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 1948

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Midlife

Tags Self Help, Psychology, Inspirational, Mental Illness, Education, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Health / Medicine


Publication year 1998

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Language

Tags Business / Economics, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Classic Fiction

First published in 1936, Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People launched the American self-help industry, sold over 30 million copies, and became a template for the thousands of self-improvement books that followed. It asserts that success with others depends on listening, showing appreciation, and empathizing with them. The book was revised in 1981; the 2020 eBook re-issue of that edition is the basis for this study guide. The book is divided... Read How to Win Friends and Influence People Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Self Discovery

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


Publication year 1891

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Economics, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Business / Economics


Publication year 1916

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Community

Tags Politics / Government, Philosophy, History: World, Poverty, Russian Literature, Business / Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1984

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Language

Tags Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help, Information Age, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Psychology


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Gender, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Gender / Feminism, Science / Nature, Social Justice, Finance / Money / Wealth, Sociology, Business / Economics, Technology, Health / Medicine, Politics / Government, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)


Publication year 1958

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Business / Economics, Philosophy, Politics / Government, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

The essay “I, Pencil,” also known as “I, Pencil: My Family Tree as Told to Leonard E. Read,” was first published by the American businessman and libertarian advocate Leonard E. Read in 1958. The essay first appeared in The Freeman, a publication of the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEE), a think-tank he co-founded in 1946. Read was a staunch critic of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal,” an ambitious series of government policies and... Read I, Pencil Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Self Help, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Health / Medicine

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked (2017), a nonfiction book by Adam Alter, explores the relationship between humans and addictive technologies. Alter is a professor of marketing at New York University Stern School of Business and has written other nonfiction titles about human behavior, such as Drunk Tank Pink.  The book begins with the assertion that people can easily become addicted to smartphones, video games, and other technologies... Read Irresistible Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Leadership/Organization/Management, Military / War, Business / Economics, Self Help, Biography


Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Economics

Tags Business / Economics, Finance / Money / Wealth, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management


Publication year 1961

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, History: The Americas, Business / Economics, History: World


Publication year 2001

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics

Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Sociology, Philosophy


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Satire, Relationships, Agriculture, Arts / Culture, Business / Economics, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, Health / Medicine, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Poverty, Religion / Spirituality, Social Justice

Landscape with Invisible Hand is a satirical dystopian science fiction novel by M. T. Anderson, written for a young adult audience. A diverse author, Anderson writes both fiction and nonfiction for people of all ages. In 2023, Landscape with Invisible Hand was adapted for film, reflecting the novel’s popularity and relevance. The book depicts a future world in which an alien species, the vuvv, have sold their technology to humans, causing the collapse of the... Read Landscape with Invisible Hand Summary


Publication year 2000

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics

Tags History: World, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Indian Literature, Chinese Literature


Publication year 2007

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Society: Economics, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Teams

Tags Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Business / Economics, Class, American Literature, Education, Education

Lawn Boy, a novella by Gary Paulsen published in 2007, is a middle grade chapter book about a 12-year-old boy who receives an old lawn mower as a birthday gift from his grandmother. As underwhelming as the gift appears, this moment launches a sequence of events that ends with the boy owning $480,000 and being the sole investor of a heavyweight boxer. Full of quirky humor and digestible lessons in capitalism, Paulsen’s story leads the... Read Lawn Boy Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Psychology, Inspirational, Business / Economics, Self Help, Post Modernism, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t (2014) is inspirational speaker Simon Sinek’s second book, a follow-up to Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action (2009). The book’s title is derived from a practice in which Marine Corps Officers eat last, sacrificing their own needs for those in their care. Sacrifice is key. Sinek explores the ways in which successful individuals and companies develop cultures built on... Read Leaders Eat Last Summary


Publication year 1987

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Business / Economics, History: World, Leadership/Organization/Management, Creative Nonfiction, Self Help, Military / War, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun is a self-improvement and business leadership book by Wess Roberts, who was a human resources manager at Fireman’s Fund Insurance when he published the book in 1989. Using the historical figure of Attila the Hun as his mouthpiece, Roberts outlines his management style and approach to business. This guide refers to Attila’s “persona” when quoting words that Roberts imagines Attila might have said. In the introduction, Roberts discusses Attila... Read Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags Philosophy, Biography, Politics / Government, Leadership/Organization/Management, History: World, Business / Economics, Philosophy


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

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