Author: G. A. Cohen Narrator: John Lescault Format: Unabridged Length: 1 hr and 8 mins Language: English Release date: 07-15-10 Publisher: University Press Audiobooks Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 52 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Is socialism desirable? Is it even possible? In this concise book, one of the world's leading political philosophers presents with clarity and wit a compelling moral case for socialism and argues that the obstacles in its way are exaggerated. There are times, G. A. Cohen notes, when we all behave like socialists. On a camping trip, for example, campers wouldn't dream of charging each other to use a soccer ball or for fish that they happened to catch. Campers do not give merely to get, but relate to each other in a spirit of equality and community. Would such socialist norms be desirable across society as a whole? Why not? Whole societies may differ from camping trips, but it is still attractive when people treat each other with the equal regard that such trips exhibit. But however desirable it may be, many claim that socialism is impossible. Cohen writes that the biggest obstacle to socialism isn't, as often argued, intractable human selfishness - it's rather the lack of obvious means to harness the human generosity that is there. Lacking those means, we rely on the market. But there are many ways of confining the sway of the market: there are desirable changes that can move us toward a socialist society in which, to quote Albert Einstein, humanity has "overcome and advanced beyond the predatory stage of human development." The book is published by Princeton University Press. Critic Reviews: "[B]rilliantly captures the essence of the socialist ethical complaint against market society. Why Not Socialism? is a very timely book." (Hillel Steiner, University of Manchester) "The positive argument of his book is impressive, and there is a rather disarming combination of simplicity of presentation and example with a deep intellectual engagement with the issues. It is very clear that there is an analytically powerful mind at work here." (Jonathan Wolff, author of Why Read Marx Today?) Members Reviews: Not compelling, but OK I was a little disappointed at how narrow the scope of the argumentation were. Although I think he made many good points, I felt it was also filled with holes that I never found to be fully addressed. The biggest of these was equating small group interactions with grand scale economies. alright narration wasnt the best but the information and arguments are good. worth the price atleast. Smart-sounding category errors Lots of dense highbrow language tightly knit together in an attempt to apply a perfect system to a flawed world, and make apples-to-oranges comparisons. Socialism is no camping trip; although it has produced camps. Bad ideals... even worse delivery. Narration was good. Proved large scale failure of socialism. Provided no new ideals of worth. Left open all the known holes of socialism and didn't come close to answering the title of the book. Just the ramblings of the author on his opinions of why socialism is the most "moral" choice for society. Acknowledging that it is infeasible while still promoting the effort and teaching the flawed ideals to our college students. Only buy this book if you want to reaffirm your ideas on the fallacies of socialism. Not Cohen's Best Is there anything you would change about this book? It should have been longer or more in depth. It doesn't show Cohen at his best Any additional comments? This really is a short introduction and scratches the surface of Cohen's philosophy.

The Great Divergence Audiobook by Timothy Noah

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Timothy Noah) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 02:53:10 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Great Divergence Subtitle: America's Growing Inequality Crisis and What We Can Do about It Author: Timothy Noah Narrator: John Allen Nelson Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins Language: English Release date: 03-11-13 Publisher: Audible Studios for Bloomsbury Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 10 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: For the past three decades, America has steadily become a nation of haves and have-nots. Our incomes are increasingly unequal. This steady growing apart is often mentioned as a troubling indicator by scholars and policy analysts, though seldom addressed by politicians. What economics Nobelist Paul Krugman terms "the Great Divergence" has till now been treated as little more than a talking point, a rhetorical club to be wielded in ideological battles. But this Great Divergence may be the most important change in this country during our lifetimes - a drastic, elemental change in the character of American society, and not at all for the better. The inequality gap is much more than a left-right hot potato - its causes and consequences call for a patient, non-partisan exploration. Timothy Noah's The Great Divergence, based on his award-winning series of articles for Slate, surveys the roots of the wealth gap, drawing on the best thinking of contemporary economists and political scientists. Noah also explores potential solutions to the problem, and explores why the growing rich-poor divide has sparked remarkably little public anger, in contrast to social unrest that prevailed before the New Deal. The Great Divergence was one of the most talked-about books of 2012, a jump-start to the national conversation about the shape of American society in the 21st century, and a work that will help frame the debate in a Presidential election year. Members Reviews: A nicely paced examination of economic inequality's origins and future in America. I think this book provides a good precursor to 2014's "Capital" by Pikkety (same academic rigor, but with less technocratic financial speak). It passionately supports action to change current trends by providing useful and easily understood historic and current economic data. An enjoyable, if disturbing, portrait of a looming economic crisis. **Worth while read** but quite dense with numbers and facts at times Good book with lots of supporting information. Can be quite a bit like reading an economics treatise at sometimes. The last chapter about solutions is not as well developed as the rest of the book. However, overall a good read for understanding the underlying basics of income distribution over the past 70 years. The Answer This book explains what is happening to the wealth distribution in our country, and why so many people still are under the false impression that they are doing well, when in fact the propaganda that is being spread and the ineptitude of our political system continues to exacerbate this myth. A must read. Lets hope that the light will shine through soon and a peaceful change can occur without the trauma that has engulfed other countries. Perfect ! Very informative. Needed as a text book for english 102 and they way he writes makes it easy for someone who knows nothing about politics to fully understand what is going on (income inequality). Love it so far Still in the process in reading this one, but all the chapters I have read (1-4) are very informative and well-researched. Love it so far, can't wait to learn more.

The Innovation Illusion Audiobook by Fredrik Erixon, Bjorn Weigel

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Fredrik Erixon) — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 20:41:21 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Innovation Illusion Subtitle: How So Little Is Created by So Many Working So Hard Author: Fredrik Erixon, Bjorn Weigel Narrator: Adam Verner Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins Language: English Release date: 12-20-17 Publisher: Vibrance Press Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Timely, compelling, and certain to be controversial - a deeply researched study that reveals how companies and policymakers are hindering innovation-led growth Conventional wisdom holds that Western economies are on the threshold of fast-and-furious technological development. Fredrik Erixon and Bjorn Weigel refute this idea, bringing together a vast array of data and case studies to tell a very different story. With expertise spanning academia and the business world, Erixon and Weigel illustrate how innovation is being hampered by existing government regulations and corporate practices. Capitalism, they argue, has lost its mojo. Assessing the experiences of global companies, including Nokia, Uber, IBM, and Apple, the authors explore three key themes: declining economic dynamism in Western economies; growing corporate reluctance to contest markets and innovate; and excessive regulation limiting the diffusion of innovation. At a time of low growth, high unemployment, and increasing income inequality, innovation-led growth is more necessary than ever. This book unequivocally details the obstacles hindering our future prosperity. Members Reviews: The Middle Age of Sclerotic Capitalism? Authors Fredrik Erixon and Björn Weigel explore the question of why capitalism has become so sclerotic. In the mid 1990âs, capitalism triumphed. Milton Friedmanâs free market doctrines spread. Socialist governments in Europe and Latin America. tumbled and privatization prevailed. The Communist empires either dissolved, as in the Soviet Union, or morphed into something so close to capitalism as to be practically indistinguishable from it, as in China and Vietnam. And now here we are twenty years later and capitalism is seemingly teetering along a decade after the Financial Collapse of 2008 nearly killed it. Has capitalism defeated itself? Erixon and Wiegel portray capitalism as having become complacent and risk-averse, as many human beings become after reaching prosperous middle age: ====== If ever there was a cathedral of capitalism, the painted ceiling would now be more likely to picture someone who is gray-haired, worldly, and efficient, content and anxious at the same time, especially about their own health. Divorced from past aspirations, drifting away from the pursuits of younger generations, this is a capitalism that is planning for those long, dull and monotonous yearsâassociated with middle age.âcapitalism no longer carries many promises of human development and improved economic expectations. Its future feels cloisteredâ.It no longer champions that go-getting spirit and optimism about the future that defined its past. The economy instead weakens the conditions for economic experimentation and entrepreneurs to contest markets. In such an economy, expectations about fast and furious innovation are, at best, illusions. At worst they cause a political reaction that reinforces the barriers to a dynamic economy. ====== That certainly describes the way many feel about capitalism, especially those over 50 who remember the days when capitalism in the USA and Europe came with the certainty of being able to support oneself through gainful employment. ===== Western capitalism is not in good health.

Dictators Without Borders Audiobook by Alexander A. Cooley, John Heathershaw

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Alexander A. Cooley) — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 01:15:05 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Dictators Without Borders Subtitle: Power and Money in Central Asia Author: Alexander A. Cooley, John Heathershaw Narrator: Jonathan Yen Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins Language: English Release date: 03-21-17 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 5 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Weak, corrupt, and politically unstable, the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are dismissed as isolated and irrelevant to the outside world. But are they? This hard-hitting book argues that Central Asia is in reality a globalization leader with more extensive involvement in economics, politics, and security dynamics beyond its borders than any other world region. Yet Central Asia's international activities are mostly hidden from view, with disturbing implications for world security. Based on years of research and involvement in the region, Alexander Cooley and John Heathershaw reveal how business networks, elite bank accounts, overseas courts, third-party brokers, and Western lawyers connect Central Asia's supposedly isolated leaders with global power centers. The authors also uncover widespread Western participation in money laundering, bribery, foreign lobbying by autocratic governments, and the exploiting of legal loopholes within Central Asia. Riveting and important, this book exposes the global connections of a troubled region that must no longer be ignored. Critic Reviews: "Insightful and topical - a comprehensive take on a neglected region." (Edward Lucas, senior editor, The Economist)) Members Reviews: Fascinating book about power and corruption. After reading this book, I am not sure who is worse. The dictators and cronies of these Central Asian countries, or those in the Western countries, who are more than willing to help them get rich as they become more despotic? Cooley notes that in these Central Asian countries, Crony Capitalism is the only game in town. As the regimes get more powerful, it seems that the businesses in these countries must try to get more politically connected in order to survive. We see this to a certain extent in the United States as well. No wonder so many young people in the West are becoming disenchanted with capitalism. Another great book about this subject is titled "Crapitalism". I also found it very interesting how these regimes abuse Interpol and the Red Notice system in order to punish their political opponents. A couple weeks ago, when Kim Jong Un had his half-brother killed in Malaysia it seemed to dominate the headlines for a week. That kind of thing is par for the course in Central Asia and we never hear about it! I found the stories about exiled political opponents fascinating and also a little depressing. Some of these opposition groups might be the only hope of moderating these countries, had they not been hunted down and often killed. The story of Ablyazov of Kazakhstan reminded me of Andy Dufresne in the Shawshank Redemption.

The Great Stagnation Audiobook by Tyler Cowen

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Tyler Cowen) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 02:01:21 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Great Stagnation Subtitle: How America Ate All the Low-Hanging Fruit of Modern History, Got Sick, and Will (Eventually) Feel Better Author: Tyler Cowen Narrator: Paul Boehmer Format: Unabridged Length: 2 hrs and 14 mins Language: English Release date: 06-30-11 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 79 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: America has been through the biggest financial crisis since the great Depression, unemployment numbers are frightening, median wages have been flat since the 1970s, and it is common to expect that things will get worse before they get better. Certainly, the multi-decade stagnation is not yet over. How will we get out of this mess? One political party tries to increase government spending even when we have no good plan for paying for ballooning programs like Medicare and Social Security. The other party seems to think tax cuts will raise revenue and has a record of creating bigger fiscal disasters than the first. Where does this madness come from? As Cowen argues, our economy has enjoyed low-hanging fruit since the 17th century: free land, immigrant labor, and powerful new technologies. But during the last 40 years, the low-hanging fruit started disappearing, and we started pretending it was still there. We have failed to recognize that we are at a technological plateau. The fruit trees are barer than we want to believe. That's it. That is what has gone wrong, and that is why our politics are crazy. Cowen reveals the underlying causes of our past prosperity and how we will generate it again. This is a passionate call for a new respect for scientific innovations that benefit not only the powerful elites, but humanity as a whole. Critic Reviews: "As Cowen makes clear, many of this era's technological breakthroughs produce enormous happiness gains, but surprisingly little economic activity." (David Brooks, The New York Times) "Cowen's book...will have a profound impact on the way people think about the last thirty years." (Economist.com) "One of the most talked-about books among economists right now." (Renee Montagne, Morning Edition, NPR) Members Reviews: A nice fast thought-provoking walk-through Not much here was a huge revelation for me, but it helped me to organize my thoughts on how we got here, where we are, and where we need to aim, as an economy and as a culture. The amazon book reviews provide plenty of detail. The brevity really works. I read SO many books I wish were edited down to this length. I'm willing to pay more per hour for that kind of professionalism! More people need to internalize this! This is an important message that more people should understand. We are in an era without the low hanging fruit of times past. Excellent book!

Peers Inc Audiobook by Robin Chase

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Robin Chase) — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 08:44:12 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Peers Inc Subtitle: How People and Platforms Are Inventing the Collaborative Economy and Reinventing Capitalism Author: Robin Chase Narrator: Dina Pearlman Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins Language: English Release date: 06-09-15 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 62 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: When Robin Chase cofounded Zipcar, she not only started a business but established the foundation for one of the most important economic and social ideas of our time: the collaborative economy. With this important audiobook, she broadens our thinking about the ways in which the economy is being transformed and shows how the Peers Inc model is changing the very nature of capitalism. When the best of people power is combined with the best of corporate power to form "Peers Inc" organizations, a potent creative force is released. The "Inc" in these collaborations delivers the industrial strengths of significant scale and resources, and the "Peers" bring together the individual strengths of localization, specialization, and customization, unlocking the power of the collaborative economy. When excess capacity is harnessed by the platform and diverse peers participate, a completely new dynamic is unleashed. In Peers Inc, Robin Chase brings her provocative insights to work, business, the economy, and the environment, showing: Members Reviews: a deep look into this new economic model Robin Chase does a good job of going deep into what makes these new economic models work. She lays it out from the platforms to the players to the customers. Narration is super. this book by Robin Chase as AMAZING this book by Robin Chase as AMAZING this book by Robin Chase as AMAZING this book by Robin Chase as AMAZING spot on! Chase provides an excellent roadmap Great book! Includes some of the most important tech trends and explains clearly and persuasively how they are building a new collaborative economy that has the potential to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Robin Chase for president! I would have given 6 stars if it were possible! Insightful, inspiring. A must read for anyone interested in economics, entrepreneurship or climate change. How will we cope with 9 billion people on the earth's surface? Robin paints an inspiring answer.

