The best 49 US Economics books

1
The Wealth of Nations

The Wealth of Nations

Adam Smith
The most influential economic book of all time
4.3 (753 ratings)

What's The Wealth of Nations about?

The Wealth of Nations is a profoundly influential work in the study of economics and examines exactly how nations become wealthy. Adam Smith advocates that by allowing individuals to freely pursue their own self-interest in a free market, without government regulation, nations will prosper.

Who should read The Wealth of Nations?

  • Anyone who wants to understand the foundations of capitalism and the free market
  • Anyone curious about the core tenets of a fundamental work of economic theory

2
It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism

It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism

Bernie Sanders
What it Would Take to Change the Status Quo That Enriches Billionaires and Holds the Working Class Down
4.0 (244 ratings)

What's It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism about?

It’s OK to be Angry About Capitalism (2023) is a critique of the economic and political system in the US. It offers a blueprint on how to move past unbridled capitalism onto a fairer and freer future.

Who should read It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism?

  • Everyone interested in the idea of democratic socialism
  • Those who’d like to understand Bernie Sanders’s political agenda
  • Anyone concerned about inequality

3
Capitalism and Freedom

Capitalism and Freedom

Milton Friedman
The definitive statement of Friedman's immensely influential economic philosophy
4.4 (454 ratings)

What's Capitalism and Freedom about?

Capitalism and Freedom (1962) is one of the most influential discussions of the relationship between economic and political freedom to have ever been put to paper. Written at the height of the Cold War between Soviet socialism and Western capitalism, Milton Friedman argues that only free markets can guarantee liberty. His theory remains every bit as relevant and thought-provoking today as when it was first published.

Who should read Capitalism and Freedom?

  • Economics buffs fascinated by the intellectual history of the last century
  • Free-marketeers, classical liberals and libertarians
  • Opponents of free-market capitalism interested in the other side of the argument

4
False Economy

False Economy

Alan Beattie
A Surprising Economic History of the World
4.2 (142 ratings)

What's False Economy about?

False Economy (2009) offers a fresh perspective on how and why some nations of the world have become economic powerhouses and others have ended up as financial disasters. You’ll see that nations aren’t handcuffed by fate. Rather, their economic success or failure is based on the choices they make.

Who should read False Economy?

  • Anyone interested in economics
  • Readers who want to learn about the politics of money
  • People interested in international business

5
The Myth of American Inequality

The Myth of American Inequality

Phil Gramm
How Government Biases Policy Debate
4.0 (67 ratings)

What's The Myth of American Inequality about?

The Myth of American Inequality (2022) corrects widespread misconceptions about inequality in the United States. Taking aim at misleading official statistics, it shows that poverty has all but disappeared in today’s America and that the gap between rich and “poor” isn’t nearly as large as many people assume. 

Who should read The Myth of American Inequality?

  • Politicos and policymakers
  • Historians and economists
  • Anyone interested in contemporary debates about economic justice

6
Economics: The User’s Guide

Economics: The User’s Guide

Ha-Joon Chang
Everything you need to know about economics.
4.3 (138 ratings)

What's Economics: The User’s Guide about?

Economics: The User’s Guide lays out the foundational concepts of economics in an easily relatable and compelling way. Examining the history of economics as well as some critical changes to global economic institutions, this book will teach you everything you need to know about how economics works today.

Who should read Economics: The User’s Guide?

  • Anyone interested in the history of economics
  • Anyone interested in the intersection of politics and economics
  • Anyone who dozed through Economics 101 in college

7
Angrynomics

Angrynomics

Eric Lonergan and Mark Blyth
How we can rearrange our economies to produce more equality and less anger
4.0 (98 ratings)

What's Angrynomics about?

Angrynomics (2020) examines the growing atmosphere of anger around the globe. Part political theory, part social science, this approachable text diagnoses the cause of the rising resentment and proposes a few popular solutions.

Who should read Angrynomics?

  • News junkies seeking fresh takes on the current political climate
  • Activists wishing to understand popular movements
  • Anyone with an interest in where the world is headed

8
Doughnut Economics

Doughnut Economics

Kate Raworth
Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist
4.1 (147 ratings)

What's Doughnut Economics about?

