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Economy => Economics => Topic started by: sana8410 on May 29, 2014, 04:42:09 PM



Title: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on May 29, 2014, 04:42:09 PM
What are some great business or economy themed books you guys have read?
Do include a good advice from the book that you have recommended as well.
For me, a good econs book I've read would the 'The wealth of nations' by Adam Smith which is a book first published in 1776!It is widely considered as the 'magnum opus' (greatest work) in classical economics! Before the book, there has never before been such a huge collection of explanations for the changes and growth of economic theories.

My favorite quote from the book would be this:

"Laws frequently continue in force long after the circumstances which first gave occasion to them, and which could alone render them reasonable, are no more."

I do think that quote can be applied to many outdated laws that we still have nowadays, don't you think?


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: noviapriani on May 29, 2014, 04:59:41 PM
A good business book that I can recommend would be:

What They Don't Teach You At Harvard Business School by Mark H. McCormack

I loved his advice about 'observing aggressively'Too many people nowadays are too caught up in what they themselves wanna say that they forget to pay attention to their business partners (aka the person they are talking to) when actually if you observe them closely and listen carefully to their actions and the words they use, their conscious and subconscious actions can tell you a lot about themselves and what they think!Ever since then I've made it a point to sit back and relax while paying attention to the people I'm talking to.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: twiifm on May 29, 2014, 05:14:22 PM
Adam Smith is very influential.  So is Keynes, Marx, Hayek, Ricardo, Locke,  Schumpeter, Friedman


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on May 29, 2014, 05:19:11 PM
A good business book that I can recommend would be:

What They Don't Teach You At Harvard Business School by Mark H. McCormack

I loved his advice about 'observing aggressively'Too many people nowadays are too caught up in what they themselves wanna say that they forget to pay attention to their business partners (aka the person they are talking to) when actually if you observe them closely and listen carefully to their actions and the words they use, their conscious and subconscious actions can tell you a lot about themselves and what they think!Ever since then I've made it a point to sit back and relax while paying attention to the people I'm talking to.
If you are in marketing business or in selling occupation the book must be proved best but for other readers who wish to find it a self help guide may glide down to zero level
Some tips are good but only few...


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on May 29, 2014, 05:30:59 PM
Adam Smith is very influential.  So is Keynes, Marx, Hayek, Ricardo, Locke,  Schumpeter, Friedman
Adam Smith is often described as the "founding father of economics". A great deal of what is now considered standard theory about the theory about markets was developed by Adam Smith. Two books, Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations are of great importance. First time I’ve heard about him was in collage ,on the economy class,when I started to read “Theory of Moral Sentiments”...i never finish it.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: Ron~Popeil on May 29, 2014, 06:00:51 PM
Anything by Milton Friedman is worth a read. He predicted crypto currencies not long before he passed. 


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on May 31, 2014, 02:31:03 PM
Anything by Milton Friedman is worth a read. He predicted crypto currencies not long before he passed. 
Milton Friedman was a genius. If you have interest, spend some time listening to his talks on YouTube. Fantastic speaker, very intelligent, and absolutely scathing of massive government, high taxation, etc. I wish he could've been here to see Bitcoin.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: zolace on May 31, 2014, 02:36:47 PM
A good book I've read would be 'Rich dad, poor dad' by Robert Kiyosaki.

I really liked his advice on our attitude towards making mistakes. In his book, he said:

"“In school we learn that mistakes are bad, and we are punished for making them. Yet, if you look at the way humans are designed to learn, we learn by making mistakes. We learn to walk by falling down. If we never fell down, we would never walk.”

and also

“Winners are not afraid of losing. But losers are. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success.”

and it is true. In the real world, we have to understand that sometimes we have to take risks and both outcomes of taking risks are a win-win situation as long as you make the best out of your mistakes and failures by learning from them. :)

I have realized that most of the improvements that I've been proud of are the result of learning from mistakes.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on May 31, 2014, 02:54:33 PM
A good book I've read would be 'Rich dad, poor dad' by Robert Kiyosaki.

I really liked his advice on our attitude towards making mistakes. In his book, he said:

"“In school we learn that mistakes are bad, and we are punished for making them. Yet, if you look at the way humans are designed to learn, we learn by making mistakes. We learn to walk by falling down. If we never fell down, we would never walk.”

and also

“Winners are not afraid of losing. But losers are. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success.”

and it is true. In the real world, we have to understand that sometimes we have to take risks and both outcomes of taking risks are a win-win situation as long as you make the best out of your mistakes and failures by learning from them. :)

I have realized that most of the improvements that I've been proud of are the result of learning from mistakes.
'Rich dad, poor dad'... Sounds interesting.. Never heard of it ever before..


