524 products in Books, Music, Movies & TV

The bestselling citizen’s guide to economics  “Thomas Sowell is the nation’s greatest living economist.” —American Spectator     Basic Economics is a citizen’s guide to economics, written for those who want to understand how the economy works but have no interest in jargon or equations. Bestselling economist Thomas Sowell explains the general principles underlying different economic systems: capitalist, socialist, feudal, and so on. In readable language, he shows how to critique economic policies in terms of the incentives they create, rather than the goals they proclaim. With clear explanations of the entire field, from rent control and the rise and fall of businesses to the international balance of payments, this is the first book for anyone who wishes to understand how the economy functions. Drawing on lively examples from around the world and from centuries of history, Sowell explains basic economic principles for the general public in plain English.  

In responding to the financial crash of 2008, both the Bush Administration and the Obama Administration have relied on prescriptions developed by John Maynard Keynes, the most important economist since Marx. But should we be relying on Keynes? What did Keynes actually say? Did he make his case? Hunter Lewis concludes that he did not. If Keynes was wrong then so are the economic policies of virtually all world governments today.

A trio of experts on high-tech business strategy and innovation reveal the principles that have made platform businesses the most valuable firms in the world and the first trillion-dollar companies. Managers and entrepreneurs in the digital era must learn to live in two worlds the conventional economy and the platform economy. Platforms that operate for business purposes usually exist at the level of an industry or ecosystem, bringing together individuals and organizations so they can innovate and interact in ways not otherwise possible. Platforms create economic value far beyond what we see in conventional companies. The Business of Platforms is an invaluable, in-depth look at platform strategy and digital innovation. Cusumano, Gawer, and Yoffie address how a small number of companies have come to exert extraordinary influence over every dimension of our personal, professional, and political lives. They explain how these new entities differ from the powerful corporations of the past. They also question whether there are limits to the market dominance and expansion of these digital juggernauts. Finally, they discuss the role governments should play in rethinking data privacy laws, antitrust, and other regulations that could reign in abuses from these powerful businesses. Their goal is to help managers and entrepreneurs build platform businesses that can stand the test of time and win their share of battles with both digital and conventional competitors. As experts who have studied and worked with these firms for some thirty years, this book is the most authoritative and timely investigation yet of the powerful economic and technological forces that make platform businesses, from Amazon and Apple to Microsoft, Facebook, and Google all dominant players in shaping the global economy, the future of work, and the political world we now face. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Widely respected and admired, Philip Fisher is among the most influential investors of all time. His investment philosophies, introduced almost forty years ago, are not only studied and applied by today's financiers and investors, but are also regarded by many as gospel. This book is invaluable reading and has been since it was first published in 1958. The updated paperback retains the investment wisdom of the original edition and includes the perspectives of the author's son Ken Fisher, an investment guru in his own right in an expanded preface and introduction "I sought out Phil Fisher after reading his Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits...A thorough understanding of the business, obtained by using Phil's techniques...enables one to make intelligent investment commitments." ―Warren Buffet

Some things change life as we know it forever. This is the book that caused a sensation when originally published in Spanish in 2022 (as La Filosofia de Bitcoin) for its novel exploration of why Bitcoin is a creative disruption to civilization comparable to gunpowder, the stirrup, or the internet. Now available in translation for English readers, The Philosophy of Bitcoin explores, from a philosophical point of view, the nature of Bitcoin, its political implications, and its relationship with the State. Based on an analysis of its innovations, the author explains what and why institutions are put in crisis as a result of Bitcoin, and why it is stoking the crucible of disruption like nothing else for a very long time. "Álvaro D. María’s book does an excellent job of breaking down the nuance between money’s relationship with the State. Bitcoin’s emergence will transform the State because the very concept of money has been redefined. In fact, you could say this transformation has already begun with the wave of nation-state Bitcoin adoption currently making its way across the world. D. María deftly navigates this transformation in his book, covering topics such as the emergence of new social contracts and the coming change in both economics and politics." —Samson Mow, JAN3 CEO "This book ignites the critical thinking of all kinds of readers; it is accessible to beginners seeking a gateway to Bitcoin and stimulating for experts reimagining the matter. Álvaro D. María commands the art of explaining complex social and economic processes in simple terms. He can relevantly quote from Greek philosophers, Golden Age poets, Nobel laureates, or even Shrek to welcome each of us, “newbies” and “original gangsters” alike, into this bottom-up grassroot revolution." —Gabriel Kurman, founder of Rootstock; CEO, Koibanx "As we search for reasons to say “yes” to Bitcoin, we often look into the economic sphere, finding motives in the Fiat model or Executive Order 6102. We also look for arguments in the lack of freedoms, censorship, or the prevailing KYC. But what about the reasons of political philosophy, and the reasons that are anchored to the most radical changes that man has experienced and that involve centuries or millennia? The Philosophy of Bitcoinby Álvaro D. María makes you understand where we are and shows you why Bitcoin and cyberspace are the beginning of the crumbling of the state absolutism in which we live. Few books deserve a 10 out of 10." —Lunaticoin "The Philosophy of Bitcoin is a book that had to exist. It is not only because of how D. María managed to synthesize the historical discussion of power and state in 100 pages, but also because, in Spanish, there was a huge philosophical gap in the analysis of Bitcoin. The book is a contribution at all levels: for those who are just starting to learn about Bitcoin, for those who are already users, or for those who have become Bitcoiners. The book is definitely a philosophical revelation about Bitcoin, available to everyone." —Javier Bastardo, author of Satoshi in Venezuela "The Philosophy of Bitcoin provides insightful guidance to explore the deeper implications of Bitcoin beyond its role as a currency. The book recognizes Bitcoin as a transformative breakthrough for humanity, and Álvaro D. María expertly analyzes its impact on the relationship between money and the State. He skillfully navigates this transformation, exploring topics such as the emergence of new social contracts, changes in economics and politics, and the redefinition of property rights. A must read for anyone interested in Bitcoin and Austrian economics." —Prince Philip of Serbia Álvaro D. María holds double degrees in law and philosophy. When he wrote and published this book in Spanish in 2022 it was an instant success. This edition marks the debute of his work in English.