Doughnut Economics (2017) is a call to arms for a fresh approach to economics. As inequality soars and environmental crisis looms, the book’s central question has never seemed more relevant. How can we build a just economic system that allows us to thrive while preserving the planet? A good place to start, Kate Raworth suggests, is to do away with the old myths that have shaped economic thinking for so long. Zeroing in on the doughnut-shaped “sweet spot” in which our needs can be sustainably met, this is a thought-provoking read which might just help save the world.

Who should read Doughnut Economics?

  • Anyone losing sleep over the Earth’s future as climate change kicks in
  • Economic innovators in search of new models for a new century
  • Fans of fresh thinking on big topics

9
Power Failure

Power Failure

William D. Cohan
The Rise and Fall of an American Icon
4.5 (213 ratings)

What's Power Failure about?

Power Failure (2022) details the rise and fall of General Electric – once a great success story of international business.  But its legacy went badly awry, as even casual consumers of business news will remember. Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of an American Icon (2022) gives a startlingly detailed account inside the behemoth corporation, examining what went right – and then wrong.

Who should read Power Failure?

  • Anyone interested in the inside workings of business
  • Leaders who want to learn from the experience of CEOs going through difficult times 
  • Employees who want to better understand the forces at play inside the companies that dictate their future

10
The Future of Capitalism

The Future of Capitalism

Paul Collier
Facing the New Anxieties
3.9 (187 ratings)

What's The Future of Capitalism about?

The Future of Capitalism (2018) offers a candid analysis of capitalism that calls for a return to communitarian ethics to mend rifts between families, communities and nations. Diagnosing the failings of modern liberalism, Paul Collier proposes the reintroduction into economic thinking of ethical concerns. He also suggests pragmatic policies that might forge a capitalism that works for everyone.

Who should read The Future of Capitalism?

  • Students of political science and economics
  • Policy makers interested in cultivating a new center left
  • Skeptics of capitalism’s potential

11
Talking to My Daughter About the Economy

Talking to My Daughter About the Economy

Yanis Varoufakis
A Brief History of Capitalism
4.4 (136 ratings)

What's Talking to My Daughter About the Economy about?

Talking to My Daughter About the Economy (2018) is a lucid and accessible account of our current economic system. This engaging primer explains what economics is, what it does, and why it became such a force in our everyday lives.

Who should read Talking to My Daughter About the Economy?

  • Political junkies hungry for accessible economic theory
  • Everyday citizens seeking to engage with politics
  • Anyone interested in understanding our current economic system

12
Utopia for Realists

Utopia for Realists

Rutger Bregman
And How We Can Get There
4.4 (223 ratings)

What's Utopia for Realists about?

Utopia for Realists (2016) is a call to arms for a radical rethinking of life, work and how society functions. It argues that the world enjoys unprecedented wealth and material comfort but is still full of problems, from soul-destroying jobs to inequality and poverty. We have the power to solve these problems and build a better future if we embrace utopian thinking.

Who should read Utopia for Realists?

  • Blue-sky thinkers
  • Socially engaged people who want to eradicate poverty 
  • Frustrated citizens who feel there must be a better way to organize our society and economy

13
Dark Money

Dark Money

Jane Mayer
The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right
3.9 (132 ratings)

What's Dark Money about?

Dark Money (2016) is a chilling look behind the scenes of American politics, outlining how a small handful of the country’s richest people have been influencing the country’s political landscape since the 1970s. Far from a conspiracy theory, these are the cold hard facts of the powerful and immensely wealthy individuals behind the rise of today’s radical right-wing conservative movement.

Who should read Dark Money?

  • Students of political science and economics
  • Political junkies and newshounds
  • Readers struggling to grasp the layers and complexities of US politics

14
Adrift

Adrift

Scott Galloway
America in 100 Charts
4.3 (300 ratings)

What's Adrift about?

Adrift (2022) argues that the United States is flailing, despite all its success and global dominance since World War II. It’s a country struggling to adapt to revolutionary changes in technology, facing deep economic and political divisions and threats of extremism, and quickly losing ground to rivals like China. Despite all of this, Scott Galloway still sees reason for hope, but first lays out what he sees as the biggest challenges facing the nation. 

Who should read Adrift?