The Undercover Economist Audiobook by Tim Harford

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Tim Harford) — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:43:19 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Undercover Economist Author: Tim Harford Narrator: Cameron Stewart Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins Language: English Release date: 09-05-07 Publisher: Hachette Audio UK Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 77 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Ever wondered why the gap between rich and poor nations is so great, or why it's so difficult getting a foot on the property ladder, or how to outwit Starbucks? This audiobook offers the hidden story behind these and other questions, as economist Tim Harford reveals how supermarkets, airlines, and coffee chains, to name just a few, are vacuuming money from our wallets. Written with a light, humorous touch but backed up by the latest economic research, this eye-opening book exposes the forces that shape our day-to-day lives, often without our knowing it. ©2006 Tim Harford; (P)2007 Hachette Audio Critic Reviews: "A playful guide to the economics of everyday life, and as such is something of an elder sibling to Steven Levitt's wild child, the hugely successful Freakonomics." (The Economist) "This is a book to savor." (The New York Times) Members Reviews: Down to earth economics Why is coffee so expensive on train stations? Which type of illegal activity gives the best profit? What are the benefits and the downsides of free markets? Is natinal health insurance good or bad? Should you feel bad when purchasing products made in countries where workers do not enjoy the same rights as in your own country? In The Undercover Economist Tim Harford deals with these as well as other economic issues that we encounter on a daily basis, often without being aware of it. The book is generally easy to understand and have a subtle humorous tone which keeps you engaged. Like almost all economist (that I have encountered anyway), Harford favors a more or less free market. Whether this should be seen as a bias or if this is because free markets are intrinsically good is a question I cannot answer. In any case the book is definitely pro free market which may be a dealbreaker for some potential readers. Harford begins by introducing the concept of scarcity power. He claims that the scarcity of a product or any type of asset will determine the price of that asset. In the case of a coffee stand on a busy London train station the price can get very high indeed which ultimately results in high coffee prices. In my mind scarcity is simply part of the supply and demand equation. If the supply is very small, and demand very high prices will be high. Perhaps there is something I do not understand... Harford moves on to discuss the implications of this principle in the society. For instance, if you own a maffia, one of the most lucrative paths to take is to start a legit business and then threaten competition to increase scarcity power (reduce supply). With the competition gone you can charge what you want and make a nice profit. One of the most interesting things I learned from this book was that sales, rebates, special prizes for students and seniors, class seating on trains and airplanes etc, are often just ways for a business to charge customers as much as they are willing to pay for any particular product. A coffee stand may earn a profit by selling coffee quite cheap but would of course like people with a lot of money to pay as much as possible. To get rich people to pay allot while not scaring off poor people or students you can offer large cups or alternative types of coffee such as coffee mocha coco bozo with cream, ice cream etc etc.

Infiltrated Audiobook by Jay W. Richards

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jay W. Richards) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 08:38:23 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Infiltrated Subtitle: How to Stop the Insiders and Activists Who Are Exploiting the Financial Crisis to Control Our Lives and Our Fortunes Author: Jay W. Richards Narrator: Tim Lundeen Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins Language: English Release date: 02-25-14 Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: What every American needs to know about the war on free enterprise - and freedom itself America: be warned. A new wave of financial reformers has infiltrated our public institutions at both the state and national levels. A growing army of self-proclaimed activists, philanthropists, and politicians has infiltrated not only the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but the FDIC, the Treasury, and other regulatory agencies. This explosive new book from New York Times bestselling author Jay W. Richards reveals the shocking truth about: This startling account walks you through Americas government and financial industry from the inside out - exposing the surprising history, the colorful characters, and the earthshaking events that got us where we are today. Youll meet the political ideologues and extremists whose good intentions paved the road to financial hell. Youll witness the blame game in action, as politicians and the media use the 2008 meltdown as an excuse to further their own agendas. Youll learn about the terrible consequences that sweeping government reforms have on small businesses and other industries that had nothing to do with the financial crisis. Finally, youll find a special resource section of positive actions and ideas to help you stand up and speak out for your rights. America is at a crossroads. It is time for us to choose between stricter government control that limits our freedom or a more open free market that is the key to prosperity. This book could make all the difference. Free enterprise is under attack. This book is Americas wake-up call. Critic Reviews: Big government statists have created a destructive myth that deregulation and greed caused the financial crisis. Richards demonstrates that altruistic government policies supported by crony socialists were the primary cause of the crisis. It is important to debunk the statist myth, because it has been the justification for extremely harmful public policies. (John Allison, President and CEO, Cato Institute, and New York Times best selling author of The Financial Crisis and the Free Market Cure) Infiltrated strips the pretense of compassion from community action and rips away the patina of idealism from housing fairness hustles. While naming the names and crimes of housing charity scammers, Richards expounds an inspiring liberation philosophy of true economic compassion and win-win economic growth for all. (George Gilder, author of Knowledge and Power) Fearless and brilliant. Dr. Richards boldly addresses important consumer lending issues in a detailed and exhaustive manner. You may not like his conclusions, but to detractors I say prove him wrong. The absolute best book of its kind. (Harold A. Black, PhD, Smith Professor of Finance Emeritus, University of Tennessee) If you want to know why the popular wisdom about the causes and effects of the financial crisis is mostly wrong, and how such myths will help facilitate similar crises in the future, Jay Richardss Infiltrated is an eye-opener. (Samuel Gregg, author of Becoming Europe) Members Reviews: Beyond Unbalanced... What disappointed you about Infiltrated? So biased as to be laughable. If one isn't well-versed on the myriad issues and complexities of the "crisis" the amount of convenient omission makes this book a travesty. What could Jay W.

Building the New American Economy Audiobook by Jeffrey D. Sachs, Bernie Sanders - foreward

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jeffrey D. Sachs) — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 12:59:52 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Building the New American Economy Subtitle: Smart, Fair, and Sustainable Author: Jeffrey D. Sachs, Bernie Sanders - foreward Narrator: Rudy Sanda Format: Unabridged Length: 4 hrs and 13 mins Language: English Release date: 04-11-17 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 15 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: With a nation seemingly more divided than ever, many worry that Americans risk losing ground on solving the complex, interrelated problems the country faces - including rising inequality, the specter of climate change, astronomical health care costs, and economic stagnation. The renowned economist Jeffrey D. Sachs offers a practical approach to move America toward a new consensus: sustainable development. Sustainable development focuses on the economy, society, and the environment when shaping policy. A holistic approach emphasizing economic, social, and environmental objectives is key. In focusing too much on economic growth, the United States has neglected rising economic inequality and dire environmental threats. Now, even growth is imperiled. In this passionate and powerful book - part manifesto, part plan of action - Sachs dwells on issues that have captivated the nation and political debate, including infrastructure, trade deals, energy policy, the proper size and role of government, the national debt, and income inequality. Not only does he provide illuminating and accessible explanations of the forces at work in each case, but he also presents specific policy solutions. Critic Reviews: "Jeffrey Sachs remains one of the most thought-provoking economists in the world today because he dares to challenge presidents of both parties and the orthodoxies that bind them to disastrous policies. His critiques are fierce and his solutions fearless in the face of political and academic groupthink." (Joe Scarborough) Members Reviews: If only.... If only our so called president could read.... this is such an accessible outline of what would create a better world for our children.... if only greed, corruption and racism was not in the way.... The JFK voice was not necessary... A Focused Plan to move Forward This book and it's reading is dry but important and concise. It criticizes the failures of the entire political spectrum and points towards how we can transcend today's toxic politics by defining easy to understand but ambitious goals that will help everyone in our country achieve prosperity and well-being. The reader's bad JFK impression was not necessary or appreciated. Not bad, not bad Decent book about Sachs's vision for a realizable, improved future America. I found it interesting that in the book he seemed to go easy on Drumpf, whereas his in-presentations lately have totally and unreservedly bashed the orange one.

Other People's Money Audiobook by Charles V. Bagli

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Charles V. Bagli) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 06:41:21 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Other People's Money Subtitle: Inside the Housing Crisis and the Demise of the Greatest Real Estate Deal Ever Made Author: Charles V. Bagli Narrator: David Drummond Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins Language: English Release date: 04-04-13 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 53 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In just over three years, real estate giant Tishman Speyer and its partner, BlackRock, lost billions of investors' dollars on a single deal. In Other People's Money, Charles V. Bagli, the New York Times reporter who first broke the story of the sale of Stuyvesant Town - Peter Cooper Village takes listeners inside the most spectacular failure in real estate history, using this single deal as a lens to see how and why the real estate crisis happened. How did the smartest people in real estate lose billions in one single deal? How did the Church of England, the California public employees' pension fund, and the Singapore government lose more than one billion dollars combined investing in a middle-class housing complex in New York City? How did MetLife make three billion dollars on the deal without any repercussions from a historically racist policy of housing segregation? And how did nine residents of a sleepy enclave in New York City win one of the most unlikely lawsuits in the history of real estate law? Not only does Other People's Money answer those questions, it also explains the current recession in stark, clear detail while providing riveting first-person accounts of the titanic failure of the real estate industry to see that a recession was coming. It's the definitive book on real estate during the bubble years - and what happened when that enormous bubble exploded. Members Reviews: NEW YORK NEW YORK. A good read. longer than I thought it would be but I learned a lot of what it was like to try and be middle class in New York.

VangoNotes for Foundations of Microeconomics, 3/e Audiobook by Robin Bade, Michael Parkin

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Robin Bade) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 02:57:49 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: VangoNotes for Foundations of Microeconomics, 3/e Author: Robin Bade, Michael Parkin Narrator: Brett Barry, Alyson Silverman Format: Original Recording Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins Language: English Release date: 09-09-11 Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc. Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 2 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from Foundations of Microeconomics, 3/e and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook: ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Freefall Audiobook by Joseph E. Stiglitz

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Joseph E. Stiglitz) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:47:07 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Freefall Subtitle: America, Free Markets, and the Sinking of the World Economy Author: Joseph E. Stiglitz Narrator: Dick Hill Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 27 mins Language: English Release date: 01-26-10 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 102 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: The current global financial crisis carries a "made in America" label. In this forthright and incisive book, Nobel Laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz explains how America exported bad economics, bad policies, and bad behavior to the rest of the world, only to cobble together a haphazard and ineffective response when the markets finally seized up. Drawing on his academic expertise, his years spent shaping policy in the Clinton administration and at the World Bank, and his more recent role as head of a UN commission charged with reforming the global financial system, Stiglitz outlines a way forward, building on ideas that he has championed his entire career: restoring the balance between markets and government, addressing the inequalities of the global financial system, and demanding more good ideas (and less ideology) from economists. Freefall is an instant classic, combining an enthralling whodunit account of the current crisis with a bracing discussion of the broader economic issues at stake. Critic Reviews: "What makes Stiglitz special is that, along with Paul Krugman, he is the rare progressive in a profession whose norms resist tampering with the verdicts of markets or the power of private capital and also one of the few world-class technical economists who can write lucidly for a lay audience. The tone of this book is good-humored and public-minded." (The American Prospect) Members Reviews: Required Economic Reading Narrator Dick Hill emotes Stiglitz' material perfectly. Stiglitz outlines the path the past three decades have led to this inevitable Great Recession commenced in 2008, pointing fingers at the culpable parties in both political parties. He also explains how to prevent it going forward by aligning business goals with social goals. Terrific Book Of the dozen are so books written about our current financial crisis, this is one of the best. The author's objective analysis sets this publication apart from the crowd. Unlike competing volumes, this book actually provides realistic solutions to our problems. If knowing more about this subject is important to you, this offering will not disappoint. aggravating narration i've only managed to get through two chapters of the book so far, so anything said here is based on a limited sample. that said, the reason for the slow progress is bad narration. i always listen to the clips of a book before making a decision on whether to buy it because i am quite sensitive to the quality of the narration. there are a couple of books i would dearly love to have audio versions of, but the narration is so intrusive that i can't buy them (for any who are familiar, the reader Stephen Hoye is a particularly glaring example of a bad narrator). the clip provided for Freefall provides no clue of how the narrator overacts and belabors simple points. through two chapters, the book is mainly a scold, providing little to no data to support the claims, but rather giving a schematic overview, along with a number of value judgments. i happen to agree with much of Stiglitz' analysis, but so far, i've learned nothing of value. worse, the narration is like a cranky grandfather wagging his finger and slowing down ... to... make... each...significant.......point, or gesticulating (aurally) urgently about a fairly straightforward idea. it's incredibly aggravating and distracting narration.

Summary of Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty Audiobook by Elite Summaries

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Elite Summaries) — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 11:30:08 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Summary of Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty Author: Elite Summaries Narrator: Iain Andrews Format: Unabridged Length: 30 mins Language: English Release date: 04-17-17 Publisher: Elite Summaries Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 9 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Economics inequality, uneven concentration of wealth, and prospects of economic growth will stay amongst the top of the world's issues list. Modernization of economic growth as well as a more even spread of knowledge have played a great role in minimizing inequalities at least to a lesser extent than what Karl Marx predicted. However, the tendency of returns on capital to exceed the economic growth rate still adds to the creation of significant inequality. Brilliantly supported with empirical data, Capital in the Twenty First Century provides comparative historical research on income inequality that is definitive, fresh, and enlightening. A major work on inequalities throughout economic history, Capital in the Twenty First Century uncovers major economic and social patterns, providing answers through a vast collection of data to supplement the extant theories. This book is extraordinarily ambitious and rigorous, aiming to reorient the listener's understanding of the history of economics. It is monumental and influential, especially with regard to economic analysis. Written by a renowned French economist, Thomas Piketty, Capital in the Twenty First Century is one of the most important books of the year, if not of the decade. It discusses economic history and its relevance in the modern day society. Please note: this is a summary and analysis of the book and not the original book. Members Reviews: Shorter but not easier to understand. This is certainly a strongly edited version of book, but not enough time has gone into making it easier to understand. Also the narrator clearly does not understand the text so reads it poorly.

A World Made for Money: Economy, Geography, and the Way We Live Today Audiobook by Bret Wallach

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Bret Wallach) — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 19:30:22 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A World Made for Money: Economy, Geography, and the Way We Live Today Author: Bret Wallach Narrator: Paul Dandridge Format: Unabridged Length: 16 hrs and 32 mins Language: English Release date: 09-15-17 Publisher: University Press Audiobooks Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: A spirited and incisive survey of economic geography, A World Made for Money begins with the author stopped at a red light in Norman, Oklahoma. Observing the landscape of drugstores and banks, and for that matter the stoplight and roads themselves, Bret Wallach observes, "Everything I see has been built to make money" or, at the very least, to facilitate making money. This, he argues, is a global phenomenon that nonetheless has occurred only within the past hundred years or so. A World Made for Money provides a compelling, condensed tour of our world. From Silicon Valley to Sri Lanka, from post-Soviet Russia to post-apartheid South Africa, Wallach looks at how human beings are buying, manufacturing, working, growing, and shipping food, and accessing the natural resources to fuel it all. These essential facets of daily life, propelled by the profit motive, represent a transnational force shaping our surroundings and environment in ways that may not always be beautiful (or even healthy) but that are fundamental to understanding how the world works in the 21st century. Wallach examines the relationship between acquisitiveness and landscape, reveals surprising contradictions and nuances, and provides fresh perspective on politically charged topics such as sprawl, deindustrialization, and agribusiness. The book is published by University of Nebraska Press. Critic Reviews: "Fascinating, memorable - a grand book." (CHOICE) "A compelling book, written by one of geography's most gifted writers." (Kent Mathewson, Louisiana State University) "In this lively and energetic book Bret Wallach uncovers the forces that are changing the face of the earth - from Guangdong Province to Youngstown, Ohio -i n their restless search for money." (David Wishart, author of The Last Days of the Rainbelt) Members Reviews: Packed with interesting commercial data that underlines our connectivity and need to share. After the intro, every sentence is packed with data. While I thought I knew about some of the world financial conditions, viewing it all within a one book shows the amazing scope and inter-connectedness of our world through the lens of commerce. You have to wonder about the prevalence of wars when we all need each other for something.

