|
|
Business and Personal Finance August 2014 |
"Never spend your money before you have it."
~ Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), 3rd President of the United States |
|
New and Recently Released!
|
|
| #Girlboss by Sophia AmorusoFor those unfamiliar with the Nasty Gal fashion business, it's the brainchild of one-time "broke, anarchist 'freegan'" Sophia Amoruso, who skipped college, opened an eBay store for vintage clothing on a whim, and after a lot of hard work, turned it into a $100 million company of which she is the CEO. Told in an appealingly conversational tone, this memoir is partially the story of an unconventional entrepreneur, and partially the story of fiscal responsibility and the importance of making your own rules. Engaging, straightforward, and a little bit irreverent, this is a great read for people following their passions, and while its tone may suggest it's meant for teens and recent college graduates, there's plenty of information and enthusiasm for those already on a career path. |
|
| Think and Grow Rich for Women: Using Your Power to Create Success and Significance by Sharon LechterBased on Napoleon Hill's bestselling Think and Grow Rich, first published in 1937, this new version was written specifically for women. With the end goal of empowering women to take control of their financial futures, author Sharon Lechter reviews the techniques found in Think and Grow Rich and offers lessons based on women who have successfully implemented them, from former Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor to Mary Kay founder Mary Kay Ash. Worksheets will help guide readers through Lechter's version of Hill's program, keeping in mind all the while that success for a woman may mean something different than success for a man. |
|
| Power Cues: The Subtle Science of Leading Groups, Persuading Others, and Maximizing Your Personal Impact by Nick MorganIn this "practical and useful guide" (Publishers Weekly), communications coach Nick Morgan offers a primer in reading the conscious and unconscious messages each of us sends out. From entering a room to having a "leadership voice," mastering these kinds of communication can help you lead groups, influence others, or make persuasive arguments in a more effective manner. Other tips include improving your public speaking skills, determining truth from lies, and figuring out if the people you're talking to are actually listening. |
|
| The Tastemakers: Why We're Crazy For Cupcakes but Fed Up with Fondue by David SaxIn this brisk, fun exposé, food and business writer David Sax examines the world of food trends, revealing where (and how) they originate, where (and how) they end, who influences them, and why we're susceptible to them. From food trucks to test labs to TV (he argues that the popularity of cupcakes stemmed from an appearance on Sex and the City), Sax addresses the questions we never thought to ask, like how food trends affect the U.S. economy, or why we're eating chia seeds instead of the bran that captivated us in the '70s. For more on how things go viral, try Jonah Berger's Contagious. |
|
| Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael NortonIn this helpful, enthusiastic book, authors Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton address the relationship between happiness and money, and you might be surprised by what you learn: having more money doesn't necessarily equate to more happiness. Instead, it's how you spend it that counts. Their five principles of money -- buy experiences (not stuff), make your purchases a treat (rather than an everyday thing), buy time, pay now and consume later, and invest in others -- will allow you to wrest the most happiness from your spending. And the more of these principles you can combine in one purchase, the more happiness you'll experience. Backed up by solid research, this book ultimately offers "helpful ways to think about improving quality of life as it relates to finances" (Kirkus Reviews). |
|
| Walden on Wheels: On the Open Road from Debt to Freedom by Ken IlgunasKen Ilgunas graduated college with more than $30K in debt, determined to pay it off as quickly as possible. Traveling the country and taking jobs that paid room and board, he paid off the loan in three years. Then, resolving never to rack up that much debt again, he bought a van, enrolled in a master's program at Duke University, and lived in a campus parking lot for the next two years, avoiding security and showering at the campus gym. An article about his simplified lifestyle appeared in Salon, but for the full story -- as much about the expense of education as it is about Ilgunas' remarkable ability to live on next to nothing -- you'll have to pick up this "irresistibly engrossing true-life adventure tale" (Booklist). |
|
| Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry by Helaine OlenWhen it comes to books on personal finance, most of them describe the author's personal approach to making financial decisions. But in Pound Foolish, author Helaine Olen describes not her own financial theory but rather how the personal-finance industry actually works -- which is to say, that it often benefits the advice givers to the detriment of the recipients. In addition to her exposé of the industry, Olen also offers a history of "financial therapy," retirement tools, and the rise of financial planners. If you're planning on using the help of professionals, you may want to read this book to help you prepare. |
|
| The Money Class: Learn to Create Your New American Dream by Suze OrmanBestselling financial guru Suze Orman has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show numerous times, has her own television show, and has hosted PBS specials based on her books. Despite her own financial success, she talks to and writes for ordinary people; The Money Class addresses how ordinary people can overcome the scary financial present to create a stronger future. The most pressing of her suggestions is to live within one's means and to "spend what you have today, not what you hope to have tomorrow." To learn how to do this, check out The Money Class. |
|
| Worth It -- Not Worth It? Simple and Profitable Answers to Life's Tough Questions by Jack OtterPay for college with a loan, or skip higher ed entirely? See the world or get a job? Pay with credit or with debit? Rent or buy? Renovate the kitchen or the basement? Thorny financial questions are waiting for you at every turn, but this handy and very visual guide simplifies the decision-making process by clearly laying out the reasons why one option is better than the other. Easy to dip into or read in one go, this guide offers plenty of financial advice distilled into engaging, accessible suggestions appropriate for readers of all ages -- though the equation for figuring out whether to live with mom and dad or in squalor with roommates is priceless. |
|
| Lost and Found: One Woman's Story of Losing Her Money and Finding Her Life by Geneen RothBestselling author Geneen Roth is known for helping people improve their relationships with food (even appearing on Oprah to discuss it), but she turns her attention to money in this candid and honest memoir about her own financial woes. Roth and her husband lost their life savings to Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme, a catastrophe that made Roth realize that much of her relationship with money mimicked earlier problems with food -- she was binge shopping and hoarding non-food items. How she changed the way she thought about money is sure to inspire and comfort those who may recognize themselves in her descriptions. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
If you are having trouble unsubscribing to this newsletter, please contact the Itasca Community Library at
630-773-1699, 500 W. Irving Park Rd., Itasca, IL 60143
|
|
|