  • Those who feel overwhelmed by the anger and divisiveness on social media
  • Investors who want to understand an evolving market
  • People wondering if higher education is worth their time

15
23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism

23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism

Ha-Joon Chang
Why capitalism is not what you think it is.
4.0 (139 ratings)

What's 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism about?

In 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism Ha-Joon Chang destroys the biggest myths of our current economic approach. He explains how, despite what most economists believe, there are many things wrong with free market capitalism. As well as explaining the problems, Chang also offers possible solutions which could help us build a better, fairer world.

Who should read 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism?

  • Students of economics who are fed up with mainstream teaching
  • Anyone who takes an interest in the financial crisis and why nobody saw it coming
  • Anyone wondering why levels of inequality are so high

16
PostCapitalism

PostCapitalism

Paul Mason
A Guide to Our Future
4.0 (100 ratings)

What's PostCapitalism about?

Postcapitalism (2015) offers a close examination of the failures of current economic systems. The 2008 financial crisis showed us that neoliberal capitalism is falling apart, and these blinks outline the reasons why we’re at the start of capitalism’s downfall, while giving an idea of what our transition into postcapitalism will be like.

Who should read PostCapitalism?

  • Capitalists and anti-capitalists
  • Students of sociology or politics
  • Anyone interested in what the future holds for modern-day societies

17
Good Economics for Hard Times

Good Economics for Hard Times

Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo
Better Answers to Our Biggest Problems
4.2 (174 ratings)

What's Good Economics for Hard Times about?

Good Economics for Hard Times (2019) unflinchingly examines some of the most seemingly intractable problems we’re confronting today. Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo argue that economics can provide new perspectives on how to solve climate change without hurting the poor, and also tackle social problems caused by rising inequality, global trade, and fear of immigration. 

Who should read Good Economics for Hard Times?

  • People who want to regain their faith in the usefulness of economics
  • Environmentalists who want a new perspective on how to save the planet
  • Workers who are worried about how immigration and trade will affect their jobs

18
Saving Capitalism

Saving Capitalism

Robert B. Reich
For the Many, Not the Few
4.0 (63 ratings)

What's Saving Capitalism about?

Saving Capitalism (2015) is a biting critique of the world’s economic order but also an optimistic look into how capitalism could support the common good. These blinks will teach you how and why capitalism is failing most people, and where it needs to go to do right by the majority.

Who should read Saving Capitalism?

  • Economists and students of capitalistic systems
  • Anyone living and working in a capitalistic society
  • Activists and people fighting for social justice

19
The Dying Citizen

The Dying Citizen

Victor Davis Hanson
How Progressive Elites, Tribalism, and Globalization Are Destroying the Idea of America
2.7 (649 ratings)

What's The Dying Citizen about?

The Dying Citizen (2021) explores the ways in which modern American democracy is being weakened. Touching on issues like globalization and identity politics, it discusses how left-wing progressives are damaging the foundations of the United States. 

Who should read The Dying Citizen?

  • Conservatives looking for fresh insights
  • Fans of Donald Trump 
  • Anyone interested in politics and current affairs

20
The War on Normal People

The War on Normal People

Andrew Yang
The Truth About America's Disappearing Jobs and Why Universal Basic Income Is Our Future
4.5 (128 ratings)

What's The War on Normal People about?

The War on Normal People (2018) reveals how America is on the brink of economic and social collapse due to technological advances such as automation and artificial intelligence. Painting a portrait of the reality that average Americans will increasingly face if mass unemployment is left unaddressed, author Andrew Yang proposes a vision to transform the economy by adopting a human-centered form of capitalism that begins with a universal basic income.

Who should read The War on Normal People?

  • Voters interested in learning about Andrew Yang’s ideas for America
  • Educated Americans who want to take on income inequality
  • Working-age people curious about the benefits of a universal basic income

21
The Raging 2020s

The Raging 2020s

Alec Ross
Companies, Countries, People – and the Fight for Our Future
3.9 (88 ratings)

What's The Raging 2020s about?

The Raging 2020s (2021) is an autopsy of the American social contract, which once kept companies, governments, and individuals in stable harmony but has since broken down. In particular, it describes how the power of corporations has expanded in recent years while federal might has waned –⁠ and how the result is that companies have more control over people’s lives than ever before. We must work to restore the balance and write a new social contract for the modern age.

Who should read The Raging 2020s?

