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.

Publication year 1919

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: War, Society: Economics

Tags History: World, Business / Economics, Politics / Government


Publication year 1852

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Sociology, German Literature, Business / Economics, History: World, French Literature, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1992

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Politics / Government, Philosophy, Business / Economics, History: World, History: European, Sociology, Philosophy

The End of History and the Last Man by political scientist Francis Fukuyama is a widely read and controversial book on political philosophy published in 1992. In it, Fukuyama argues that the end of the Cold War in 1991 established Western liberal democracy as the final and most successful form of government, thus marking the conclusion of “mankind’s ideological evolution.” Since its original release, the book has been updated in 2006 and 2019 with reassertions... Read The End of History and the Last Man Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community

Tags Race / Racism, Social Science, Business / Economics, History: World, Sociology, Social Justice, Poverty, Politics / Government

In The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time (2005), leading economist Jeffrey D. Sachs draws on his extensive global experience to identify a path to end extreme poverty within 20 years. This work is inspired by, and in some ways modeled after, the classic John Maynard Keynes essay Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren (1930). In the depths of the Great Depression, Keynes outlined a pathway to ending poverty in the industrialized countries near... Read The End of Poverty Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Politics / Government, Business / Economics, History: U.S., Agriculture, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, Technology, Urban Development


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Self Help, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology

Book Details & Major ThemesJon Gordon’s 2007 self-help book The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy was a Wall Street Journal best-seller and tells the fictional tale of a man named George who, after a chance meeting with a unique bus driver, triumphs over serious career and marital problems using the power of positive energy. Both a work of fiction and a how-to manual on team-building, The... Read The Energy Bus Summary


Publication year 1990

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization

Tags Education, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Climate

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Science / Nature, Business / Economics, History: World


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family

Tags Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Business / Economics, Inspirational, Humor


Publication year 1996

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags History: U.S., Sociology, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 1923

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Anthropology, Sociology, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Education, Education, Anthropology, French Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Business / Economics, Arts / Culture, Class, Gender / Feminism, American Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help

The Goal, originally published in 1984 by North River Press, is part of a subset of business writing intended for managerial training. In the tradition of Who Moved My Cheese? and Surviving Your Serengeti: 7 Skills to Master Business and Life, The Goal is a fictional fable directed at executives to help them improve organizational culture and productivity. The Goal was one of the first such publications and introduced the idea of the Theory of... Read The Goal Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Environment

Tags Food, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Social Justice, Arts / Culture, Health / Medicine, Biography

Will Allen, author of the 2012 book The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities, co-written with Charles Wilson, is an important figure in the American urban farming movement. Born into a farming family, Allen spent much of his adolescence and early adulthood hoping to avoid the agricultural life; however, after a career in professional basketball and later in corporate sales and marketing, Allen finds himself farming full-time, with idealism in his heart... Read The Good Food Revolution Summary


Publication year 1889

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics

Tags Business / Economics, History: World, Biography

Andrew Carnegie wrote “The Gospel of Wealth” in June 1889. Carnegie begins his treatise by identifying what he sees as the most significant problem of modern-day times: “the proper administration of wealth, so that the ties of brotherhood may still bind together the rich and poor in harmonious relationship” (1).Carnegie mentions that, in the past, “there was little difference” (1) between the living situations of a leader of a community and those of the members... Read The Gospel Of Wealth Summary


Publication year 1968

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Inspirational, Philosophy, Self Help, Business / Economics, Religion / Spirituality, Finance / Money / Wealth, Christian literature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1944

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags History: World, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Business / Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

The Great Transformation, by Karl Polanyi, was first published in 1944 and is a nonfiction work of economic history. The most recent 2001 edition features a Foreword by renowned economist Joseph Stiglitz as well as an Introduction by sociology professor Fred Block, both of which tout the continued relevance of Polanyi’s work. Throughout the work itself, Polanyi discusses the social and economic changes—what he terms “the great transformation”—that occurred as a result of the Industrial... Read The Great Transformation Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Business / Economics, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government

Winner of the 2015 Avery O. Craven Prize and the 2015 Sidney Hillman Prize, Edward E. Baptist’s 2014 book, The Half Has Never Been Told, challenges revisionist historical studies and presents slavery as a modern and modernizing institution that was central to the creation of American wealth and power. Drawing on slave narratives and other sources, it examines the development and growth of American slavery and the far-reaching effects it had on the nation from... Read The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism Summary