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: QuarantinedMoon on May 31, 2014, 03:06:49 PM
Great topic. Depends on what field of Economics but I'm quite into Economics of Social Policy... can't go wrong with Becker (1968)/Stigler (1970) for Economics of Crime.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: zolace on May 31, 2014, 04:00:33 PM
A good book I've read would be 'Rich dad, poor dad' by Robert Kiyosaki.

I really liked his advice on our attitude towards making mistakes. In his book, he said:

"“In school we learn that mistakes are bad, and we are punished for making them. Yet, if you look at the way humans are designed to learn, we learn by making mistakes. We learn to walk by falling down. If we never fell down, we would never walk.”

and also

“Winners are not afraid of losing. But losers are. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success.”

and it is true. In the real world, we have to understand that sometimes we have to take risks and both outcomes of taking risks are a win-win situation as long as you make the best out of your mistakes and failures by learning from them. :)

I have realized that most of the improvements that I've been proud of are the result of learning from mistakes.
'Rich dad, poor dad'... Sounds interesting.. Never heard of it ever before..
It is a relatively thin book of about 200 pages and only priced at about 10$ usd for all the great advice it offers. It is definitely worth the investment!The book has also been on the market awhile so I wouldn't be surprised if you find the book in a 2nd hand book fair.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: Benjig on May 31, 2014, 05:06:35 PM
Well i have some

Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel (1997).  The third leg in the triad of "why did Europe dominate the globe?" explanations.  If Clark focuses on genetics/culture, and Rosenberg and Birdzell focus on institutions, Diamond proffers a geographical determinism. 

  Nathan Rosenberg and L.E. Birdzell, Jr., How the West Grew Rich (1986).  Perfect when paired with Clark, because Rosenberg and Birdzell present the classical argument for why Western Europe was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. 


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: umair127 on June 04, 2014, 01:38:23 PM
What about 'The richest men in Babylon'??
I loved that book. Short and easy to read. In that book, one advice that stuck with me the most was 'Save at least 10% of all your income to be used as investment.'
In today's society where most people tend to spend MORE than they earn, I think saving money is a very rare virtue. And over a long time, 10% of your income in the right investments can even make you rich!


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on June 04, 2014, 01:49:45 PM
Well i have some

Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel (1997).  The third leg in the triad of "why did Europe dominate the globe?" explanations.  If Clark focuses on genetics/culture, and Rosenberg and Birdzell focus on institutions, Diamond proffers a geographical determinism. 

  Nathan Rosenberg and L.E. Birdzell, Jr., How the West Grew Rich (1986).  Perfect when paired with Clark, because Rosenberg and Birdzell present the classical argument for why Western Europe was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. 
I also enjoyed the book except that Diamond's patronising attitude towards his "friends" in New Guinea is repulsive - his "praise" of how clever they are feels very artificial.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: zolace on June 04, 2014, 01:55:36 PM
Sun Tzu Art of War has also been hailed as one of the greatest 'business books' around although it was originally meant for a military audience. This is because many of the strategies stated in the book can be applied to business!
For example, one of my favorite quotes from the book would be:

"The great fighters of the past first puts themselves beyond the possibilities of defeat,
then waited for an opportunity to defeat the enemy.

For you alone can deny victory to the enemy,
but only your enemy can allow you to win."


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on June 04, 2014, 02:03:47 PM
What about 'The richest men in Babylon'??
I loved that book. Short and easy to read. In that book, one advice that stuck with me the most was 'Save at least 10% of all your income to be used as investment.'
In today's society where most people tend to spend MORE than they earn, I think saving money is a very rare virtue. And over a long time, 10% of your income in the right investments can even make you rich!
This is a great starting book for someone who is pressed for time and doesn't want to read a ton of financial books. While some of the ideas are archaically written, they remain timeless. An obvious one: as a person's wealth rises, so do their expenses.
Keep in mind the story is set in ancient Babylon so if you want something more contemporary, while learning, try ,as zolace here recommended,Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: zolace on June 04, 2014, 03:29:25 PM
What about 'The richest men in Babylon'??
I loved that book. Short and easy to read. In that book, one advice that stuck with me the most was 'Save at least 10% of all your income to be used as investment.'
In today's society where most people tend to spend MORE than they earn, I think saving money is a very rare virtue. And over a long time, 10% of your income in the right investments can even make you rich!
Read it 4 years ago, Loved it, I should read it again. Fun to read, interesting, though provoking and but mostly just plain inspiring. If you don't have problems with spending too much money no need to read it. If you have tons of money and it's not a problem no need to read it. If you live on a budget like most of it, enjoy. Deserving of its well-regarded status of one of the classics of personal finance.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: umair127 on June 04, 2014, 03:32:14 PM
Sun Tzu Art of War has also been hailed as one of the greatest 'business books' around although it was originally meant for a military audience. This is because many of the strategies stated in the book can be applied to business!
For example, one of my favorite quotes from the book would be:

"The great fighters of the past first puts themselves beyond the possibilities of defeat,
then waited for an opportunity to defeat the enemy.