  • Citizens concerned about the increasing power of corporations
  • Current or aspiring politicians and activists
  • Anyone who sees the value in capitalism but thinks it can be improved

22
The Origin of Wealth

The Origin of Wealth

Eric D. Beinhocker
The Radical Remaking of Economics and What It Means for Business And Society
4.0 (55 ratings)

What's The Origin of Wealth about?

The Origin of Wealth shows us the inadequacies of the economic theories that underpin our understanding of economics. The book argues that economic actors shouldn’t be seen as rational consumers that act on their self-interest. Rather, economics is best understood as a complex system of adaptation, similar to evolution, where products, ideas, and ideology compete for survival.

Who should read The Origin of Wealth?

  • Students and scholars of economic science
  • Anyone interested in economics, social sciences or business   
  • Business leaders, economists and politicians

23
Edge of Chaos

Edge of Chaos

Dambisa Moyo
Why Democracy is Failing to Deliver Economic Growth – and How to Fix It
3.8 (54 ratings)

What's Edge of Chaos about?

Edge of Chaos (2018) examines the key challenges that liberal democracies around the world are facing today. Aging populations, limited resources and increasing debt are all threats to these countries’ economic well-being – but so too are the “remedies” of short-term policies and protectionism. Author Dambisa Moyo examines that misguided agenda and presents a radical blueprint for economic growth in the twenty-first century.

Who should read Edge of Chaos?

  • Citizens concerned about Brexit and Donald Trump
  • Policymakers interested in rebuilding their political systems
  • Curious readers hoping to get a grip on global economic systems

24
The Value of Everything

The Value of Everything

Mariana Mazzucato
Making and Taking in the Global Economy
4.4 (123 ratings)

What's The Value of Everything about?

The Value of Everything (2018) presents an argument for redefining value in the economy so that we can better understand who really creates value, and who extracts it.

Who should read The Value of Everything?

  • Economists eager for new ideas
  • Fans of politics in search of change
  • Lovers of radical ideas and ambitious visions

25
Americana

Americana

Bhu Srinivasan
A 400-Year History of American Capitalism
4.4 (67 ratings)

What's Americana about?

Americana (2017) traces the history of the USA from one key perspective: capitalism. Bhu Srinivasan shows how the development of the country has been closely bound up with the development of capitalism, from the New England colonies’ earliest days to the most recent innovations of Silicon Valley or Wall Street.

Named by The Economist as one of the best books of 2017

Who should read Americana?

  • American history enthusiasts
  • People interested in the economy past and present
  • Fans – or enemies – of capitalism

26
Austerity

Austerity

Mark Blyth
The History of a Dangerous Idea
4.4 (39 ratings)

What's Austerity about?

Austerity (2013) cuts through the confusion behind our recent financial crises and reveals what really happens when economists call for a policy of austerity to be implemented. This is when budgets are cut, public funding is slashed and working-class families suffer so that banks can be saved and continue to make billions. Find out what’s really going on and who’s really being protected when your country gets pushed into austerity.

Who should read Austerity?

  • Students of political science and economics
  • Readers who want a better understanding of the recent banking crisis
  • Activists fighting against the top 1 percent

27
Economics for the Common Good

Economics for the Common Good

Jean Tirole
Delve into economics with a Nobel Prize winner
4.0 (51 ratings)

What's Economics for the Common Good about?

Jean Tirole’s Economics for the Common Good (2017) is a wide-ranging look at the contemporary economy, packed with plenty of insights into the theory and practice of modern-day economics. Deconstructing the supposed opposition of state and market, Tirole explores their many interconnections in fields ranging from climate change to property rights and the new digital economy.

Who should read Economics for the Common Good?

  • Anyone interested in the how, what and why of economics
  • Proponents of free markets and advocates of state regulation
  • Anyone who’s ever wondered why climate change is so hard to tackle

28
America’s Bank

America’s Bank

Roger Lowenstein
The Epic Struggle to Create the Federal Reserve Act
4.3 (28 ratings)

What's America’s Bank about?

In America’s Bank (2015), you’ll discover the gripping story of the US Federal Reserve, or “Fed.” These blinks trace the history behind the development and unification of the American banking system and show the complex web of interests and players that continue to shape the system today.

Who should read America’s Bank?