The Way the World Works Audiobook by Jude Wanniski

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jude Wanniski) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 08:43:48 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Way the World Works Author: Jude Wanniski Narrator: Paul Michael Garcia Format: Unabridged Length: 20 hrs and 20 mins Language: English Release date: 07-03-13 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 21 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Jude Wanniski's masterpiece defined the policies at the heart of the Reagan economic boom that continues today and promises a coming century of global peace and prosperity. Writing with a simplicity and liveliness uncommon to his subject, Wanniski offers a fresh general theory of the world's political evolution that explains how and why economies fail and succeed, now and as far as we can imagine. Editorial Reviews: Jude Wanniski's magnum opus was published in 1978 and since then, the book has been named one of the 100 most influential books of the century by National Review. Three-time AudioFile Earphones Award winner Paul Michael Garcia gives a spirited performance of this influential masterpiece, matching the liveliness of Wanniski's words as he offers a new general theory of the world's political evolution that explains how and why economies fail and succeed. Garcia's confident approach and shifts in tone help keep the subject matter fresh and easy to understand. Members Reviews: definitive work on supply-side economics "The Way the World Works" is the masterpiece of Ronald Reagan's adviser Jude Wanniski. It was listed as one of the 100 most influential books of the 20th Century by the National Review. I don't think that this is the definitive book about the greatness of free markets and failure of protectionism, but anyway it is an interesting work that makes many good points and all people with serious interest in economics should read it. Perhaps it is the definitive book of supply-side economics. Early on, the author discusses Arthur Laffer's "wedge model" and the "Laffer Curve." Then comes a discussion of Adam Smith's ideas and "demand-side" versus "supply-side" models. Next follows a commentary on Marxist ideas, Keynesian ideas, and monetarist ideas. The author criticizes all of these. The author comments on many national leaders: Caesar, Napoleon, Wilson, Coolidge (with Mellon), Hoover, Roosevelt, Mussolini, Hitler, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Nixon. From all of these, it is clear that the author's favorites were Coolidge and Mellon. The central controversial idea of the book, aside from support for supply-side economics, is the accusation that the stock market Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression were the result of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act. Of course this goes against the "conventional wisdom" in the United States that free markets caused the Crash. The author reviews the bizarre issues surrounding the Act: it was passed while Hoover was president, FDR was elected in 1932 after campaigning against the Act, and then FDR rather than ending this bad policy decided to restrict commerce further. The author continues with many more topics: the United Kingdom, Bretton Woods, gold, India, Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico, Vietnam, Puerto Rico, energy, and recommendations for the 21st Century. This "20th Anniversary Edition" not only includes an introduction, but also contains reprints of the introductions from earlier editions. My central criticism of Wanniski's work is that his faith in the judgement of the electorate is wrong given that voters often (if not usually) vote against their own self-interest.

The Myth of the Rational Market Audiobook by Justin Fox

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Justin Fox) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:02:49 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Myth of the Rational Market Subtitle: A History of Risk, Reward, and Delusion on Wall Street Author: Justin Fox Narrator: Alan Sklar Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins Language: English Release date: 02-09-10 Publisher: HarperAudio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 157 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Chronicling the rise and fall of the efficient market theory and the century-long making of the modern financial industry, Justin Foxs The Myth of the Rational Market is as much an intellectual whodunit as a cultural history of the perils and possibilities of risk. The book brings to life the people and ideas that forged modern finance and investing, from the formative days of Wall Street through the Great Depression and into the financial calamity of today. Its a tale that features professors who made and lost fortunes, battled fiercely over ideas, beat the house in blackjack, wrote bestselling books, and played major roles on the world stage. Its also a tale of Wall Streets evolution, the power of the market to generate wealth and wreak havoc, and free market capitalisms war with itself. The efficient market hypothesislong part of academic folklore but codified in the 1960s at the University of Chicagohas evolved into a powerful myth. It has been the maker and loser of fortunes, the driver of trillions of dollars, the inspiration for index funds and vast new derivatives markets, and the guidepost for thousands of careers. The theory holds that the market is always right, and that the decisions of millions of rational investors, all acting on information to outsmart one another, always provide the best judge of a stocks value. That myth is crumbling. Celebrated journalist and columnist Fox introduces a new wave of economists and scholars who no longer teach that investors are rational or that the markets are always right. Many of them now agree with Yale professor Robert Shiller that the efficient markets theory represents one of the most remarkable errors in the history of economic thought. Today the theory has given way to counterintuitive hypotheses about human behavior, psychological models of decision making, and the irrationality of the markets. Investors overreact, underreact, and make irrational decisions based on imperfect data. In his landmark treatment of the history of the worlds markets, Fox uncovers the new ideas that may come to drive the market in the century ahead. Members Reviews: An Awesome Histoy of Financial Economics I am a financial economist, and I wholeheartedly endorse this book. It gives a very fair, balanced, complete and scientific account of financial economics, and yet is written in a fun, readable tone that never loses the reader's interest. This book is a must for any non-economist who wants to understand what they read in the news. You will learn a lot, and have fun learning it. Takes patience, but pays off This is not from the Michael Lewis "fascinating personal quirks carry the story" school. But having exhausted most of the 2008 popular books, this is at a different, scholarly level. I might have edited it a bit shorter, but I enjoyed it. Probably most interesting to economists I liked this book, but I am, in fact, an economist. To a (young) economist, there's a lot to be interested in here. Ideas you've been exposed to and never really understood the context for are explained pretty well. But for non-economists, I strongly suspect this would come off as pretty dry. The better book on the history of economic thought, I would say, is The Grand Pursuit. To some degree, this book picks up where that one leaves off (in the mid-twentieth century, though TGP does talk somewhat as Amartya Sen).

The Vanishing American Corporation Audiobook by Gerald F. Davis

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Gerald F. Davis) — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 00:53:04 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Vanishing American Corporation Subtitle: Navigating the Hazards of a New Economy Author: Gerald F. Davis Narrator: Jeff Hoyt Format: Unabridged Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins Language: English Release date: 03-23-16 Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 25 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: It may be hard to believe in an era of Walmart, Citizens United, and the Koch brothers, but corporations are on the decline. The number of American companies listed on the stock market dropped by half between 1996 and 2012. In recent years we've seen some of the most storied corporations go bankrupt (General Motors, Chrysler, Eastman Kodak) or disappear entirely (Bethlehem Steel, Lehman Brothers, Borders). Gerald Davis argues this is a root cause of the income inequality and social instability we face today. Corporations were once an integral part of building the middle class. He points out that in their heyday, they offered millions of people lifetime employment, stable career paths, health insurance, and retirement pensions. They were like small, private welfare states. The businesses that are replacing them will not fill the same role. For one thing, they employ far fewer people - the combined global workforces of Facebook, Yelp, Zynga, LinkedIn, Zillow, Tableau, Zulily, and Box are smaller than the number of people who lost their jobs when Circuit City was liquidated in 2009. And in the "sharing economy", companies have no obligation to most of the people who work for them - at the end of 2014 Uber had over 160,000 "driver-partners" in the United States but recognized only about 2,000 people as actual employees. Davis tracks the rise of the large American corporation and the economic, social, and technological developments that have led to its decline. The future could see either increasing economic polarization, as careers turn into jobs and jobs turn into tasks, or a more democratic economy built from the grass roots. It's up to us. Members Reviews: Davis' Book is a Millennial Must Read What did you love best about The Vanishing American Corporation? The best thing about Professor Davis' Vanishing American Corporation is his dedication to diagnosing the problems confronted by this phenomena but, most refreshingly, is his pursuit of relevant solutions and practical advice for today's college students and recent graduates. Professor Davis attempts to do what most authors do not - to examine a problem's past, predict consequences for the future, and to offer solutions to the problem that both confront and take advantage of non-obvious opportunities that will empower, rather than victimize, the labor force. What was one of the most memorable moments of The Vanishing American Corporation? Part III: Consequences of Corporate Collapse. Professor Davis' examination of the relationship between the disappearance of the 20th century corporate form and the rise of the "sharing economy" to income inequality, social instability, and the increasing marginalization of the US labor force is a triumph of logic over passion. What does Jeff Hoyt bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book? Mr. Hoyt does an excellent job of bringing the author's voice to the narration. Instead of making this audiobook feel removed from its source or treating it as a sort of staid anthropological recounting of events (see, e.g., "Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of Blackberry"), Mr.

A Macat Analysis of Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism Audiobook

biacuaduc@gmail.com (James Hill) — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 00:15:08 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: A Macat Analysis of Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism Author: James Hill, Sebastián G Guzmán Narrator: Macat.com Format: Unabridged Length: 1 hr and 45 mins Language: English Release date: 07-20-16 Publisher: Macat International Limited. Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 9 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Born in Prussia in 1864, just as the new forces of capitalism and the Industrial Revolution took hold of the economy, Max Weber first studied law. Yet his interest soon shifted to economics. Perhaps because his mother had absorbed Protestant influences, Weber examined the role morality played in the lives people choose to lead. He focused on the differences in economic behavior between Catholics and Protestants. Weber was the first to identify beliefs and practices that influenced economic behavior. He found Catholics generally less motivated to succeed in business than Protestants because of their religious belief that everyone could achieve salvation. The branch of Protestants known as Calvinists, on the other hand, believed God determined everyone's salvation status before birth. Nothing a person might do on earth could save a soul marked for damnation. Left with little hope, believers tried to demonstrate their worthiness through hard work. Weber identified with these self-reliant Puritans and his groundbreaking argument helped establish him as one of the founding fathers of sociology. Members Reviews: Repetitive, could be a lot better If you have zero prior exposure to Weber's book, or to the roots of sociology, this might be an OK intro, but probably won't tell you much a visit or two to Wikipedia wouldn't do in a fraction of the time and money. A student producing no more information than this as a term paper would get a poor grade from me. This is my second Macat analysis title (the other being on the Rule of St. Benedict), and both so far have this issue, in my opinion: even the compressed format imparts too few ideas and too little content, repeated too many times. It could be half as long as this and a lot better. I have bought several others on the hope that this compact format might work well with the right writer. But I'm batting zero here so far. Wish me luck! Redundant What would have made A Macat Analysis of Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism better? Cut out the outlines of subjects and just follow a clear story of the book with more in depth interpretations. If youve listened to books by Sebastián G Guzmán and James Hill before, how does this one compare? I haven't How could the performance have been better? Yes. Don't subdivide a less than 2 hour book into so many modules What character would you cut from A Macat Analysis of Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism? There's too much redundancy of the outlines and title itself. Any additional comments? The audio is subdivided into a lot of repeated statements and extremely superfical highlights. Save your money, unless you enjoy hearing redundant outlines of the book. Straightforward and gets you thinking Also adds co text and future trajectories. I would recommend ready the essay first and the intro the 1920 translations first then use this to cement your knowledge. A decent companion piece.

Public Trust Betrayed Audiobook by James E. Manning

biacuaduc@gmail.com (James E. Manning) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:38:46 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Public Trust Betrayed Subtitle: The Truth Behind the Real Estate Appraisal Industry Author: James E. Manning Narrator: James E. Manning Format: Abridged Length: 3 hrs and 17 mins Language: English Release date: 03-15-11 Publisher: Tate Publishing Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 10 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: The independent real estate appraiser is being driven out of the business by the same forces that borrowed billions from the taxpayer in the form of a bailout, speculated in an over-leveraged derivatives market, and swallowed each other up after years of mismanagement. Why should anybody care? Because the housing recovery is dependent on transparency that we have not seen in more than a decade. Public Trust Betrayed: The Truth Behind the Real Estate Appraisal Industry emphasizes that there must be transparency and objectivity in the mortgage and evaluation process if we are to solve the current credit crisis and what we must change in the financial industry to prevent another economic meltdown. As a result of fraud, conflicts of interest, over-valuations, and lax underwriting standards, the entire lending industry must be examined and changed if any meaningful housing recovery is to be accomplished. Author James Manning gives the reader rare insights into the pressures being placed on today's real estate appraiser in an easy-to-read format, a folksy delivery, and with real-life experiences sprinkled throughout. Critic Reviews: 'Appraisal issues played a major role in the housing boom and bust. To get an insider's view of that historic and horrendous cycle and the troubling reality of where we are now read this book.' (Ken Harney, Syndicated Columnist, Washington Post Writers Group) 'This is one man's story about the deceptions he saw in the home appraisal market, deceiving homeowners and lenders alike. It will open your eyes.' (Jane Bryant Quinn, author of Making the Most of Your Money NOW) Members Reviews: EXCELLENT EXPOSE OF CORRUPTION This book is a MUST read for every single honest appraiser and particularly for anyone contemplating a career as a real estate appraiser. I stayed up late the night I received my copy from Amazon and read the whole book. It was like an H.G. Wells time machine for me. It took me back to relive my career as an Arizona real estate appraiser, dealing with being black balled by mortgage brokers for not lying about house values, about poor physical condition, about exposure to high volumes of vehicular traffic and about anything else that would kill a deal for the mortgage brokers. Typical loan officer threats are, "If you don't give me that value, I'll make sure you never receive anymore work." and "I'm not paying your for a report I can't use." Worst of all is the continued chronic failure of the Arizona Board of Appraisal to enforce rules that are supposed to keep appraisers honest. That was the primary reason I retired early after almost 20 years as an appraiser in Baja Arizona. I could not compete with the liars who captured all appraisal assignments from mortgage brokers, because mortgage brokers do not want honesty from appraisers. They want appraisal reports that cover up everything that might halt loans from being placed. Mr. Manning points out almost exactly the same scenario in California, where he worked as an appraiser for decades. In several parts of the book, James Manning talks about Pamela Crowley, a Florida appraiser who started the Mortgage Fraud Watch List. Pam visited me in Oregon in 2011 and told me some of the gory details about her work to try to instill honesty in the appraisal profession.

The Wave Principle of Human Social Behavior and the New Science of Socionomics Audiobook

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Robert R. Prechter Jr.) — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 22:52:41 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Wave Principle of Human Social Behavior and the New Science of Socionomics Author: Robert R. Prechter Jr. Narrator: T. David Rutherford Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins Language: English Release date: 09-14-15 Publisher: New Classics Library Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 5 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Robert Prechter proposes a new science called socionomics. It's the study of how humans interact and how that interaction determines the course of the economy, culture, and history. Learn how history unfolds not as cycles but as form-driven fractal "waves" - a radical and bold application of the Wave Principle. Members Reviews: Very important matter This book shows a very important study about our behavior and how to increase our gains in all situations using this study. If I had read this book before, my life wasn't the same. Congratulations. I recomend to all who wants to be a winner. Josenildo Read through the fog of information and news The ability to make sense of the deluge of information, news, analysis, of various protagonists and antagonists(on current trends, political and economic); is perhaps beyond the scope of regular people. Anybody who wants to make sense of the turbulent times, and protect themselves and their wealth, and plan effectively, needs a different approach. An approach which enables one to be part of society and yet be unaffected by the ups, downs, push and pulls. An approach which allows one to be rational and unemotional. An approach which allows one to be prepared and forewarned, and not reactive. This book can deliver on all these fronts. The information is distilled from different branches of psychology, human behaviour and economics and very nicely strings all these sciences into one comprehensive Science of Socioeconomics. Incredible book! As someone who is extremely interested in how the brain works and why we 'do what we do', as "rational" human beings, I found this book to be extremely compelling. I simply could not put it down. Prechter takes a huge compilation of material (from neuroscience, psychology, fractal anaylsis to technical stock market analysis) and boils it down into a beautifully written and fascinating look at how our mind and society is shaped and guided by an underlying mathematical pattern that is the foundation for all living systems. We are lead by Prechter through a basic understanding of Ralph N. Elliott's Wave Principle - a technical method of stock market analysis Elliott discovered during the 1930's - and come to find that this pattern is fractal based, and not only indicates where the NASDAQ is going to go tomorrow, but shows us where we will go as a society! This book is a must read for anyone studying brain function, psychology, or philosophy AND for the beginning and seasoned trader! I wish I had found this type of information years ago. Taking Stock of the New Science of Socionomics About twenty years ago, I was sitting in the office of a blue blood firm on Wall Street. The elderly partner closed the door, opened his desk drawer and asked: "Do you know about this?" I expected that the book he was handing me was either erotica or esoterica. It was the Elliott Wave Principle by A.J. Frost and Bob Prechter. Yes, I had heard of it, but not everyone had. Now, aspects of it are available on almost every investor's computer. It has become something of a universal language. But, one can order coffee in different cultures and in different cafes, but be served very different qualities of coffee. It depends on the Barista! Elliott wave may be known, but it may not be cognized.