A renowned economist argues for the importance of property rights in "the most intelligent book yet written about the current challenge of establishing capitalism in the developing world" (Economist) "The hour of capitalism's greatest triumph," writes Hernando de Soto, "is, in the eyes of four-fifths of humanity, its hour of crisis." In The Mystery of Capital, the world-famous Peruvian economist takes up one of the most pressing questions the world faces today: Why do some countries succeed at capitalism while others fail? In strong opposition to the popular view that success is determined by cultural differences, de Soto finds that it actually has everything to do with the legal structure of property and property rights. Every developed nation in the world at one time went through the transformation from predominantly extralegal property arrangements, such as squatting on large estates, to a formal, unified legal property system. In the West we've forgotten that creating this system is what allowed people everywhere to leverage property into wealth. This persuasive book revolutionized our understanding of capital and points the way to a major transformation of the world economy.

An analysis of the investment approach of the world's top investors, showing how to achieve market-beating returns It is possible to beat the market. Taking this as a starting point, Excess Returns sets out to explore how exactly the most famous investors in the world have done it, year after year, sometimes by huge margins. Excess Returns is not a superficial survey of what investors have said about what they do. Rather, Frederik Vanhaverbeke applies a forensic analysis to hundreds of books, articles, letters and speeches made by dozens of top investors over the last century and synthesises his findings into a definitive blueprint of how exactly these investment legends have gone about their work. Among the legends whose work has been studied are Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Anthony Bolton, Peter Lynch, Charles Munger, Joel Greenblatt, Seth Klarman, David Einhorn, Daniel Loeb, Lou Simpson, Prem Watsa and many more. Among the revealing insights, you will learn of the striking similarities in the craft of great investors, crucial subtleties in their methods that are ignored by many, and the unconscious errors investors commonly make and how these are counter to successful investing. Special attention is given to two often overlooked areas: effective investment philosophy and investment intelligence. The investing essentials covered include: - Finding bargain shares - Making a quantitative and qualitative business analysis - Valuation methods - Investing throughout the business cycle - Timing buy and sell decisions - And much, much more! Excess Returns is full of timeless and practical insights, presented in a unique style, to help investors focus on the most promising opportunities and lead the way to beating the market.

4th Edition (2022), 22 chapters, 320,000 words, Over 500 pages Michael Bazzell has helped hundreds of celebrities, billionaires, and everyday citizens completely disappear from public view. He is now known in Hollywood as the guy that “fixes” things. His previous books about privacy were mostly REACTIVE and he focused on ways to hide information, clean up an online presence, and sanitize public records to avoid unwanted exposure. This textbook is PROACTIVE. It is about starting over. It is the complete guide that he would give to any new client in an extreme situation. It leaves nothing out, and provides explicit details of every step he takes to make someone completely disappear, including document templates and a chronological order of events. The information shared in this volume is based on real experiences with his actual clients, and is unlike any content ever released in his other books.