  • Students interested in economics or politics
  • People interested in American history

29
The Economists’ Hour

The Economists’ Hour

Binyamin Appelbaum
False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society
4.3 (62 ratings)

What's The Economists’ Hour about?

The Economists’ Hour (2019) is a compact history of how economists came to dominate our political discourse. This work traces the rise of neoliberal ideology from the 1960s to today.

Who should read The Economists’ Hour?

  • Political wonks wanting to parse the current climate
  • Citizens concerned about America’s rightward shift
  • Anyone asking, “how did things get so bad?”

30
An American Sickness

An American Sickness

Elisabeth Rosenthal
How Health Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back
4.3 (38 ratings)

What's An American Sickness about?

An American Sickness (2017) takes an honest look at the state of the American health-care system and frankly diagnoses its many ailments. When big business started taking over what were once charitable organizations, things began to go truly wrong. Rosenthal presents valuable information on how to reduce health-care bills and not get taken for a ride by greedy hospitals and over-prescribing doctors.

Who should read An American Sickness?

  • Americans, both healthy and sick
  • Workers in the health-care and insurance industry
  • Readers who want to save money

31
Barbarians at the Gate

Barbarians at the Gate

Bryan Burrough
The Fall of RJR Nabisco
4.1 (40 ratings)

What's Barbarians at the Gate about?

Barbarians at the Gate (1989) tells the story of one of the largest corporate deals in US history, the leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco. These blinks provide a gripping portrait of the extreme and extravagant behavior in corporate America during the 1980s.

Who should read Barbarians at the Gate?

  • Anyone working in finance or business who wants to learn about a legendary deal
  • Citizens appalled by the excesses of corporate America
  • Anyone enthralled by hostile takeovers and cutthroat dealings

32
Two Nations Indivisible

Two Nations Indivisible

Shannon K. O’Neil
Mexico, the United States and the Road Ahead
4.0 (17 ratings)

What's Two Nations Indivisible about?

Two Nations Indivisible (2013) tells the story of the United States’ relationship with its neighbor to the south: Mexico. These blinks explain the profound connections between the two countries as well as the misunderstandings that keep them apart, with an emphasis on political and economic relations.

Who should read Two Nations Indivisible?

  • Policy makers who want to understand more about the US-Mexico relationship
  • Educators and students interested in world politics
  • Americans and Mexicans hoping to understand each other better

33
Free to Choose

Free to Choose

Milton Friedman
The Classic Inquiry Into the Relationship Between Freedom and Economics
4.2 (80 ratings)

What's Free to Choose about?

Free to Choose (1980) explores the relationship between freedom and the choices an individual is allowed to make in regards to the economy. Friedman reveals to us that economic freedom is an essential part of liberty. He details the myriad ways in which government regulations and interventions chip away at our fundamental right to make decisions in our own self-interest.

Who should read Free to Choose?

  • Anyone wanting to learn about the government’s role in the economy
  • Anyone interested in exploring the benefits of economic freedom
  • Anyone interested in learning more about how free markets work 

34
Hawai'i

Hawai'i

Sumner La Croix
Eight Hundred Years of Political and Economic Change
4.2 (29 ratings)

What's Hawai'i about?

Hawai’i (2019) is a detailed history of the economic forces that have shaped Hawaiian society. Author Sumner La Croix traces the arc of commerce, from traditions first established in the twelfth century by Polynesian colonists to the modern Hawaiian state. Along the way, he examines what has changed and what has stayed the same.

Who should read Hawai'i?

  • Anyone interested in the dark side of paradise
  • Students of colonialism
  • Labor historians

35
Austerity

Austerity

Alberto Alesina
When It Works and When It Doesn't
3.8 (30 ratings)

What's Austerity about?

Austerity (2019) uses data analysis to look at one of the most controversial topics in economics today. An analysis of several countries’ austerity policies over the past several decades reveals that cutting spending can actually help the economy expand.

Who should read Austerity?

  • Economists keen to learn more about austerity
  • Politicians looking to brush up on their economics
  • Anyone who wants to understand the numbers behind government policy

36
The WikiLeaks Files

The WikiLeaks Files

Julian Assange (introduction)
The World According to US Empire
4.7 (18 ratings)

What's The WikiLeaks Files about?