Retirement Heist Audiobook by Ellen E. Schultz

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Ellen E. Schultz) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:00:34 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Retirement Heist Subtitle: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers Author: Ellen E. Schultz Narrator: Nicole Vilencia Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins Language: English Release date: 01-11-12 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 27 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Its no secret that hundreds of companies have been slashing pensions and health coverage earned by millions of retirees. Employers blame an aging workforce, stock market losses, and spiraling costs - a perfect storm of external forces that has forced them to take drastic measures. But this so-called retirement crisis is no accident. Award-winning investigative reporter Ellen E. Schultz reveals how large companies and the retirement industry - benefits consultants, insurance companies, and banks - have all played a huge, hidden role in the death spiral of American pensions and benefits. A little over a decade ago, most companies had more than enough set aside to pay the benefits earned by two generations of workers, no matter how long they lived. But by exploiting loopholes, ambiguous regulations, and new accounting rules, companies essentially turned their pension plans into piggy banks, tax shelters, and profit centers. Drawing on original analysis of company data, government filings, confidential memos, and more, Schultz uncovers decades of deception during which employers have exaggerated their retiree burdens while lobbying for government handouts, secretly cutting pensions, tricking employees, and misleading shareholders. She reveals how companies siphon billions of dollars from their pension plans to finance downsizings and sell the assets in merger deals; overstate the burden of rank-and-file retiree obligations to justify benefits cuts while using the savings to inflate executive pay and pensions; hide their growing executive pension liabilities, which at some companies now exceed the liabilities for the regular pension plans; purchase billions of dollars of life insurance on workers and use the policies as informal executive pension funds; preemptively sue retirees after cutting retiree health benefits and use other legal strategies to erode their legal protections. This is a scathing exposé of one of the most critical and least understood crises of our time. Ellen E. Schultz is an investigative reporter who has covered the so-called retirement crisis for more than a decade. Her reporting has led to congressional hearings, new legislation, and investigations by the Treasury and the Government Accountability Office. A former staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal, she has won dozens of journalism awards for economics, financial, and investigative reporting, including three Polk Awards, two Loeb awards, and a National Press Club award. In 2003, she was part of a team of Wall Street Journal reporters awarded the Pulitzer Prize for articles on corporate scandals. She lives in New York City. Critic Reviews: For anyone seriously interested in the retirement industry - and thats what it amounts to, an industry - this book should be required reading. (New York Times) Members Reviews: Understanding the next financial crisis Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? Absolutely. We have a coming retirement crisis as private pensions have been systematically drained of value and/or eliminated through mergers, or limited through conversion to defined contribution plans. How this latest iteration of vulture capitalism was aided and abetted by well-meaning, but poorly designed American pension laws is the subject of this excellent and very accessible book.

One World, Ready or Not Audiobook by William Greider

biacuaduc@gmail.com (William Greider) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 22:23:32 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: One World, Ready or Not Subtitle: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism Author: William Greider Narrator: Howard McGillin Format: Abridged Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins Language: English Release date: 04-15-10 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 6 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In One World, Ready or Not, William Greider focuses his incomparable reportorial skills on the global economy, which he contends is sowing "creative destruction" everywhere. Greider explains the dynamics of the global economy in terms of human struggle. As he makes clear, the actions of multinational corporations and finance capitalists are no longer guided by the national interests of their home countries, but by the imperatives of the free market. As the global economy's contradictions multiply and its instabilities deepen, are we doomed to relive the world depression and the rise of violent fascism experienced in the early 20th century? Greider believes we are not, provided we are willing to recognize the dangers for what they are - as threats not only to our middle-class lifestyles but also to social peace in both rich and poor countries alike - and provided national governments can be persuaded to reassert their powers to regulate players in the global market and protect the rights of workers everywhere before it's too late. Members Reviews: Don't Waste Your Time! - Nothing Like the Book What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you? Anyone reading it but Howard McGillin's! What was most disappointing about William Greiders story? Nothing about Greider's book was disappointing only how it was distorted by McGillin. Would you be willing to try another one of Howard McGillins performances? This was a sad joke, no wonder the recording only lists eight chapters when the book is nineteen! This asshole skips every other paragraph totally omitting critical information to understanding Greider's position. I don't know whether it was laziness or incompetence but the experience was just sad.

How We Can Win Audiobook by Anthony Lacavera, Kate Fillion

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Anthony Lacavera) — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 17:18:55 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: How We Can Win Subtitle: And What Happens to Us and Our Country If We Don't Author: Anthony Lacavera, Kate Fillion Narrator: John Cleland Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins Language: English Release date: 11-01-17 Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Our kids are smart, our banks are sound, our health care system is humane, our democracy is stable - but technological change is about to disrupt our economy and threaten our way of life. Canadians aren't ready for the race to the future. Can we still catch up - or even win? Yes, says Anthony Lacavera, one of Canada's most successful entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. But we need to change the way we think and talk about our own abilities - dream bigger, aim higher, and go for gold, not bronze. We also need to change the way we do business. Our dominant business culture, Lacavera believes, is fundamentally unCanadian: traditional, backward-looking, insular, timid, greedy, unoriginal - everything that Canadians themselves are not. And that unCanadian business culture, protected by outmoded regulations and government policies, is stifling our economic growth. It dumps roadblocks in the paths of entrepreneurs who want to build the kind of powerhouse businesses that will create jobs and fuel our economy. Anthony Lacavera faced those roadblocks himself when he was building WIND - an epic battle against the big three telecommunications giants in Canada. But he's certain we have the talent and the brains to tear those roadblocks down. He gives us vivid portraits of some of Canada's most important natural resources: our talented, innovative entrepreneurs, who want to change the world for the better (and, yes, make money while they're at it). But we are shipping far too many of them to the United States, gift-wrapped in our tax dollars. They don't want to leave - they're forced out because it's just too difficult to build big, bold businesses in Canada. How We Can Win explains what we need to do to keep them here and what all Canadians must do to ensure our future prosperity. Our biggest problem is not that we are a small country but that we think too small. We can be a nation of big dreamers and bigger doers. Not by aping Silicon Valley but by focusing on uniquely Canadian strengths and then doubling down on them. If we bet aggressively on ourselves and our future rather than clinging to the status quo, we will create a new, more solid economic foundation - one that allows us to win the race to the future without leaving home. Critic Reviews: "A breath of fresh northern air that has cleared my view of the future - and what we need to change to succeed together." (Chris Hadfield) "How We Can Win delivers an urgent message: we don't have the luxury of waiting to sort things out. The world economy is evolving quickly and Canada needs to catch up in the ways this book so beautifully demonstrates." (Ajay Agrawal, Peter Munk professor of entrepreneurship, Rotman School of Management)

Fire in the Ashes Audiobook by Jonathan Kozol

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jonathan Kozol) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 21:24:22 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Fire in the Ashes Subtitle: Twenty-Five Years Among the Poorest Children in America Author: Jonathan Kozol Narrator: Keythe Farley Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins Language: English Release date: 08-28-12 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 37 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In this powerful and culminating work about a group of inner-city children he has known for many years, Jonathan Kozol returns to the scene of his prize-winning books Rachel and Her Children and Amazing Grace, and to the children he has vividly portrayed, to share with us their fascinating journeys and unexpected victories as they grow into adulthood. For nearly 50 years Jonathan has pricked the conscience of his readers by laying bare the savage inequalities inflicted upon children for no reason but the accident of being born to poverty within a wealthy nation. A winner of the National Book Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, and countless other honors, he has persistently crossed the lines of class and race, first as a teacher, then as the author of tender and heart-breaking books about the children he has called "the outcasts of our nations ingenuity." But Jonathan is not a distant and detached reporter. His own life has been radically transformed by the children who have trusted and befriended him. Never has this intimate acquaintance with his subjects been more apparent, or more stirring, than in Fire in the Ashes, as Jonathan tells the stories of young men and women who have come of age in one of the most destitute communities of the United States. Some of them never do recover from the battering they undergo in their early years, but many more battle back with fierce and, often, jubilant determination to overcome the formidable obstacles they face. As we watch these glorious children grow into the fullness of a healthy and contributive maturity, they ignite a flame of hope, not only for themselves, but for our society. The urgent issues that confront our urban schools - a devastating race-gap, a pathological regime of obsessive testing and drilling students for exams instead of giving them the rich curriculum that excites a love of learning - are interwoven through these stories. Why certain children rise above it all, graduate from high school and do well in college, while others are defeated by the time they enter adolescence, lies at the essence of this work. Jonathan Kozol is the author of Death at an Early Age, Savage Inequalities, and other books on children and their education. He has been called "todays most eloquent spokesman for Americas disenfranchised." But he believes young people speak most eloquently for themselves; and in this book, so full of the vitality and spontaneity of youth, we hear their testimony. Critic Reviews: "Engrossing chronicle of lives blighted and redeemed.... Eschewing social science jargon and deploying extraordinary powers of observation and empathy, Kozol crafts dense, novelistic character studies that reveal the interplay between individual personality and the chaos of impoverished circumstances.... Like a latter-day Dickens (but without the melodrama), he gives us another powerful indictment of America's treatment of the poor. (Publisher's Weekly) "In this engaging, illuminating, often moving book, [Kozol] recounts the lives of poor black and Latino children - many now close friends - who once lived in Manhattan's Martinique Hotel....

The Meat Racket Audiobook by Christopher Leonard

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Christopher Leonard) — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 01:39:23 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Meat Racket Subtitle: The Secret Takeover of America's Food Business Author: Christopher Leonard Narrator: John Pruden Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins Language: English Release date: 04-01-14 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 93 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: How much do you know about the meat on your dinner plate? Journalist Christopher Leonard spent more than a decade covering the country's biggest meat companies, including four years as the national agribusiness reporter for the Associated Press. Now he delivers the first comprehensive look inside the industrial meat system, exposing how a handful of companies executed an audacious corporate takeover of the nation's meat supply. Leonard's revealing account shines a light on the inner workings of Tyson Foods, a pioneer of the industrial system that dominates the market. You'll learn how the food industry got to where it is today and how companies like Tyson have escaped the scrutiny they deserve. You'll discover how these companies are able to raise meat prices for consumers while pushing down the price they pay to farmers. And you'll even see how big business and politics have derailed efforts to change the system, from a years-long legal fight in Iowa to the Obama administration's recent failed attempt to pass reforms. Important, timely, and explosive, The Meat Racket is an unvarnished portrait of the food industry that now dominates America's heartland. Members Reviews: Hits the nail on the head. if you needed to know more about the American meat industry, this is where you start. Disturbing reality Being actively involved in Agriculture and the meat business myself I found this account of our decent as a Nation into the unrelenting control of a few mega agri-business corporations profoundly disturbing Our governments flaccid attempts to control these companies is laughable the Tyson family mostly concentrates on the Tyson Family and the way they developed their business and gained control of a market. Mixed verdict on Tyson Mr. Leonard has written an important book about the industrialized meat industry, combining it with a corporate history of Tyson as well as some social commentary on the impact of Tysons methods in rural America. This book does not have a definitive feel to it. The other meat companies are only considered in passing, and Leonard does not go particular far in his research on the many ways that changes in the industry have changed our social fabric. But he makes a great start and puts it in a crisp readable format. Definitely worth a read.

Global Inequality Audiobook by Branko Milanovic

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Branko Milanovic) — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 15:32:36 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Global Inequality Subtitle: A New Approach for the Age of Globalization Author: Branko Milanovic Narrator: Joe Barrett Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins Language: English Release date: 07-11-17 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 7 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Branko Milanovic presents a bold new account of the dynamics that drive inequality on a global scale. Drawing on vast data sets and cutting-edge research, he explains the benign and malign forces that make inequality rise and fall within and among nations. He also reveals who has been helped the most by globalization, who has been held back, and what policies might tilt the balance toward economic justice. Global Inequality takes us back hundreds of years to show that inequality moves in cycles, fueled by war and disease, technological disruption, access to education, and redistribution. The recent surge of inequality in the West has been driven by the revolution in technology. But even as inequality has soared within nations, it has fallen dramatically among nations. A more open migration policy would reduce global inequality even further. Both American and Chinese inequality seems well entrenched and self-reproducing, though it is difficult to predict if current trends will be derailed by emerging plutocracy, populism, or war. For those who want to understand how we got where we are, where we may be heading, and what policies might help reverse that course, Milanovic's compelling explanation is the ideal place to start. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio. Critic Reviews: "Milanovic provides an illuminating analysis." (Kirkus) Members Reviews: You should read, rather than listen to, this book I love audiobooks, so I do not say this lightly; you would probably be better of reading, rather than listening to, this book. The multitude graphs and data in Global inequality would probably be more easily proceeded visually. Also, the narrator was not very good. As to the content: it was fine. The author makes some sold points (he foresees the resurgence of nationalism and populism that occurred in late 2016- this book was published in april 2016), and for those alone it is worth reading. But it has an undeniably left-wing bent, which is fine, but some people may find it grating.

The Wall Street Money Machine Audiobook by Jesse Eisinger, Jake Bernstein

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jesse Eisinger) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 06:60:56 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Wall Street Money Machine Author: Jesse Eisinger, Jake Bernstein Narrator: Gary Dikeos Format: Unabridged Length: 1 hr and 43 mins Language: English Release date: 08-19-13 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In the months before the 2008 financial meltdown, bankers and hedge funds perverted the market to keep their lavish bonuses flowing. Their machinations made the collapse much worse. This Pulitzer Prize-winning series reveals how they did it. Editorial Reviews: This audiobook is a fascinating addition to Jesse Eisinger's and Jake Bernstein's Pulitzer prize-winning series on the 2008 financial crisis. Eisinger, a journalist, and Bernstein, a trader and future's analyst, are an unstoppable duo as they expose the truth behind the catastrophe. They illustrate just how the country's bankers pushed the economy into ruin and were all too happy to blame the public for the mess. Gary Dikeo's emphatic performance is perfect for this exposé. His deliberate pacing makes the complex financial analyses palatable. Members Reviews: Sub Prime Mortgage Crisis For Dummies? Perhaps I've already listened to too many of the Wall Street crash books but this short look at the crisis comes off as simplistic and repetitive. The narrator reads in something close a monotone; as if he was reading to an econ 101 college study group. If you're interested try something more along the lines of The Big Short or Reckless Endangerment.