For you alone can deny victory to the enemy,
but only your enemy can allow you to win."
Oh! I've read Sun Tzu Art of War too. I almost forgot about it.
The advice that stuck with me most was about to take no sides until you really have to, so that your enemies will not know your stance.
It goes something along the lines of....the best formation an army could take is without formation...because if you have no formation, even the subtlest spies cannot report against you and the wisest generals cannot plan against you(?) and then it ends with 'using formation, lead your army to victory.'


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: noviapriani on June 05, 2014, 09:18:39 AM
You can also try "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine" by Michael Lewis is really a good business economy book.This is the no 1 New York Times bestseller.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: Leina on June 05, 2014, 09:26:41 AM
Adventure capitalist by Jim Roger.



Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: zolace on June 05, 2014, 10:14:41 AM
You can also try "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine" by Michael Lewis is really a good business economy book.This is the no 1 New York Times bestseller.
This is the first book I've read by Michael Lewis, and I hope to read his other work. The book was incredibly informative and fast paced, but also managed to be highly entertaining. I laughed out loud at parts, became darkly angry during other parts, and by the end felt quite informed about elements of the housing collapse. I highly recommend this book


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on June 05, 2014, 10:41:11 AM
You can also try "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine" by Michael Lewis is really a good business economy book.This is the no 1 New York Times bestseller.
This is the first book I've read by Michael Lewis, and I hope to read his other work. The book was incredibly informative and fast paced, but also managed to be highly entertaining. I laughed out loud at parts, became darkly angry during other parts, and by the end felt quite informed about elements of the housing collapse. I highly recommend this book
Like all Michael Lewis books, it offers an interesting perspective on a complex topic in an artful way. However, it gets repetitive at certain points and drags on at times. If you're not a financial professional, you'll be completely lost by the subject matter. Even if you are a financial professional, you'll find yourself lost at times. All in all, if your looking for a read that does a great job of explaining the subprime mortgage crisis, then this book is for you.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on June 05, 2014, 10:48:14 AM
Adventure capitalist by Jim Roger.


Very interesting to see the Jim Rogers perspective of the world. Learned plenty about the world and little about invest ing. Just the right mix. I look forward to reading more of his books.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: zolace on June 11, 2014, 03:46:29 PM
Adventure capitalist by Jim Roger.


Very interesting to see the Jim Rogers perspective of the world. Learned plenty about the world and little about invest ing. Just the right mix. I look forward to reading more of his books.
What is the book about? :) Are there any interesting advice inside?

I have started reading 'Unthinking: The Surprising Forces Behind What We Buy' by Harry Beckwith lately.
One interesting I got from the book was that people love to play and hear stories. So as an entrepreneur, it is important to tap into our target market's love for play and stories. Such as telling an inspirational story behind how we started our business and make the buying process fun for our customers (such as auctions and special discounts).


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: fdiini on June 11, 2014, 09:50:15 PM
Adventure capitalist by Jim Roger.


Very interesting to see the Jim Rogers perspective of the world. Learned plenty about the world and little about invest ing. Just the right mix. I look forward to reading more of his books.
What is the book about? :) Are there any interesting advice inside?

I have started reading 'Unthinking: The Surprising Forces Behind What We Buy' by Harry Beckwith lately.
One interesting I got from the book was that people love to play and hear stories. So as an entrepreneur, it is important to tap into our target market's love for play and stories. Such as telling an inspirational story behind how we started our business and make the buying process fun for our customers (such as auctions and special discounts).


After reading a few chapters, you will get hooked and continue reading until the last page.



Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: LiteCoinUser84 on June 12, 2014, 11:05:05 AM
European Economics (El Agraa) is an excellent book for understanding currency in the EU context. A lot of discussion on exchange rates etc..