The WikiLeaks Files (2015) provides fascinating and digestible insights from WikiLeaks, the organization that came to worldwide prominence with the release of 251,287 US State Department cables in 2010. These blinks paint a bleak picture of an American empire and its machinations.

Who should read The WikiLeaks Files?

  • Global citizens concerned with world affairs
  • Students of political science or international relations
  • Diplomats and others working in civil service

37
Don’t Buy It

Don’t Buy It

Anat Shenker-Osorio
The Trouble with Talking Nonsense About the Economy

What's Don’t Buy It about?

Don’t Buy It (2012) explores the ways language influences our understanding of complex issues. Anat Shenker-Osorio brings her research and expertise to bear on a question that plagues progressives: why do conservatives always win economic debates in the United States, despite the deep inequality and structural injustice epitomized by the financial crash and the Great Recession? These blinks answer this question by analyzing the language employed on either side of the political spectrum.

Who should read Don’t Buy It?

  • Anyone who identifies as a political progressive
  • Anyone who’s interested in how language affects societies
  • Students of English, economics, sociology and politics

38
Glass House

Glass House

Brian Alexander
The 1% Economy and the Shattering of the All-American Town
3.6 (22 ratings)

What's Glass House about?

Glass House (2017) tells the cautionary tale of Lancaster, Ohio, a town that went from boom to bust over the course of the past fifty years. At the heart of this downfall is the Anchor Hocking glass factory, a major source of employment that turned into a bitter disappointment. This story is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the current state of affairs in American society and politics.

Who should read Glass House?

  • Politicians and policy-makers
  • Students of history and American studies
  • People interested in the current state of American affairs

39
Kochland

Kochland

Christopher Leonard
The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America
4.2 (41 ratings)

What's Kochland about?

Kochland (2019) is a biography of Koch Industries. Once a relatively small and disorganized conglomeration of private holdings, Koch Industries is now the second-largest privately held corporation in the United States, with a sprawling network of assets that includes everything from oil refineries to chemical plants and oil pipelines to paper mills. These blinks tell the story of Koch’s massive growth and shine sidelights on the life of Charles Koch, Koch’s CEO for more than 50 years and the man who made it all possible. 

Who should read Kochland?

  • People who’ve heard the name, but don’t know Koch’s history
  • Citizens concerned about corporate power in the United States
  • Anyone wondering why Koch Industries is so secretive

40
Wildland

Wildland

Evan Osnos
The Making of America's Fury
3.4 (33 ratings)

What's Wildland about?

Wildland (2021) recounts the story of how America became unraveled throughout the first two decades of the twenty-first century. Drawing on stories from residents of three US cities –⁠ Greenwich, Connecticut; Clarksburg, West Virginia; and Chicago, Illinois –⁠ it examines the undercurrents of change that tie together the fates of these varied landscapes. Finally, it describes how the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 laid the foundation for the violent insurrection on January 6, 2021. 

Who should read Wildland?

  • Americans trying to make sense of the changes in their country
  • Students of American politics and culture
  • Activists looking for a holistic picture of the grievances of average Americans

41
The Third Pillar

The Third Pillar

Raghuram Rajan
The Revival of Community in a Polarized World
4.4 (35 ratings)

What's The Third Pillar about?

The Third Pillar (2019) traces the evolving relationship between the three “pillars” of human life – the state, markets and communities – from the medieval period to our own age. Economist Raghuram Rajan argues that, throughout history, societies have struggled to find a sustainable balance between these pillars. Today is no different: caught between uncontrolled markets and a discredited state, communities everywhere are in decline. That, Rajan concludes, is jet fuel for populist movements. But a more balanced kind of social order is possible.

Who should read The Third Pillar?

  • Anyone apprehensive about the rise of intolerant political movements
  • Historians and economists
  • Community organizers and neighborhood activists

42
Lessons from the Titans

Lessons from the Titans

Scott Davis
What Companies in the New Economy Can Learn from the Great Industrial Giants to Drive Sustainable Success
4.3 (42 ratings)

What's Lessons from the Titans about?

Lessons from the Titans (2020) tells the stories of ten industrial companies in the United States. From General Electric to Boeing, Honeywell to United Rentals, it looks at which strategic decisions led to success and which disastrous missteps created new obstacles. By analyzing the past performance of such legendary businesses, it offers greater insight into which companies today will stick around – and which won’t. 