Accountable Audiobook by Tavis Smiley

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Tavis Smiley) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:03:17 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Accountable Subtitle: Making America as Good as Its Promise Author: Tavis Smiley Narrator: Tavis Smiley Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins Language: English Release date: 02-17-09 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 12 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Accountable examines present-day conditions and the consequences for America. At its core, this book is a tool with which the community can evaluate the successes or failures of its political leaders and of itself. This insightful book acknowledges the mistakes of the past while offering hope and inspiration for a better future. Members Reviews: A must listen to book The content is great!Tavis shows why and how we must hold all politicians, including our President accountable. I am glad Tavis did the reading. His passion comes through. This is a must listen to book. Central to progress I find Accountable to be a clear and concise way to acquire important and workable issues for collective progress. If you are in need of knowing the important issues to make a difference, Accountable is the right book. Historic is this time! With the election of Barack Obama, the nation has sent a clear message that we are all Americans. Now, regardless of difference, we are all required to understand more about become active citizens in our democracy. Looking for a way to remain active, Accountable makes sense. Since better engagement is required, I have purchased the audio version to play around the house, so no one in the house can claim they are unaware of the direction to progress. Tavis, your leadership grants us a seat at a nation's table. Thanks

Cheap Audiobook by Ellen Ruppel Shell

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Ellen Ruppel Shell) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:09:41 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Cheap Subtitle: The High Cost of Discount Culture Author: Ellen Ruppel Shell Narrator: Lorna Raver Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins Language: English Release date: 07-13-09 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 77 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Ellen Ruppel Shell traces the birth of the bargain as we know it from the Industrial Revolution to the assembly line and beyond, homing in on a number of colorful characters, such as Gene Verkauf (his name is Yiddish for "to sell"), founder of E. J. Korvette, the discount chain that helped wean customers off traditional notions of value. The rise of the chain store in post-Depression America led to the extolling of convenience over quality, and big-box retailers completed the reeducation of the American consumer by making them prize low price in the way they once prized durability and craftsmanship. The effects of this insidious perceptual shift are vast: a blighted landscape, escalating debt (both personal and national), stagnating incomes, fraying communities, and a host of other socioeconomic ills. That's a long list of charges, and it runs counter to orthodox economics, which argues that low price powers productivity by stimulating a brisk free market. But Shell marshals evidence from a wide range of fields---history, sociology, marketing, psychology, even economics itself---to upend the conventional wisdom. Cheap also unveils the fascinating and unsettling illogic that underpins our bargain-hunting reflex and explains how our deep-rooted need for bargains colors every aspect of our psyches and social lives. Editorial Reviews: How did Americans become the most voracious consumers in the world? This exposé unmasks the transformation of a frugal nation into one made up of the world's most notorious spendthrifts. Shell offers a historical perspective that spans the various steps of this transition at all levels of the economy - from department stores to supermarkets. Lorna Raver is an apt narrator for this title because her voice has the mature quality of one who may have seen some of the events she recounts. Her dry tone conveys the sardonic subtext that runs throughout the narrative as it switches between objective and subjective accounts in equal parts. She explains with gusto the growth of the discount market in the U.S. Critic Reviews: "Highly intelligent and disturbing.... Highly recommended." (Library Journal, Starred Review) Members Reviews: You Get What You Pay For? Ellen Shell in "Cheap" sets out to make sense of the discount culture that characterizes our economy. She accomplishes this with hardly a mention of WalMart! She relates how the discount economy has allowed us to eat shrimp in abundance (Red Lobster) and to purchase poorly built furniture from IKEA. She argues that we are trading low price for quality and that those low prices are not without "costs" to the environment and poor workers elsewhere. Her history of discount shopping is most informative and brings back names such as Woolworths and others long gone. Some of the material will be familiar to those who follow economics and business. However, there are surprises at every turn and disturbing issues that she raises. She hits the reader early and often with the understanding that we are quickly replacing quality goods with shoddy merchandise and our lives are less for the trade. I would suggest that this book be preceded or followed by Chris Anderson's "Free" which deals with technology driving the costs of some services to zero. Both Free and Cheap are well written and read.

Too Good to Be True Audiobook by Erin Arvedlund

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Erin Arvedlund) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:07:36 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Too Good to Be True Subtitle: The Rise and Fall of Bernie Madoff Author: Erin Arvedlund Narrator: Karen White Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins Language: English Release date: 11-16-09 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 24 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Erin Arvedlund, the financial reporter who questioned the amazing returns of Bernie Madoff's hedge funds way back in 2001, traces the life of the infamous swindler and addresses the tough questions surrounding the collapse of his Ponzi scheme. ©2009 Erin Arvedlund (P)2009 Tantor Editorial Reviews: Arvedlund provides a fascinating view of the financial dealings of Bernie Madoff, who was at the helm of a $65 billion Ponzi scheme that broke wide open in late 2008. The author digs deeply into Madoff's career to unravel the secret maneuverings that eventually wiped out investors from coast to coast - many of whom had invested all their savings with Madoff. Karen White narrates in a steady tone that sounds like broadcast reporter breaking a complicated story. White's flawless performance, combined with Arvedlund's exposé, draws the listener into this compelling story of financial sleight of hand. Listeners will be tempted to listen without a break. White's subtly inflected voice disappears into the background, placing the scandal - and those ruined by it - front and center. Members Reviews: Doesn't add much more that a lot of details. Arvedlund's book is a mostly boring financial account of the scandal, with little inside information into the why and how of the biggest ponzi scheme ever. Why not focus more on investigating the more interesting questions of why and when the scam started? It It seems like she is just trying to cash in on the Barron's article she wrote, which itself had little new information compared to the marhedge article that appeared before hers. Markopolis' account is much more interesting, containing a narrative that follows the timing of the event and his personal account of those events. Her's is however, thoroughly researched and presumably the most through and detailed account. Dry and Unorganized comes off like a book report. all the facts are there but there is no insight. the story is not told in any comprehendible fashion. The author jumps around chronologically and with the subject matter in each chapter and within the chapters. Seems like she rushed to get this book out and this would be really a first edit with probably another 6 months of work needed on the book. But hey who am I? I've never written a book. These are just my opinions.

Joseph Schumpeter and Dynamic Economical Change Audiobook by Laurence S. Moss

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Laurence S. Moss) — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 09:59:23 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Joseph Schumpeter and Dynamic Economical Change Author: Laurence S. Moss Narrator: Louis Rukeyser Format: Unabridged Length: 2 hrs and 31 mins Language: English Release date: 07-14-06 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 31 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Schumpeter called capitalism a process of "creative destruction" because it overthrows old routines and methods of production. But he recognized that this process is unstable, and therefore unsettling, for those who have become accustomed to established ways. Schumpeter predicted growing political opposition to capitalism, and a corresponding growth in socialism, in the 20th century. Members Reviews: great narration, too tough to understand Can't get much better than having Louis Ruckeyser narrate a book about Schumpeter. However, I think you need to be an economist to really understand this topic as laid out in the book. Dull and irritating Would you try another book from Laurence S. Moss and/or Louis Rukeyser? With a different narrator and style - perhaps, yes. What could Laurence S. Moss have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you? Learn to pronounce European names, the correct pronunciation of Schumpeter would be a start. How did the narrator detract from the book? Enormously. The use of What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment? Irritation Disappointing Would you try another book written by Laurence S. Moss or narrated by Louis Rukeyser? No - the writing did not cover the ground I expected. Would you ever listen to anything by Laurence S. Moss again? No. Have you listened to any of Louis Rukeysers other performances? How does this one compare? Have not listened to any others. Passages read in silly accents that I suppose were intended to sound like their authors' voices detracted from the performance. Any additional comments? I expected a book on Schumpeter's economic theories, but instead got a lot of biographical notes, a handful of quotations read in silly accents, and only a superficial overview of the economic theories. Very disappointing.

Simpler Audiobook by Cass R. Sunstein

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Cass R. Sunstein) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:22:54 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Simpler Subtitle: The Future of Government Author: Cass R. Sunstein Narrator: Joel Leffert Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins Language: English Release date: 06-12-13 Publisher: Recorded Books Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 28 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Simpler government arrived four years ago. It helped put money in your pocket. It saved hours of your time. It improved your children's diet, lengthened your life span, and benefited businesses large and small. It did so by issuing fewer regulations, by insisting on smarter regulations, and by eliminating or improving old regulations. Cass R. Sunstein, as administrator of the most powerful White House office you never heard of, oversaw it and explains how it works, why government will never be the same again (thank goodness), and what must happen in the future. Cutting-edge research in behavioral economics has influenced business and politics. Long at the forefront of that research, Sunstein, for three years President Obama's "regulatory czar" heading the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, oversaw a far-reaching restructuring of America's regulatory state. In this highly anticipated book, Sunstein pulls back the curtain to show what was done, why Americans are better off as a result, and what the future has in store. The evidence is all around you, and more is coming soon. Simplified mortgages and student loan applications. Scorecards for colleges and universities. Improved labeling of food and energy-efficient appliances and cars. Calories printed on chain restaurant menus. Healthier food in public schools. Backed by historic executive orders ensuring transparency and accountability, simpler government can be found in new initiatives that save money and time, improve health, and lengthen lives. Simpler: The Future of Government will transform what you think government can and should accomplish. Members Reviews: Redundant Avoid this book if you know anything about "nudging" or if you understand concepts quickly. This is and article masquerading as a book.

Unintended Consequences Audiobook by Edward Conard

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Edward Conard) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 18:27:29 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Unintended Consequences Subtitle: Why Everything Youve Been Told about the Economy Is Wrong Author: Edward Conard Narrator: Malcolm Hillgartner Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins Language: English Release date: 06-07-12 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 57 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In the aftermath of the financial crisis, many commonly held beliefs have emerged to explain its cause. Conventional wisdom blames Wall Street and the mortgage industry for using low down payments, teaser rates, and other predatory tactics to seduce unsuspecting home owners into assuming mortgages they couldnt afford. It blames average Americans for borrowing recklessly and spending too much. And it blames the tax policies and deregulatory environment of the Reagan and Bush administrations for encouraging reckless risk taking by wealthy individuals and financial institutions. But according toUnintended Consequences, the conventional wisdom masks the real causes of our economic disruption and puts us at risk of a slew of unintendedand potentially dangerousconsequences. Unintended Consequencesis not a book that takes a couple of insights and expands them into 300 pages; rather, it covers the entire scope of the economy. Its a fascinating and contrarian case for how the economyreallyworks, what went wrong over the past decade, and what steps we can take to start growing again. Whether you agree with the books provocative and counterintuitive conclusions or not,Unintended Consequenceswill reward you with a sophisticated understanding of the contemporary economyone no other book has yet provided. Edward Conard was a partner at Bain Capital from 1993 to 2007. He served as the head of Bains New York office and led the firms acquisitions of large industrial companies. Prior to that he worked for Wasserstein Perella, an investment bank that specialized in mergers and acquisitions. He lives in New York City. Critic Reviews: "There are an amazing number of good ideas and interesting points made in this book." (Steven Levitt, coauthor of Freakonomics) "Unintended Consequenceswill be the most talked about economics book in 2012." (Kevin Hassett, Senior Fellow and Director of Economic Policy, American Enterprise Institute) "Ed Conards book presents the most cogent and persuasive analysis of the financial crisis to date." (Andrei Shleifer, Bates Clark Medal winner, Harvard University) Members Reviews: FOOD FOR THOUGHT An interesting perspective on the fiscal crisis, taxation, social programs and why the middle class is shrinking. Very thought provoking. Some points I could recognize and agree with but others left me scratching my head. I may have to listen again. EXCELLENT BOOK This book can only be described as outstanding. Mr. Conard has been able to discuss the reasons for the 2008 financial crisis in a clear and concise manner as well as give concrete suggestions for what government policies should entail so that our economy can return to 'normal' post-recession growth rates. While I am a fiscal conservative and believer in the strength of the free market system and therefore bias to Mr. Conard's point of view, I feel that this book should be required reading for all, as even those who believe in more governement intervention in our economy will be forced to reflect on the points that Mr. Conard drives home. While some portions of the books may get a little overly technical for an non-financial person, I feel that anyone with an above average level of intelligence will be able to easily get through those sections and will then be able to understand how Mr. Conard comes to his conclusions.

The Bankers' New Clothes Audiobook by Anat Admat, Martin Hellwig

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Anat Admat) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:13:43 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Bankers' New Clothes Author: Anat Admat, Martin Hellwig Narrator: Eva Wilhelm Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins Language: English Release date: 04-18-13 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 36 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: What is wrong with today's banking system? The past few years have shown that risks in banking can impose significant costs on the economy. Many claim, however, that a safer banking system would require sacrificing lending and economic growth. The Bankers' New Clothes examines this claim and the narratives used by bankers, politicians, and regulators to rationalize the lack of reform, exposing them as invalid. Admati and Hellwig argue that we can have a safer and healthier banking system without sacrificing any of the benefits of the system, and at essentially no cost to society. They show that banks are as fragile as they are not because they must be, but because they want to be - and they get away with it. Whereas this situation benefits bankers, it distorts the economy and exposes the public to unnecessary risks. Weak regulation and ineffective enforcement allowed the build-up of risks that ushered in the financial crisis of 2007-2009. Much can be done to create a better system and prevent crises. Yet the lessons from the crisis have not been learned. Admati and Hellwig seek to engage the broader public in the debate by cutting through the jargon of banking, clearing the fog of confusion, and presenting the issues in simple and accessible terms. The Bankers' New Clothes calls for ambitious reform and outlines specific and highly beneficial steps that can be taken immediately. Members Reviews: Connecting many dots, but urges a particular view Fortunately, the authors do raise arguments made by the banking establishment side of these debates, if only to give them short shrift and dismiss them. To that extent, it has enough intellectual honesty to keep me listening (along with its pretty comprehensive coverage). However, I would have preferred a more thorough exploration of opposing points of view. My perception is, this book does not hesitate at any point to tell me what I should think and conclude about these topics. I find I must filter it while listening in real time, considering and weighing the counter-arguments I know exist. Given all that, it is definitely a worthwhile expenditure of my time. It is good to see banking issues described around familiar accounting conventions such as balance sheet items. In depth argument This book illustrates an in depth argument and research against the financial industry as a whole and how policy and regulation currently interact and how they could interact in the future as opposed how they should interact. It was a great book, redundant at times although I could see the re backing of some arguments essential to get the over all message through. Needs a more energetic reader for the audiobook version! The current voice is extremely monotone. With that being said you must posses an interest in finance. Very dry and academic but with a dramatic punchlin Bottom line is we have taken no action to prevent another financial crisis because bankers own our political actors. The arguments to avoid regulation are flawed and self serving to bankers. A good book on financial regulation. Wy6 banks need more equity, no excuses. Good, simple explanations, although at times a little simplistic. The simple solution to a centuries old problem? The book well describes some of the wrong incentives prevalent in the financial industry before the crisis and still today. It also offers one simple solution to fix all this in perpetuity.