The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times is René Guénon's most prophetic work. Having seen his telling analysis of Western culture, The Crisis of the Modern World, swiftly overtaken by events, he based this his final and most profound critique squarely on changeless metaphysical principles. He exposes with his fabled clarity the precise nature of the modern deviation, devoting special attention to the part played by modern philosophy and science (with their accompanying notions of progress and evolution) in the formation of the industrial and democratic society that we now regard as "normal." He sees history as a descent from Form (or Quality) toward Matter (or Quantity). But following after the Reign of Quantity (modern materialism and the "rise of the masses"), Guénon predicts a reign of "inverted quality" just before the end of the age: the triumph of the "counter-initiation" the kingdom of Antichrist. Although Guénon bases his critique on "abstract" principles, his examples are satisfyingly concrete: his remarks on "the degeneration of coinage" could easily be updated to include the transformation of money into electronically-stored digital information; his treatment of "the significance of metallurgy" as regards its occult dangers points directly to our own well-founded fear of such man-made elements as plutonium; and his chapter on the "cracks in the Great Wall" gives solid metaphysical grounding to our twenty-first century demonology, including the UFO phenomenon. This text is considered the magnum opus among Guénon's works of civilizational criticism, as is Symbols of Sacred Science among his studies on symbols and cosmology, and Man and His Becoming according to the Vedanta among his more purely metaphysical works. The Reign of Quantity gives a concise but comprehensive view of the present state of affairs in the world, as it appears from the point of view of the 'ancient wisdom', formerly common both to the East and to the West, but now almost entirely lost sight of. The author indicates with his fabled clarity and directness the precise nature of the modern deviation, and devotes special attention to the development of modern philosophy and science, and to the part played by them, with their accompanying notions of progress and evolution, in the formation of the industrial and democratic society which we now regard as 'normal'. Guénon sees history as a descent from Form (or Quality) toward Matter (or Quantity); but after the Reign of Quantity-modern materialism and the 'rise of the masses'-Guénon predicts a reign of 'inverted quality' just before the end of the age: the triumph of the 'counter-initiation', the kingdom of Antichrist. This text is considered the magnum opus among Guénon's texts of civilizational criticism, as is Symbols of Sacred Science among his studies on symbols and cosmology, and Man and His Becoming according to the Vedanta among his more purely metaphysical works.

Of the books published regarding hyperinflation, this may be the only one that provides effective strategies for operating a business under conditions of a rapidly depreciating currency. "The Hyperinflation Survival Guide: Strategies for American Businesses" was written by Dr. Gerald Swanson (an associate professor of economics at the University of Arizona). Harry E. Figgie, Jr. sponsored the research and production of this book. As it was originally printed in 1989, it was way ahead of its time. However, this doesn't change the fact that this book will prove to be an excellent resource for businessmen and individuals once the Federal Reserve's destruction of the U.S. dollar enters its terminal stage.

Bitcoin is one of the most transformative technologies in history, but at the same time it's dismissed as useless or only seen as a speculative vehicle. Why Cryptocurrencies? will dispel that myth by exploring real use-cases and show how cryptocurrencies are uniquely positioned to revolutionize the way we use money today. Can you afford to miss out? What makes this book special? * Gives you the important conceptual ideas. It's all too easy to get bogged down with technical details; the high-level concepts are what's truly important. * Easy to read. The book is beginner-friendly and doesn't require any prior knowledge. * Focused on utility. The focus is on concrete use-cases, instead of the more seductive speculative approach. * It's bigger than Bitcoin. There are many more cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. The focus is on the general cryptocurrency concept and it's potential, instead of on a single implementation. * Visits a wide variety of topics. This isn't only about cryptocurrencies. It's also about money, censorship, our financial system, and the dark secrets that Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden revealed. * The order doesn't matter. Chapters are self-contained, so you can jump around and read the sections you're interested in.

Eine prägnante Einführung in Hugo Stinnes und sein mächtiges Industrie-Imperium, das Deutschland nach dem Krieg neu formte. Dieses Buch untersucht das Leben eines der prominentesten Industriellen Deutschlands und die Entstehung großer Konzernstrukturen im rheinisch-westfälischen Revier. Es beleuchtet, wie Stinnes’ Leadership, Familiendynamik und strategische Verknüpfungen über Kohle, Erz und Elektrizität hinweg eine neue Wirtschaftsordnung prägten – jenseits von Einzeltiteln und einzelnen Betrieben. Der Text verknüpft Biografie, Unternehmensführung und wirtschaftliche Entwicklungen zu einem umfassenden Bild der deutschen Trust-Bildung. Er vergleicht deutsche Strukturen mit amerikanischen Modellen und zeigt, wie Dezentralisierung und Integrated Business Modelle das Rohstoff- und Fertigungsnetz zusammenführten. Leser erhalten Einblicke in Motive, Machtverhältnisse und die gesellschaftliche Wirkung dieser Großkonzerne. * Wie Stinnes ein vielstufiges Konzernnetz aus Rohstoffgewinnung, Weiterverarbeitung und Vertrieb formte. * Wie deutsche Trusts sich von amerikanischen Vorbildern unterscheiden und warum Zentralisierung anders funktioniert. * Welche Rolle Familienführung, Mitarbeiterschaft und politische Einflüsse im Konzernspiel spielen. * Welche Auswirkungen die Konzentration großer Industrieunternehmen auf Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft hatte. Ideal für Leserinnen und Leser, die sich für Wirtschaftsgeschichte, Industriekonzern-Entwicklung und das deutsche Wirtschaftsleben der Zwischenkriegszeit interessieren.