Who should read Lessons from the Titans?

  • Business gurus fascinated by economic shifts
  • Entrepreneurs looking to future-proof their companies
  • Economists curious about market shifts

43
The Way Back

The Way Back

F.H. Buckley
Restoring the Promise of America

What's The Way Back about?

The Way Back (2016) offers an intriguing explanation of why the American dream is a long-lost concept. These blinks take a close look at the fundamental systems of the United States, from education to criminal justice, and reveal exactly how these systems have broken down and why they are in desperate need of repair.

Who should read The Way Back?

  • Public school teachers looking for insight into the school system
  • Entrepreneurs fighting bureaucratic red tape
  • Students of sociology and economics

44
With Charity for All

With Charity for All

Ken Stern
Why Charities Are Failing and a Better Way to Give
4.3 (13 ratings)

What's With Charity for All about?

With Charity for All offers an in-depth view of the inner workings of a sector which dominates ten percent of the US economy and employs 13 million people: the nonprofit industry. Subject to few controls, some huge nonprofit organizations are all too often afflicted with incompetence or even fraud.

Who should read With Charity for All?

  • Anyone who regularly donates to charities or wishes to donate
  • Anyone interested in working in the nonprofit sector
  • Anyone who wants to know how to make a difference in society

45
Beyond Outrage

Beyond Outrage

Robert B. Reich
What Has Gone Wrong with Our Economy and Our Democracy, and How to Fix It
4.3 (20 ratings)

What's Beyond Outrage about?

Beyond Outrage provides a sobering analysis of what has gone wrong in American politics and economics. Looking at the distribution of wealth and income imbalance, it convincingly argues that we must wrest government from the hands of the regressive right.

Who should read Beyond Outrage?

  • Anyone who is interested in US politics
  • Anyone who worries about growing wealth inequality
  • Anyone who wants to improve American economic policy and democracy

46
One Billion Americans

One Billion Americans

Matthew Yglesias
The Case for Thinking Bigger
4.2 (36 ratings)

What's One Billion Americans about?

One Billion Americans (2020) poses a provocative solution to America’s diminishing prosperity. Author Matthew Yglesias believes that by increasing its population to one billion, the nation could retain its position as the world’s top economic power. Yglesias puts forward a strategy to achieve this, while exploring the surprising benefits more people would bring.

Who should read One Billion Americans?

  • Voters concerned about America’s future
  • The economically curious
  • Americans seeking solutions to social challenges

47
American Crisis

American Crisis

Andrew M. Cuomo
Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic
3.6 (22 ratings)

What's American Crisis about?

American Crisis (2020) is a candid retelling of how Governor Andrew Cuomo managed the COVID-19 crisis in one of the worst affected states in America: New York. It reveals the steps Cuomo took to steer New York through the early days of the pandemic in a country run by a president Cuomo sees as incapable of leadership. It also shows how real leadership requires honesty and transparency, clear communication, and compassion for others.

Who should read American Crisis?

  • Anyone interested in American politics 
  • Leaders of organizations who want to learn about crisis management
  • Those curious about how New York has fared throughout the crisis

48
Factory Man

Factory Man

Beth Macy
How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local and Helped Save an American Town

What's Factory Man about?

Factory Man unveils the dark side of globalization; that is, the horrific impact it has had on American business and the lives of factory workers. In its detailed examination of twentieth-century furniture manufacturing, it reveals how to fight against the death of the local economy and, more importantly, why this fight is worth it.

Who should read Factory Man?

  • Anyone whose industry has been impacted by globalization
  • People in the furniture business
  • Anyone interested in geopolitics and offshoring

49
We Are Better Than This

We Are Better Than This

Edward D. Kleinbard
How Government Should Spend Our Money

What's We Are Better Than This about?

We Are Better Than This (2014) is an in-depth guide to the fiscal policy of the United States, the effect it has on the country’s citizens and the potential changes that would allow all Americans to live better lives. These blinks are chock full of interesting data about the United States’ economy, its social policies and the obstacles it will face in the future.

Who should read We Are Better Than This?

  • American citizens who want a deeper understanding of US taxation and spending
  • People interested in political science, economics and fiscal policy

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