Hoodwinked Audiobook by John Perkins

biacuaduc@gmail.com (John Perkins) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:35:29 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Hoodwinked Subtitle: An Economic Hit Man Reveals Why the World Financial Markets Imploded Author: John Perkins Narrator: David Ackroyd Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins Language: English Release date: 11-10-09 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 130 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Here, Perkins pulls back the curtain on the real cause of the current global financial meltdown. He shows how we've been hoodwinked by the CEOs who run the corporatocracy - those few corporations that control the vast amounts of capital, land, and resources around the globe - and the politicians they manipulate. These corporate fat cats, Perkins explains, have sold us all on what he calls predatory capitalism, a misguided form of geopolitics and capitalism that encourages a widespread exploitation of the many to benefit a small number of the already very wealthy. Their arrogance, gluttony, and mismanagement have brought us to this perilous edge. The solution is not a "return to normal". But there is a way out. As Perkins makes clear, we can create a healthy economy that will encourage businesses to act responsibly, not only in the interests of their shareholders and corporate partners (and the lobbyists they have in their pockets), but in the interests of their employees, their customers, the environment, and society at large. We can create a society that fosters a just, sustainable, and safe world for us and our children. Each one of us makes these choices every day, in ways that are clearly spelled out in this book. "We hold the power", he says, "if only we recognize it." Hoodwinked is a powerful polemic that shows not only how we arrived at this precarious point in our history but also what we must do to stop the gl... Members Reviews: Concise world view by very problematic author In a way I feel hoodwinked by the author now that I have read his 3 major books because they all say the same thing in a long and drawn out way and I have to say if you want to buy one of these books get the last ones and skip paying money for repetition. I believe Perkins describes the world of the "corporatocracy" as he sees it and has apparently experienced it well. It seems to make sense and be consistent. My problem is Perkins himself. Here is a guy who has everything, he operated as a self-described hit man (economic) for some long amount of time, enough to amass a lot of wealth, power and a network, and only then he turned on his masters and his way of life and wrote a rather superficial expose. Perkins has his cake and eats it too. What did he really do, and what is he holding back? He must have lots of "EHM" connections around the world whose stories he could add to his books,and describe more of how this corporatocracy works instead of handwaving. Certainly the names are changed, and the story rings enough true that he does not have to get, nor does he get very specific about much that he writes about. Towards the end almost in order to avoid being specific he starts to get new-agey about the whole subject and has in fact apparently written books about shape-shifting, turning into animals or existing on the spirtual plane which seems to me to appeal to a certain kind of not very analytic reader. It seems that is the audience he is aiming for the folks who are not very analytical or logical. Do a search on Google for blogs where his stuff gets mentioned and you can see what I mean. If this guy was really who and what he claimed I would think he could appeal to a more intellectual crowd. So as I read Perkins' books I am stuck in uncertainty of the value of reading the book.

Pricing the Future Audiobook by George Szpiro

biacuaduc@gmail.com (George Szpiro) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:51:25 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Pricing the Future Subtitle: Finance, Physics, and the 300-Year Journey to the Black-Scholes Equation Author: George Szpiro Narrator: Brian Troxell Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins Language: English Release date: 11-29-11 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 121 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Options have been traded for hundreds of years, but investment decisions were based on gut feelings until the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the Black-Scholes options pricing model in 1973 ushered in the era of the quants. Wall Street would never be the same. In Pricing the Future, financial economist George G. Szpiro tells the fascinating stories of the pioneers of mathematical finance who conducted the search for the elusive options pricing formula. From the broker's assistant who published the first mathematical explanation of financial markets to Albert Einstein and other scientists who looked for a way to explain the movement of atoms and molecules, Pricing the Future retraces the historical and intellectual developments that ultimately led to the widespread use of mathematical models to drive investment strategies on Wall Street. Critic Reviews: "One of the major intellectual achievements of the 20th century was the theory of option pricing. This is its story, and its absolutely fascinating." (Robert P. Inman, Richard K. Mellon Professor of Finance and Economics, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania) "[A] fascinating historical account.... Those who think finance is a science will be surprised by the serendipitous events that delayed the discovery of the option-pricing formula by 73 years; those who think finance is an art will be shocked by the deep connections between option-pricing, physics, and probability theory." (Andrew Lo, Harris & Harris Group Professor of Finance and Director of the Laboratory for Financial Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) "Szpiros tale should fascinate readers who follow the markets." (Booklist) Members Reviews: Petty details detract from the topic I am disappointed. A good popularization, I think, should use colorful stories and details to support a strong, informative walk through the topic. The author who dumps in a profusion of trivia, for whatever reason, without careful editing, is using up my precious time to deliver something I didn't ask for. After a strong opening, I found myself in long stretches of petty technicalities and names of various things that do not support understanding (poorly pronounced in the case of oh-so-many foreign words). Each side-story might claim to be interesting, but please be relevant! On the other hand, a good popularization should elegantly walk me into the technicalities of the topic. Here I felt like we went from a slide show of someone's tedious vacation pictures too steeply into the technical content. By comparison, Emanuel Derman in "My Life as a Quant," for all his digressing and wanderings, displeasing as that could be, rewarded my patience with elegant passages on Black-Scholes and related topics and personalities. When he got onto the subject, he nailed it. Interesting story, terrible accents! Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? If you're interested in the history of finance and financial theory, then yes this is a nice soft introduction. The author does a reasonably good job of spicing up the fairly dry material with interesting stories that help place the events in their historical setting. What do you think the narrator could have done better? The book is filled with names, terms and phrases from French, Spanish, Latin and other languages.

Paper Promises Audiobook by Philip Coggan

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Philip Coggan) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:18:02 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Paper Promises Subtitle: Debt, Money, and the New World Order Author: Philip Coggan Narrator: George Backman Format: Unabridged Length: 12 hrs Language: English Release date: 02-22-12 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 37 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: For the past 40 years Western economies have splurged on debt. Now, as the reality dawns that many debts cannot be repaid, we find ourselves again in crisis. But the oncoming defaults have a time-worn place in our economic history. As with the crises in the 1930s and 1970s, governments will fall, currencies will lose their value, and new systems will emerge. Just as Britain set the terms of the international system in the 19th century, and America in the 20th century, a new system will be set by today's creditors in China and the Middle East. In the process, rich will be pitted against poor, young against old, public sector workers against taxpayers, and one country against another. In Paper Promises, Economist columnist Philip Coggan helps us to understand the origins of this mess and how it will affect the new global economy, by explaining how our attitudes toward debt have changed throughout history, and how they may be about to change again. Members Reviews: Great intro and overview on money, banking, debt This book is well-organized, very clear, and very comprehensive on its subjects. It has 10 books' worth of stuff, as I have rummaged around through similar titles picking out scraps of what is all laid out here, a-b-c, 1-2-3: the terminology, the history, etc. It gives a very complete history of money and debt, without bogging down in incidental details (as some authors seem tempted to pack in, perhaps to give an impressively big book). This is one of the better-edited books I have read. The author has positions and opinions, but always gives plenty of room in the discussion, indicating various voices on the important topics of the world's handling debt imbalances going forward. The narrator has a fine voice and style that serves the material well. This is not a personal finance book. As the title suggests, it is about the big picture, but I find it very pertinent to my political thought, plans and expectations. I wish I read a book like this long ago. A Must Read Anyone wanting an objective view on how the current economic crises came about - minus the political biases of course - this is a great book to start with. It's not an exhaustive study, but a good primer that will lead the curious truth seeker to other good research as well.

The Shadow Market Audiobook by Eric J. Weiner

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Eric J. Weiner) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 23:35:35 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Shadow Market Subtitle: How a Group of Wealthy Nations and Powerful Investors Secretly Dominate the World Author: Eric J. Weiner Narrator: John Allen Nelson Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins Language: English Release date: 09-24-10 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 12 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Eric J. Weiner's critically acclaimed first book, What Goes Up: The Uncensored History of Modern Wall Street as Told by the Bankers, Brokers, CEOs, and Scoundrels Who Made It Happen, was selected as one of the year's best books by Barron's magazine and one of the year's Most Enriching Reads by Kiplinger's. Weiner has demonstrated a deep knowledge of Wall Street and how the international financial world operates. Now, in The Shadow Market, he reveals that an enormous reshuffling of global fiscal power is taking place - and that Americans are powerless to stop it. Most of us are unaware of the multitrillion-dollar network of super-rich, secretive, and largely unregulated investment vehicles - foreign sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds, and hedge funds - that are quietly buying up the world, piece by piece. The Shadow Market tells the definitive story behind this side of high finance, the side most people rarely get to see. It doesnt have a physical headquarters, like Wall Street or the New York Stock Exchange, or an index to track. But it's there, pulling the levers behind the curtain. Weiner investigates the evolution of the international market that now dominates the global financial world - where money mixes with geopolitical power, sometimes invisibly, and other times quite publicly. Highly informative and sometimes startling, The Shadow Market is an urgent warning to the worldwide community and a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of the global economy, America's position in the world, or how and where to invest money. Critic Reviews: "Informative, admirably lucid." (Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: Lots of Shady Characters Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? Yes, I would still recommend this book simply for the content of the work. What aspect of John Allen Nelsons performance would you have changed? John's narration was just fine until he tried to do characterizations using accents. The work became almost (cartoonish) and I think really took away from the subject matter at hand. It really would have been better just to read the story. I can imagine well enough on my own the voices of the people he was trying to emulate. Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry? Is wincing an extreme reaction? Sigh... This is so obvious, it's a waste. Dark pools, private trading, off market, non-traditional asset trading, Sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds, etc. This is nothing new. If you spend more than 5 minutes in the trading world or have CNBC on in the background for a week, you'll figure this out. Let me sum up the book in a few words: "People with more money trade bigger and therefore have greater influence." I want my time back wasted on this book. It is so uninformative that it just boggles the mind that it was actually published. I don't find anything in this book that warrants anything but pure contempt. You want to learn something about this financial crises read Michael Lewis, he actually was a trader/I-Banker with an axe to grind.

Done Audiobook by Jacques Peretti

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jacques Peretti) — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 08:29:25 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Done Subtitle: The Billion Dollar Deals and How They're Changing Our World Author: Jacques Peretti Narrator: Jacques Peretti Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 42 mins Language: English Release date: 07-27-17 Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 3 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: What if the way we understand our world is wrong? What if it isn't politicians and events that shape our lives but secret deals made by people you've never heard of? This book tells the story of the secret deals that are changing the world and revolutionising everything we do, including money, the food we eat, what we buy and the drugs we take to stay well. These deals never make the news: they are made high up in boardrooms, on golf courses and in luxury cars, each sealed by world-changing handshakes. This is the story of those handshakes. Members Reviews: I couldn't stop listening This is like a business version of 'Sapiens' and 'Homo deus'. A must read for anyone. Oh dear... Cliches and contradictions run rampant in this book, which wrongly claims to be based on fact and reveal dark capitalist conspiracies and collaborations. It can at best be described as a thought provoking polemic. Please read with caution! Thought provoking read. Listened to this on Audible. Found it fascinatining but so much information had to replay a few times. Definitely a good read for anyone interested in how decisions are made, backed up with facts not conspiracy theories. Five stars! Excellent stuff business. A very informative and easy listening eye opener into the shady side of government and big business. Sneaky governments. Loved it. Cant believe how they hide things from us to ensure they personally look after themselves.

This Land Is Their Land Audiobook by Barbara Ehrenreich

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Barbara Ehrenreich) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:49:40 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: This Land Is Their Land Subtitle: Reports from a Divided Nation Author: Barbara Ehrenreich Narrator: Cassandra Campbell Format: Unabridged Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins Language: English Release date: 07-17-08 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 61 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Here they are, the 2000s, and in This Land Is Their Land, Ehrenreich subjects them to the most biting and incisive satire of her career. Taking the measure of what we are left with after the cruelest decade in memory, Ehrenreich finds lurid extremes all around. While members of the moneyed elite can buy congressmen, many in the working class can barely buy lunch. While a wealthy minority obsessively consumes cosmetic surgery, the poor often go without health care for their children. And while the corporate C-suites are now nests of criminality, the less fortunate are fed a diet of morality, marriage, and abstinence. Ehrenreich's antidotes are as sardonic as they are spot-on: pet insurance for your kids; Salvation Army fashions for those who can no longer afford Wal-Mart; and boundless rage against those who have given us a nation scarred by deepening inequality, corroded by distrust, and shamed by its official cruelty. Editorial Reviews: In this collection of short essays, Ehrenreich takes on her usual topics - economic and social injustice, the exploitation of the poor by the rich, the diminishment of American freedoms and of the middle class - all from her usual strongly populist viewpoint. Cassandra Campbell's voice is pleasant and professional. Perhaps it's too soothing - it could have a bit more edge, given Ehrenreich's nearly constant use of sardonic mockery, satire, and plain old disdain. Misreadings and mispronunciations, while few, are glaring. Still, Campbell expresses the feelings the text conveys (though never very strongly), modulates her voice skillfully, and is easy to listen to. The listener will recall the audio more than the print reader, which is perhaps not a bad thing. Critic Reviews: "Provocative, angry and funny, often at the same time." ( Kirkus)"[Ehrenreich's] passion, compassion and wit keep these excursions lively and timely." ( Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: Laundry list of sins against the average joe. It contained no new insights just the age old laundry list of sins by corporate / state interests and the seemingly endless bull Americans will endure. This was obviously a 'preach to the choir' piece. Pretty much pointless overall. I love the author, but... I enjoyed "Nickel and Dimed," so I was excited to discover another book by the same author. Those I agreed with the views presented, it dissolved into a somewhat-disorganized political rant. Refreshing take I would start off that my most Conservative friends would probably starting offering a lot of foul language at the author, if they read this book. At first, I notices all the material which appears in her other books. She does good work, and I've read and enjoyed those works, but, at first, I was a little concerned that there would little or nothing new on offer. What I found instead was a much broader approach and, in the end, quite refreshing. This is one way to look at America today, and our many issues. I think it's a refreshing view, and something we need to keep an eye on. required reading This should be required reading punishable by imprisonment in prison in Guantanamo if not read by all Fox News watchers and Sarah Palin supporters. Good enough Worth a listen if and only if 1. Your a bit liberal. Conservatives probably would rather not hear facts.

