Business & Economics

Explore the ways that money makes the world go 'round in these Business and Economics selections. Ranging from wealth-building self-help advice to philosophical critiques of capitalism, the titles in this Collection explore the role of money and wealth in society and the systems that drive global economies.

The Broken Ladder

by Keith Payne

Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Economics, Community

Tags Business & Economics, Social Science, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Social Justice, Politics & Government

The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Affects the Way We Think, Live, and Die (2017) is a nonfiction popular-psychology book written by Keith Payne, an American professor of psychology and neuroscience. In it, he examines the physical, physiological, psychological, and moral effects of present-day inequality, particularly within the United States. Payne broadly argues that inequality has massively widened over the last 50 years, and that this has had profound implications because inequality harms everyone in society... Read The Broken Ladder Summary

The Chaser

by John Collier

Publication year 1940

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Love, Masculinity

Tags Magical Realism, Symbolic Narrative, Humor, Satirical Literature, Love & Sexuality, Business & Economics, Relationships, American Literature, Post-War Era, Education, Education, World History, Classic Fiction

John Collier (1901-1980) is best known for his short stories, many of which are constructed as fantastic parables of modern day life. He also wrote poetry and screenplays, and was a developer for the television show “The Twilight Zone.” “The Chaser” first appeared in his short story collection Fancies and Goodnights, which won the 1952 Edgar Award and the 1952 International Fantasy Award. It is a cautionary parable of love, capitalism, and the wisdom of... Read The Chaser Summary

The Coming Wave

by Mustafa Suleyman

Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Globalization, Science & Technology, Future, Politics & Government, Community

Tags Technology, Science & Nature, Business & Economics, Politics & Government, Technology, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy

... Read The Coming Wave Summary

The Competitive Advantage Of Nations

by Michael E. Porter

Publication year 1990

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Economics, Colonialism, Community, Teamwork, Social Class, Immigration, Globalization, Science & Technology, Education, Order & Chaos, Nation, Future, War, The Past, Power & Greed, Equality, Politics & Government, Wins & Losses

Tags Business & Economics, Finance, Leadership, Social Science, World History, Politics & Government

The Competitive Advantage of Nations is a 1990 work of economics by American author Michael E. Porter, a Harvard Business School professor and expert in corporate competitive strategy whose influential works are frequently cited in business and economics. In this book, Porter dismantles traditional economic theories about how well a nation fares in global competition (factor costs and macro-economic policy) and proposes a model that focuses on active and malleable factors of business rather than... Read The Competitive Advantage Of Nations Summary

The Condition of the Working Class in England

by Friedrich Engels

Publication year 1845

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Justice

Tags Philosophy, Business & Economics, Sociology, World History, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics & Government

Considered one of the classics of social and political theory, Friedrich Engels’s The Condition of the Working Class in England (1845) is a thought-provoking work based on the author’s personal observations of English society. As the first text of its kind to address the effects of capitalism on workers, it was widely read upon publication, even influencing the theories of Karl Marx, with whom Engels would later write The Communist Manifesto.Employed as a representative of... Read The Condition of the Working Class in England Summary

The Corporation

by Joel Bakan

Publication year 2003

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Community

Tags Crime & Law, Business & Economics, Sociology, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Politics & Government

Published in 2004, The Corporation, by legal scholar Joel Bakan, demonstrates that corporations often misbehave because it is in their nature to do so. The corporate legal mandate, to pursue profit on behalf of shareholders, impels corporations to take any action, including callous, antisocial, and even unlawful behaviors, so long as they generate a profit.  Because corporations are created by governments, they are beholden to the state for their survival, yet they often manage to... Read The Corporation Summary

The Courage to Be Disliked

by Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga

Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Mental Health, Loneliness, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Self Discovery, Equality, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt

Tags Self-Improvement, Business & Economics, Psychology, Philosophy

The Courage to Be Disliked is a 2013 nonfiction self-help and psychology book written by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. Structured as a Socratic dialogue between a youth and a philosopher, the book introduces Alfred Adler’s psychological theories, addressing common challenges and points of confusion in the context of real-world application.Kishimi is a Japanese philosopher, psychologist, teacher, and translator who has studied Adlerian psychology and Greek philosophy for decades. Koga, a Japanese writer, encountered Adlerian... Read The Courage to Be Disliked Summary