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: zolace on June 12, 2014, 11:48:54 AM
European Economics (El Agraa) is an excellent book for understanding currency in the EU context. A lot of discussion on exchange rates etc..
I never heard of it!Who wrote it and were can i find it?Thanks


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: teukon on June 12, 2014, 12:04:38 PM
"Economics in One Lesson".  Written by Henry Hazlitt and published in 1946.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: minor-transgression on June 13, 2014, 05:20:50 AM
"Debunking Economics" by Steve Keen is worth looking at first, before you read other
economics texts.

In the same vein, a Warren Buffet quote:
"If you get into a poker game, and after twenty minutes you haven't figured out who the patsy is,
YOU are the patsy"


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: Este Nuno on June 13, 2014, 06:13:58 PM
The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman is good if you want a good overview of modern business thought.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: zolace on June 16, 2014, 11:55:04 AM
"Economics in One Lesson".  Written by Henry Hazlitt and published in 1946.

This book was a great disappointment as it turned into an anti government rant very quickly. It is a shame that it could have a title that is so misleading.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on June 16, 2014, 12:01:09 PM
"Economics in One Lesson".  Written by Henry Hazlitt and published in 1946.

This book was a great disappointment as it turned into an anti government rant very quickly. It is a shame that it could have a title that is so misleading.
The book deals with the basic items of controversy between the libertarian ant the Keynesian school of economics. It strongly supports the former with convincing arguments. Nevertheless it is not a dogmatic libertarian peace of work as it admits the problems of capitalistic progress. Personally i feel impressed of the quality of arguments and the clarity of the conclusions. Overall it is a magnificent book,strongly recommended!


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on June 16, 2014, 12:06:04 PM
"Debunking Economics" by Steve Keen is worth looking at first, before you read other
economics texts.

In the same vein, a Warren Buffet quote:
"If you get into a poker game, and after twenty minutes you haven't figured out who the patsy is,
YOU are the patsy"
First off, it’s fantastic seeing someone pay attention to Steve Keen’s book. I have been a fan for years and it is no coincidence that he won an award for being the person who most accurately predicted the financial crisis.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on June 16, 2014, 02:15:06 PM
The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman is good if you want a good overview of modern business thought.
I haven't read it it yet,i had a look on it's reviews on amazon. I think I will give it a try. Thanks


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: AdamSmith on June 16, 2014, 03:53:35 PM
The Wealth of Nations.

And

The Theory of Moral Sentiments.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: hikedoon on June 18, 2014, 12:56:27 AM
  "The Robber Barons"   cant remember the author but it's on scribd.
  "Propaganda" by Edward Bernays.
   The older books are a lot more honest.
   


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: noviapriani on June 18, 2014, 01:16:32 PM
You can also try "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine" by Michael Lewis is really a good business economy book.This is the no 1 New York Times bestseller.
This is the first book I've read by Michael Lewis, and I hope to read his other work. The book was incredibly informative and fast paced, but also managed to be highly entertaining. I laughed out loud at parts, became darkly angry during other parts, and by the end felt quite informed about elements of the housing collapse. I highly recommend this book
I found the book repetitious. He tells the same story from three different points of view, even though it was the same story. The first and last part of the book were very informative, the middle could have been skipped and the book would have accomplished the same. There are also good lessons to be learned. Do not invest in thing you do not understand and do your homework when you hire an investment manager.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: Rigon on June 18, 2014, 02:54:20 PM
The Wealth of Nations.

And

The Theory of Moral Sentiments.

I haven't read it yet,i had a look on it's reviews on amazon and think I will give it a try.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on June 18, 2014, 02:59:12 PM
The Wealth of Nations.

And

The Theory of Moral Sentiments.

Adam Smith is often described as the "founding father of economics". A great deal of what is now considered standard theory about the theory about markets was developed by Adam Smith. Two books, Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations are of great importance.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: sana8410 on June 18, 2014, 03:13:12 PM
The Wealth of Nations.

And

The Theory of Moral Sentiments.

I haven't read it yet,i had a look on it's reviews on amazon and think I will give it a try.
Adam Smith's books are interesting as they really ARE among the first few books written on the subject of economics. It's like you are witnessing a part of history by reading his books.
However, he can be a little bit too repetitious also, like what noviapriani said about The Big Short: Inside The Doomsday Machine.


Title: Re: Good business/economy books!
Post by: Este Nuno on June 18, 2014, 04:02:55 PM
You can also try "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine" by Michael Lewis is really a good business economy book.This is the no 1 New York Times bestseller.

Moneyball is really good too even if you're not a baseball fan.

The Blind Side was a good read too, but not as focused on a revolutionary approach like Moneyball was. It's more story focused.

Liar's Poker while old is still a really interesting read today. If just to get an idea of some of the history behind today's Wall Street.