Money Mania Audiobook by Bob Swarup

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Bob Swarup) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 23:53:09 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Money Mania Subtitle: A Human History of Financial Speculation Author: Bob Swarup Narrator: Derek Perkins Format: Unabridged Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins Language: English Release date: 02-25-14 Publisher: Audible Studios for Bloomsbury Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 14 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Money Mania is a sweeping account of financial speculation and its consequences, from ancient Rome to the Meltdown of 2008. Acclaimed journalist and investor Bob Swarup tracks the history of speculative fevers caused by the appearance of new profitable investment opportunities; the new assets created and the increasing self-congratulatory euphoria that drives them to unsustainable highs, all fed by an illusion of insight and newly minted experts; the unexpected catalysts that eventually lead to panic; the inevitable crash as investors scramble to withdraw their funds from the original market and any other that might resemble it; and finally, the brevity of financial memory that allows us to repeat the cycle without ever critically evaluating the drivers of this endless cycle. In short, it is the story of what makes us human. Members Reviews: This Should Be A Must Read For All What made the experience of listening to Money Mania the most enjoyable? The combination of historic anchors on key turning points in economies throughout the ages and there connection to individual and group human foibles is fascinating and brings a real insight in to how economies continue to rise and fall This should be a must read for anyone wanting to learn more about how recent and past boom & busts are intrinsicly linked to future financial ebb and flows Great work

Blockchain Innovative and Modern Financial Framework That Will Revolutionize the Next Digital

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Isaac D. Cody) — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 23:28:30 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Blockchain Innovative and Modern Financial Framework That Will Revolutionize the Next Digital Economy with Blockchain Technology Author: Isaac D. Cody Narrator: Kevin Theis Format: Unabridged Length: 1 hr and 23 mins Language: English Release date: 06-09-17 Publisher: Isaac D. Cody Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 46 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Just as the steam engine and the railroads were the cog of the Industrial Revolution, blockchain is the cog in the next Internet revolution and that time is now! Be part of the next advancement of technology that's not mainstream yet. The blockchain revolution is here! Learn everything you need to know about blockchain and how you can get involve in the next digital ecosystem. Within the contents of this book, you will learn: There are certain moments in time where we can pinpoint the catalyst of a drastic and transcendent changes that will affect us all in one form or another. Whether it's the discovery of fire, the technological advances of an iPhone, the next change that will our financial, technological, and economical innovation is hands down with blockchain. Get your copy today and learn everything you need to know in leveraging the rising and hidden powers of blockchain! Members Reviews: Thankful I took this book! Any additional comments? I did noy know block chain technology was thid popular. This book explains really well and also tackles some of myths The author is really knowledgeable about the subje Any additional comments? I used to think about blockchain in terms of Bitcoin and other digital currencies, but there's more to it. Read on to understand how blockchain improves security and why it is important for any individual or business in the coming years. Great help! What did you love best about Blockchain Innovative and Modern Financial Framework That Will Revolutionize the Next Digital Economy with Blockchain Technology? All topics were great! What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative? Narrated well and understandable voice. What does Kevin Theis bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book? About Blockchain and explained it well. Any additional comments? Blockchain is the cog in the next Internet revolution. Advancement of technology that's not a mainstream yet, it contains a timestamp and a link to a previous block. A blockchain is typically managed by a peer-to-peer network and adhering to a protocol for validating new blocks. By design, blockchains are inherently resistant to modification of the data. These was very detailed, clear and good for beginners! Great introduction and overview I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about blockchains. fine explanations and there is also a lot of food for thought about the future of the technology. Still, there are a couple of problems. For example, no mention of some of the major blockchains included Ethereum, Ripple and Factom? Baffling! Another issue I noticed was that in Chapter 7 (Legality Issues) the text in the second point - which addresses multiple signatures - differs from the Kindle version. Does blockchain support escrow signors or not? Okay, could be a problem in the Kindle edition and not this version. I still have to give this 5 stars because it's such a difficult topic to cover in such a short book. Plus, it makes the subject interesting enough to encourage readers to explore blockchains further.

Summary of Liar's Poker, by Michel Lewis | Includes Analysis Audiobook by Instaread

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Instaread) — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 16:37:14 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Summary of Liar's Poker, by Michel Lewis | Includes Analysis Author: Instaread Narrator: Michael Gilboe Format: Unabridged Length: 28 mins Language: English Release date: 03-14-16 Publisher: Instaread Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 3 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Summary of Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis | Includes Analysis Preview: Liar's Poker is the story of the investment banking firm Salomon Brothers during the tenure of CEO John Gutfreund, lasting from 1978-1991, and to a lesser extent, a description of the wider financial world of the 1980s. The growth of Wall Street firms like Salomon Brothers was boosted by government deregulation, which allowed for the growth and creation of risky mortgage-backed securities and high-yield junk bonds during this period. During the 1980s, Salomon Brothers was the largest investment banking firm in the United States.... Please note: This is key takeaways and analysis of the book and not the original book. Inside this Instaread Summary of Liar's Poker: Members Reviews: The rise and fall of Solomon Brothers Liar's Poker was, at least when I first encountered it, the kind of book a lot of people talked about but not that many got around to reading. If you are one of the ones who read it, first that is really cool, and second you're not going to find more than refresher material here. This is a faithful analysis that draws only sparingly from external sources. If you haven't yet read it,and are curious, you'll find a lot here to like. It details first the deregulation of banking starting in 1979 and how that led to runaway growth in the banking sector, but growth that could not be sustained, leading eventually to the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980s. It then goes into the unique business culture of Solomon Brothers, where it did well and where it was short sighted. It lacks in the colorful stories of the original, but makes it up in clear, concise summation of the main points. I received a copy for honest review, and honestly, I thought it was really good. An inside look at why the real estate bubble burst that just might surprise you Michael Lewis, a freelance finance writer, worked for several years at Salomon Brothers, an investment bank, when it was under the leadership of CEO John Gutfreund. During this time he observed from the inside the behavior and attitudes that led to the disastrous collapse of the real estate securities market. His book on the experience gives a depressing look inside the kinds of companies that have our financial futures in their often incompetent and uncaring hands. A hard-hitting, no-holds-barred take on the world of high finance that often resembles a rowdy frat house more than an adult institution, it is recommended reading for anyone who wants to know more about how the world financial market was brought to ruin. Summary of Liarâs Poker by Michael Lewis by Instaread gives an excellent overview of the book and just might make you want to read the whole thing to get the details. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. Great companion to the book This summary is a good refresher on Michael Lewis's bestseller, Liar's Poker. The world of investment banking and bond trading, (think Michael Millken in the 80s), hasn't changed so the title is still relevant. I bought the book and read it when it came out years ago and got this Instaread for a quick overview. The summary is well-written and concise and really does take only about 15 minutes to read, which is one big reason I love them.

In Defense of Globalization Audiobook by Jagdish Bhagwati

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Jagdish Bhagwati) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:29:44 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: In Defense of Globalization Author: Jagdish Bhagwati Narrator: Sunil Malhotra Format: Unabridged Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins Language: English Release date: 12-10-09 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 22 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In the passionate debate that currently rages over globalization, critics have been heard blaming it for a host of ills afflicting poorer nations - everything from child labor to environmental degradation and cultural homogenization. Now Jagdish Bhagwati, the internationally renowned economist, takes on the critics, revealing that globalization, when properly governed, is in fact the most powerful force for social good in the world today. Drawing on his unparalleled knowledge of international and development economics, Bhagwati explains why the "gotcha" examples of the critics are often not as compelling as they seem. With the wit and wisdom for which he is renowned, Bhagwati convincingly shows that globalization is part of the solution, not part of the problem . Critic Reviews: "In this elegant book, one of the world's preeminent economists distills his thinking about globalization for the lay reader....[T]his is a substantial study that is as about as enjoyable - and reassuring - a work of economics as may be possible to write in this uncertain age." (Publishers Weekly) Members Reviews: thoughtful book marred by a sub-standard reading I think the anarchists who go around smashing store fronts or patriots lobbying others to buy American even when better products are made abroad or protesters of WTO meetings with uninformed slogans, etc. should first read this insightful and thoughtful book. Bhagwati isn't a rigid and doctrinaire ideologue for neo-classical economics with its mindless and unrealistic assumptions which lead to formulaic answers to complicated and involved real-life problems. He concedes that econometric analysis comes with huge margins of error and should only serve as a rough guide and is little better than "flights of fancy." Nor is he some libertarian in support of corporate interests (he supports bypassing patents on life-saving and life-extending drugs for poor countries, foreign capital restraints, trade adjustment assistance payment, etc.). Thankfully, won't find rational agents nor maximizing output nor marginal utility nor supply and demand analysis, etc.. He does accept Ricardian comparative advantage but also accepts that this can easily disappear and gradually changes over time (Staples Theory). Don't worry the concepts are fairly easy to comprehend for the layperson and are explained. His writing style in some passages to the listener is a bit too convoluted and I would have preferred the occasional short pithy sentence to keep me on track of the main gist of his argument. So I had to rewind and re-listen to a few passages. I was most impressed with his understanding of the politics at the WTO level and his perspective from poor nations. He does though blithely support GM foods and their unfettered proliferation and pooh-poohs the EU's opposition. Bhagwati also dismisses out of hand such concepts as "precautionary principle," "fair trade," and "sustainable development" for being irredeemably vague. You may or may not agree with his positions on a lot of issues but at the end of the a-book you'll have to admit that he offers reasoned position that demands to be consi... Challenging and Insightful Instead of writing a glowing review, I will simply say that this book was worth my time if only for the exposure to the many sides of debate on globalization.

How the West Was Lost Audiobook by Dambisa Moyo

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Dambisa Moyo) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:27:37 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: How the West Was Lost Subtitle: Fifty Years of Economic Folly - and the Stark Choices Ahead Author: Dambisa Moyo Narrator: Anne Flosnik Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins Language: English Release date: 02-15-11 Publisher: Tantor Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: In How the West Was Lost, the New York Times best-selling author Dambisa Moyo offers a bold account of the decline of the economic supremacy of the West. She examines how the West's flawed financial decisions and blinkered political and military choices have resulted in an economic and geopolitical seesaw that is now poised to tip in favor of the emerging world. As Western economies hover on the brink of recession, emerging economies post double-digit growth rates. And whereas in the past, emerging economies lived and died by America's economic performance, now they look to other emerging countries to buy their goods and fuel their success. Formerly a consultant for the World Bank and an investment banker specializing in emerging markets at Goldman Sachs, Moyo daringly claims that the West can no longer afford to simply regard the up-and-comers as menacing gate-crashers. How the West Was Lost reveals not only the economic myopia of the West but also the radical solutions that it needs to adopt in order to assert itself as a global economic power once again. Members Reviews: Odd A Highly Recommended Book - Fluffy Metaphor First of all I am extremely disappointed with this book. The author has impressive credentials and Dead Aid is on my reading list. However, this book is at best Fluffy Metaphor and seems at times to be the ramblings of someone who took a first year economics or MBA course and decided to impart the little they did learn In this rather brief book. The book does start out impressively looking at factors in both the US and China and then there is the slow slides down, down, down to her 5 scenarios. Really, I dont need a first year economics course. I was looking for a more topical discussion of the US and Chinese economies, and this was just not the book it was advertised to be. I expected more and got nothing In return. Peter Navarro's Coming China War is much better. Skip this book. Summary: The state is the answer to everything This book was really disappointing. I bought it because I had seen Moyo speak quite intelligently on aid to Africa. However, this work aimlessly wanders from topic to topic, making poorly thought out arguments with only two common themes: 1. The West is wrong, and "The Rest" are right. 2. More state involvement is the answer. The book pretty much ignores the overall historical trend, which has been that The West has gained more state involvement in everything and The East has rolled back its state involvement (most notably in recent times, China). It also doesn't bring any new ideas or information to the table. It just re-hashes the same tired statistics that Chinese students spend longer in school, graduate university in greater numbers, etc etc. In addition to not addressing this stark problem with its main thesis (see two points above), the book makes a number of wacky and self-contradictory factual claims, which further supported the idea for me that the author just wasn't thinking when she wrote it.

Supermoney Audiobook by Adam Smith

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Adam Smith) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:47:13 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Supermoney Author: Adam Smith Narrator: Adam Zink Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins Language: English Release date: 02-05-10 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 14 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Supermoney may be even more relevant today than when it was first published nearly 25 years ago. Written in the bright and funny style that became Adam Smith's trademark, this book gives a view inside institutions, professionals, and the nature of markets that has rarely been shown before or since. "Adam Smith" was the first to introduce an obscure fund manager in Omaha, Nebraska, named Warren Buffett. In this new edition, Smith provides a fresh perspective in an updated Preface that contextualizes the applicability of the markets of the 1960s and 1970s to today's markets. Things change, but sometimes the more they change, the more they stay the same. Members Reviews: Terrible This audio book is NOT Complete. It's a 300 pages book and the audio book only reads about 50 pages(chapter 4). Audible should give me my money back Supermoney This was the biggest rip-off I've ever seen from Audible, ever. This was listed as "unabridged"...covers a tiny bit of one topic then a small snippet of another then it is done. Seriously, Audible should just pull this from the library or at least charge maybe $5 for it.........TOTAL ripoff. A world-wise, light-hearted, funny walk ... ... through behavioral economics, before it had the name: I had lately read the first book in this series, 'The Money Game,' in print, and enjoyed it. This picks up in the same continuous tongue-in-cheek, footloose tone, into the early 70s. It is like 'The Go-Go Years' also found here in audio, but sketched in quicker little portraits of knaves and fools all across the investment world (but no less wise and instructive for that). Plenty is pertinent and even prescient for repeated trips through herd stupidity seen in markets since then. (The Swiss bankers vignette could fit today's news. And the musings on the Swiss are worth the price of admission). The narrator has just the right laconic tone, but he is awful at pronouncing any word not simply and obviously domestic-American-English. He is at a pre-college level, making a hash of anyone's name (a widely literate personal would know) and any city or street name (a cultured-literate person would know). It is seriously distracting listening to him make a hash of, e.g., "subsidiary," "Basel," "strasse," "Cuernavaca," "antennae" .... Yup, that's right. Fortunately I can wince and enjoy the book. The way investors (retail or for their own account) as well as various partners and other bigger financial wigs are suckered, hoisted on their own petards, is completely familiar, and can be amusing from a safe distance. This coincides with odd snips from here or there such as the appearance of a certain sort of pre-Jobs figure: an "acid-head arbitrageur" (yes, mispronounced) worthy of a Peter Sellers character sketch. Many a character of various stripes stumbles into the miasma of the 70s, like straight-faced insects into a complicated trap, and I was old enough by then (and stumbling enough) to enjoy this now. Here, entertainment meets cynical world-wisdom. Yes, the tech booms were flaring up back then, tech stars, hot names and the mystique of hot investments going through the same tilt-a-whirl. The pitches to investors are mighty familiar.

Scandal! Audiobook by The Editors of Fortune Magazine

biacuaduc@gmail.com (The Editors of Fortune Magazine) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 15:08:47 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Scandal! Subtitle: Amazing Tales of Scandals that Shocked the World and Shaped Modern Business Author: The Editors of Fortune Magazine Narrator: Dennis Holland Format: Unabridged Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins Language: English Release date: 08-19-13 Publisher: Audible Studios Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 25 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Greed, cupidity, corruption, and a kind of gluttony so outrageous that it's laughable have always been part of business. Consider, for example, the case of the Swedish match king. At one time, Ivar Kreuger, manufactured almost half of the world's matches, with monopolies in 16 countries. He had so much money that he was a reliable lender to many countries, becoming known as the 'saviour of Europe' for his willingness to give aid to banks crippled by World War I. At the time of the 1929 market crash, his was the most widely held stock in the world. When he killed himself three years later, the whole thing went up in flames. The company's debts exceeded those of the entire Swedish government, as it was based on a gigantic pyramid scheme. Other examples in this book will include the story of Enron, of which "Fortune Magazine" was the first to break the news. Orange County bankcruptcy, Sotheby's and Al Taubman, and many more... Members Reviews: Reads like a magazine, for better or worse By "better," I mean it is light and entertaining, as business fare goes, and has enough detail to give a sketch of the histories, personalities and so on. By "worse" I mean it dwells on superficial but attention-getting things like the perks of the scandal-mongers and their more glaring eccentricities, rather than really digging into deal details. In this phase of my business-finance education and sophistication, I tire quickly of the list of silly consumer goods and the mistresses and such that many of these characters pursue. So, I listen to this as a "relaxation" business book, when I am a little fatigued or distracted. In those times when I am more focused and really wanting to learn with precision, this shallow flashiness bores me. A person earlier or less sophisticated in business studies may benefit from the listenable quality of this -- I would term it "sugar coated." So much scandal...so little time Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? Absolutely! I am getting my masters in economic crime and fraud management so this book was right up my alley. My classmates (and in theory my professors) would enjoy this just as much. It doesn't just focus on the most recent scandals, but goes back to scandals from the 1930s. Good narration as well.

The Predator State Audiobook by James K. Galbraith

biacuaduc@gmail.com (James K. Galbraith) — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:36:37 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Predator State Subtitle: How Conservatives Abandoned the Free Market and Why Liberals Should Too Author: James K. Galbraith Narrator: William Hughes Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins Language: English Release date: 05-18-09 Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc. Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 43 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Finally, highly regarded economist James Galbraith presents a full-bore attack on the bankrupt economic policies of the Republican Party - and a much needed reality check on where to go from here. Critic Reviews: "Shows how to break the spell that conservatives have cast over the minds of liberals (and everyone else) for many years." (Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2001 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences) "James Galbraith elegantly and effectively counters the economic fundamentalism that has captured public discourse in recent years, and offers a cogent guide to the real political economy. Myth-busting, far-ranging, and eye-opening." (Robert B. Reich, professor of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley) Members Reviews: Freedom to Shop Recently Bill Maher said: "He could understand why 1% of the voters would vote Rebublican. But he could not understand why the other 49% would vote with that 1%? He said it was like someone came into your house and took everything you had out in a suitcase and you say "May I help you put that in the trunk of your car?" In "The Predator State" James K. Galbraith has attempted an explanation of this phenomenon. It is, he said, due to the concept of "economic freedom." This may be an older concept than one realizes. I remember it being the motivation claimed for a young woman who had emigrated to the United States from Sweden in the mid-1970s. She had immigrated, I was told, because there was no "economic freedom" in Sweden. "Indeed, the conservative concept of economic freedom actually stands opposed to to any measures that commit the state to raising the standard of living of the broad population. It opposes such ideas as universal health care, free public education, and public subsidies to the arts (sound like Sweden?). It particularly opposes these measures if they are to be financed by redistributive and progressive taxation. Social welfare implemented by democratic decision, as in Roosevelt's New Deal, or Lyndon Johnson's great Society, let alone the Chile of Salvador Allende or Venezuela of Hugo Chavez (both of whom were democratically elected in fair and free elections and ruled according to law), is, to this was of thinking, intrinsically unfree." However, the "free market" regime of Augosto Pinochet brought "economic freedom" to Chile even though he was a brutal dictator. "Economic freedom" obviously has nothing to do with "Political freedom." "Economic freedom" thus consists in the ability to live one's economic life - and that alone - in a sphere separated from state control. As Milton Friedman defined it it is the "freedom to choose." You could say that it is the "freedom to spend" but to put this idea into perspective, we should call it what it really is: "the freedom to shop." This idea is so palpably absurd that we are inclined to look past it. It is a perversion of the language to treat "shopping" as freedom. It is easy to scoff at an idea that is so remote from our liberal conception of freedom as bearing the lofty realms of political and social decision taking.

Farm Sanctuary Audiobook by Gene Baur

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Gene Baur) — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 09:05:52 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Farm Sanctuary Subtitle: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food Author: Gene Baur Narrator: Gene Baur Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins Language: English Release date: 12-23-16 Publisher: Outloud Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 13 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Leading animal rights activist Gene Baur examines the real cost of the meat on our plates - for both humans and animals alike - in this provocative and thorough examination of the modern farm industry. Many people picture cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens as friendly creatures who live happily within the confines of a peaceful family farm, arriving as food for humans only at the end of their sun-drenched lives. That's what Baur had been told - but when he first visited a stockyard he realized that this rosy depiction couldn't be more inaccurate. Amid the stench, noise, and filth, his attention was drawn in particular to one sheep who had been cast aside for dead. But as Baur walked by, the sheep raised her head and looked right at him. She was still alive, and the one thing Baur knew for sure that day was that he had to get her to safety. Hilda, as she was later named, was nursed back to health and soon became the first resident of Farm Sanctuary - an organization dedicated to the rescue, care, and protection of farm animals. The truth is that farm production does not depend on the family farmer with a small herd of animals but instead resembles a large, assembly-line factory. Animals raised for human consumption are confined for the entirety of their lives and often live without companionship, fresh air, or even adequate food and water. Viewed as production units rather than living beings with feelings, 10 billion farm animals are exploited specifically for food in the United States every year. In Farm Sanctuary, Baur provides a thought-provoking investigation of the ethical questions involved in the production of beef, poultry, pork, milk, and eggs - and what each of us can do to stop the mistreatment of farm animals and promote compassion. The author is donating all of his royalties from the sale of this audiobook to Farm Sanctuary. Members Reviews: Listen with your heart I hope that this will reach those who can open their heart to hear the message. Understand with logic and compassion without the burden of tradition or your previous convictions. A beautiful story with a tragic origin and once that continues everyday, in every corner of earth. Good but missed opportunities He spends so much time making emotional arguments about animals having feelings, etc. I want to know more about the unethical practices that are hurting every American, financially. The death of the SMB market space to factory farming, the effects on the environment from pumping cows full of grain. The subsidies paid as a result. The fact that these are markets are entirely unsustainable in the long run and the price will be great. But right when he starts that, he immediately switches back over to how cute and human-like pigs are, trying to appeal to your emotions like a one trick pony. Overall, a good read though.

The Smartest Places on Earth Audiobook by Antoine van Agtmael, Fred Bakker

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Antoine van Agtmael) — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 01:42:15 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: The Smartest Places on Earth Subtitle: Why Rustbelts Are the Emerging Hotspots of Global Innovation Author: Antoine van Agtmael, Fred Bakker Narrator: Christopher Lane Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins Language: English Release date: 03-29-16 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 32 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: Antoine van Agtmael coined the term "emerging markets" and built a career and a multibillion-dollar investing firm centered on these surging economies that would, over time, supplant the West as engines of wealth and prosperity. The trend held for decades, but a few years ago van Agtmael and Alfred Bakker, a renowned European journalist, began seeing signs that the tide might be turning. For example, during a visit to an enormously successful chip company in Taiwan, the company's leaders told them that their American competitors were now eating their lunch. And Taiwan was not the only place giving them this message. Thus began a remarkable two-year journey to reassess the conventional wisdom that the US and Europe are yesterday's story and to determine whether there is something profound that is happening that points the way to the creation of the next economy. In The Smartest Places on Earth, van Agtmael and Bakker present a truly hopeful and inspiring investigation into the emerging sources of a new era of competitiveness for America and Europe that are coming from unlikely places - those cities and areas once known as "rustbelts" that have, from an economic perspective, been written off. Take Akron, Ohio, whose economy for decades was dependent on industries such as tire manufacturing, a product now made cheaply elsewhere. In Akron and other such communities, a combination of forces - including visionary thinkers, government initiatives, start-ups making real products, and even big corporations - have succeeded in creating what van Agtmael and Bakker call a "brainbelt". These "brainbelts" depend on a collaborative style of working that is unique to the societies and culture of America and Europe, since they involve levels of trust and freedom of thinking that can't be replicated elsewhere. They are producing products and technologies transforming industries such as vehicles and transportation, farming and food production, medical devices and health-care. For several decades American and European industry focused on cost by outsourcing production to those emerging markets that can make things cheaper. The tide has now turned, as van Agtmael and Bakker report, to being smart, and the next emerging market, may, in fact, be the West. Members Reviews: Should have been so much better Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not? Yes because the central insight about advanced economy manufacturing is so important to the future of work and the economy. How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable? The majority of the book is a series of case studies. They are presented in a long sequence and there doesn't seem to be a lot to distinguish them from one another. It would have been better to pick out recurring themes (e.g. the role of 'Connectors') and compare these across the different cases. Instead we get what comes across as the authors' unedited field notes. An average book. I won't listen again. I felt like the subject matter was worth delving into further than the authors did. There was surprisingly little data cited; mostly just anecdotal observations. The chapter transitions were confusing in the audiobook.

Confronting Capitalism Audiobook by Philip Kotler

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Philip Kotler) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 18:12:43 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Confronting Capitalism Subtitle: Real Solutions for a Troubled Economic System Author: Philip Kotler Narrator: Jeff Cummings Format: Unabridged Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins Language: English Release date: 04-07-15 Publisher: Brilliance Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: With the fall of the Berlin Wall, one economic model emerged triumphant. Capitalism - spanning a spectrum from laissez-faire to authoritarian - shapes the market economies of all the wealthiest and fastest-growing nations. The trouble is cracking its shiny veneer. In the US, economic growth is no longer matched by economic development. Wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few, natural resources are exploited for short-term profits, and good jobs are hard to find. With a piercing clarity, Philip Kotler explains 14 major problems undermining capitalism, including: persistent poverty, job creation in the face of automation, high debt burdens, the disproportionate influence of the wealthy on public policy, steep environmental costs, boom-bust economic cycles, and more. Amid its dire assessment of what's ailing us, Confronting Capitalism delivers a heartening message: We can turn things around. Movements toward shared prosperity and a higher purpose are reinvigorating companies large and small while proposals abound on government policies that offer protections without stagnation. Kotler identifies the best ideas, linking private and public initiatives into a force for positive change. Combining economic history, expert insight, business lessons, and recent data, this landmark audiobook elucidates today's critical dilemmas and suggests solutions for returning to a healthier, more sustainable path. Members Reviews: long on facts, short on solutions Sadly, nothing new here. Text was chock full of commonly known facts, but very short on what the real solutions could be.

From Global to Local Audiobook by Finbarr Livesey

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Finbarr Livesey) — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 21:49:31 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: From Global to Local Subtitle: The Making of Things and the End of Globalization Author: Finbarr Livesey Narrator: Jonathan Cowley Format: Unabridged Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins Language: English Release date: 09-19-17 Publisher: Random House Audio Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: This brilliantly original book dismantles the underlying assumptions that drive the decisions made by companies and governments throughout the world, to show that our shared narrative of the global economy is deeply flawed. If left unexamined, they will lead corporations and countries astray, with dire consequences for us all. For the past 50 years or so, the global economy has been run on three big assumptions: that globalization will continue to spread, that trade is the engine of growth and development, and that economic power is moving from the West to the East. More recently, it has also been taken as a given that our interconnectedness - both physical and digital - will increase without limit. But what if all these ideas are wrong? What if everything is about to change? What if it has already begun to change but we just haven't noticed? Increased automation, the advent of additive manufacturing (3D printing, for example), and changes in shipping and environmental pressures, among other factors, are coming together to create a fast-changing global economic landscape in which the rules are being rewritten - at once a challenge and an opportunity for companies and countries alike. Critic Reviews: "Refreshing...The future of globalization may be determined less by a rarified battle of ideas than by something as simple as the 3D printer. Finbarr Livesey's book gives a nod to the idea that protectionist politicians are a threat to world trade, but his focus is very largely on the impersonal progress of technology...[He offers] detailed descriptions of individual products and processes he has gleaned through his years of consulting for international companies." (Alan Beattie, Financial Times) Members Reviews: A must read for The White House economics team... I agree with the authorâs insight that weâre at a potentially disruptive moment where relying on dated assumptions about globalization might underpin losing strategies. While the book is a terrific macro read for corporate planners - as I read it I mostly feared how poorly the various economic anachronisms of POTUS would fair in the regionalized/local world the author envisions (let alone the authorâs highlights on the readiness of countries like Japan, South Korea, and China). I hope copies make it to Gary Cohnâs team... Globalisation fading - all by itself Compared to the mid-1800s, there are now six times as many people, making 60 times as much stuff, with 140 times as much international trade, says Finbarr Livesey. Trade has become enormous, changing the way we live. Yet the ratio of trade to GDP has flatlined since 2011. He says we will likely see a fall of 20-30% in merchandise trade in the next decade. What does this mean? To Livesey, it means local is back. He has identified a number of factors that favor local production: -Better design is reducing the number of parts per product, speeding up assembly and making local production economical again. -3D printing will allow local production of numerous components, for much faster delivery. -Robots and artificial intelligence software are poised to eliminate jobs by the thousands, taking away the Far Eastâs biggest advantage - cheap labor. -Slow delivery from the Far East is becoming less and less acceptable, resulting in a trend of fabrication in and for local/regional markets.

Monetary Central Planning and the State Audiobook by Richard Ebeling

biacuaduc@gmail.com (Richard Ebeling) — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 21:20:01 GMT

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/audiobook/494/]]> to download full audiobooks of your choice for free. Title: Monetary Central Planning and the State Author: Richard Ebeling Narrator: Philip D. Moore Format: Unabridged Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins Language: English Release date: 07-01-16 Publisher: Listen and Think Audio Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 5 votes Genres: Nonfiction, Economics Publisher's Summary: For over a decade now, the American economy has been on a rollercoaster - an economic boom between 2003 and 2008, followed by a severe economic downturn, and with a historically slow and weak recovery from 2009 until the present. The recession of 2008-2009 had its origin in years of monetary mismanagement by the Federal Reserve System and misguided economic policies emanating from Washington, DC. For the five years between 2003 and 2008, the Federal Reserve flooded the financial markets with a huge amount of money, increasing the total amount in the economy by 50 percent or more by some measures. Many of the rationales for this "activist" monetary and fiscal policy emerged and took form under the cover of the emerging Keynesian revolution as first presented by British economist John Maynard Keynes. Monetary Central Planning and the State offers a detailed critique of the fundamental premises of Keynesian economics, and why its policy prescriptions in fact lead to the very boom-bust cycle the Keynesians claim to want to prevent. This book also explains a powerful alternative theory of money and the business cycle, called "Austrian economics". This is the pathway to finally ending the cycles of booms and busts, and creating a market-based institutional framework for sustainable economic growth and betterment. It is time for monetary freedom to replace the out-of-date belief in government monetary central planning. Members Reviews: Absolute Best Primer on Monetary Policy & Austrian Business Cycle Theory I've been a huge fan of this work since it was just a series of articles posted on the Internet. The compilation into an ebook makes this extremely accessible writing even more accessible. Richard Ebeling does an amazing job of compiling and distilling an explanation of the primary issues surrounding monetary central planning and the business cycle. He attacks the issue at a high enough level to help the reader understand the big picture, and gives enough context to facilitate further reading for those wanting to dig deeper. If you're wanting an introduction to Austrian economics, look no further; this is it! A sweeping yet accessible tour of monetary economics I expected a lot from this book and my expectations were exceeded. Where to begin? I'll begin with the style, which is very clear and direct, while demanding full attention to chains of reasoning that can be complex and lengthy. In this respect, he follows in the footsteps of Frank Taussig, who prefaced his 1911 text with "I have done my best to be clear ... but have made no vain pretense of simplifying all things." There are no equations, but occasional numerical examples are helpful. Prof. Ebeling shows extensive knowledge of all the major schools of thought in monetary economics and their principal proponents. His is the best brief dissection of Keynes that I have ever read. He rightly praises Milton Friedman for advancing the cause of liberty while regretting Friedman's blindness to market-based money. He compares Friedman's analysis of the Great Depression (allowing the M2 money supply to fall too far) with the Austrian analysis that blames government interference with downward adjustment of wages and prices.