financial Books

Curt Weeden tells corporations that social investing through charitable contributions can help society, and can be good business. Then he explains why, and how. This detailed guide explains ways to get the most out of each philanthropic investment, benefiting the non-profit organization and the company's reputation, employee motivation and bottom line. Weeden provides only a few examples of companies that have engaged in corporate social investing, but the introductions by Paul Newman and Peter Lynch are more hands-on because both are active in philanthropy. The book focuses on instructions for setting up your firm's social investing system. Suggestions cover choosing a non-profit recipient, figuring tax benefits, and other nuts-and-bolts issues. The book is oriented to CEOs and top corporate managers, though we at getAbstract also recommend it to academics, stockholders and fundraisers. If you are considering social investing, this is a good guide. And if you're not, it'll explain why you should. (Note: Tax matters discussed are

Today corporate America has joined the sanctimonious trend in our society under the "giving back" theme. I imagine what a breath of fresh air it would be to hear the following candid statement from a corporate CEO or Board Chairman after refusing to kowtow to political correctness:

"We sell a quality product that our customers value. We have provided our employees with the means of supporting themselves with dignity, good wages, benefits, and a good working environment. We have worked hard to create wealth for our investors who after all are people with varying needs and means - and not all of them fantastically wealthy. We pay our share of taxes. In summary we already gave back to the community! As for giving to charity - any of our investors has the right to give in any way or amount (time or money) to any organization he or she sees fit. They don't need us to make that decision for them."

The "giving back to the community" phoniness implies that while running a business you are obviously taking from others - you are a drag on society at large and need to give back to equalize things - Karl Marx couldn't have come up with a better slogan.

Nonprofit organizations, particularly grassroots agencies, would do well to absorb the lessons in Corporate Social Investing which demystify and challenge corporate giving policies. We've found it much more enjoyable than most business texts, and we found ourselves laughing at some of Curt Weeden's analogies on more than one occasion.

This book lays out an easy to use approach for corporations and nonprofits who work together to get the most out of corporate contribution programs.

Working in a national nonprofit heading up the communications department with our corporate members, I have seen first hand the need for a road map in uncharted territory. This book provides just that to anyone interested in the field.

This is NOT just a business book -- it is a book that every nonprofit leader should be reading. This book could really make a difference in the way businesses and nonprofits work together.

Lianabel Oliver's book is an excellent simple book for managers and yes the general public! This book has helped understand the budgets the Administrator prepares in our office very year in terms of the importance of allocating effort and money to the continuously changing needs and demands of our work. It has also helped in formulating the right questions when I read the audit reports, budget projections, and income balance statements as a member of several board of directors.

Practical questions are introduced in each chapter and the analyses tools to deal with them are provided in both a simple and a more complex manner. The complex concepts are extremely well explained. Someone like myself, with no formal financial background could understand the concepts and reason through the chapters. One of the most amazing aspects of the book is that it draws on the very vast experience of the author with concrete examples that illustrate the points she is making and shows the various paths that one might take --the good and the bad. Showing the bad choices one can make and how to solve the problems this creates is seldom found in professional literature.

This book should be required reading for business people in general but most importantly for those businesses that deal directly with costumers. For example, chapter 8 will show both how to effectively measure the financial performance of these people-related businesses and how to improve the quality of service (cost management).

"The Cost Management Toolbox" is an excellent reference book, being a very useful and practical tool for accounting and non-accounting professionals. I use it very often for day to day managerial accounting situations in which the concepts presented by an experienced professional as Lianabel Oliver are very helpful. It is very easy to understand, and its examples are clear and concise.

I find this book terrific, as my current work involve costing and I don't have any accounting background. It tells me the very logical way to know the how the cost really count-on. I do recommend it to any person who want to know costing more deeply.

I really enjoyed reading this book. By far, it is one of the best I've read in the field of cost accounting. Lianabel does a great job explaining the concepts and bringing them to life with examples. By the way, if you're interested in ABC/ABM, Tom Pryor's book called "Using ABM for Continuous Improvement" is also a great book with lots of examples.

Contrary to conventional belief, the authors propose that roots of a financial crisis lie in microeconomic rather than macroeconomic factors. Their evidence is convincing.

This is a good book for anyone who wants to know why the past financial crises happened and how to cope with them from both the public and the private perspectives. The authors also present the "ten warning signs of a financial crisis" based on macroeconomic data that can be used as a guideline to predict a crisis in certain economy. But the problem is they cannot predict when it will happen.

The authors' objective to "offer some unique perspectives, case examples, and practical solutions, and an actionable, strategic blueprint that our clients can tailor to meet their specific needs" is well presented.

If you have no other book on financial crisis management, you must have this one.

The authors succinctly and clearly explain why economies in crisis do not behave the way economies normally do. They then identify key weaknesses in the financial sectors of crisis economies, and explain why they occur.

The book then goes on to provide a thorough and clear exposition on how crisis economies can be turned around, and what needs to be done, both politically and financially.

At this point the book turns to consider bank restructuring (a very specialised subject) and recovery of NPL portfolios in crisis economies. It concludes with recommendations for strengthening the international financial system to limit early economic collapse and prevent international financial contagion.

I really like this book, both as a guide for students, and a "how to" for CEO's and the financial sector. It is brilliantly clear and practical.

If you want to protect yourself and your organisation from financial crisis, or understand what happens when the economy you're operating in suffers collapse, get this book.

If you are interested in financial crises in emerging markets, or have to manage a company during one, you will learn from this book.

Two features make the book unique in the financial-crisis literature. First is real-world experience. While the authors are up on their economic theory, the book's real contribution is the fruit of years of practice. From poring over the innards of banks' loan books to working out a national re-structuring plan, these guys have actually done it, and done it in multiple nations. Until now, the theoretical works of academia and the IMF/World Bank have had the field pretty much to themselves. This book is a refreshing break, and a vital complement.

Second is that the book speaks not just to policymakers, but to the private sector. There's plenty of advice out there for central bankers and finance ministers for crisis-management; there hasn't been anything for corporate executives and bankers. This book fills that void. If I were a CEO managing during a crisis, I'd want this book on my nighttable.

Very timely. In today's world, managers should be worrying about how to anticipate and avoid financial crises. An important read for both proactive managers and investors.

This is a great book, I loved reading it. Be careful when you pick it up because you might just get a tad distracted and want to read is all through! Overall, it has some major pointers on saving money, especially when it comes to food. Loads of hints.

Murray Baker's Debt Free Graduate is an excellent resource. I work in college-level education, and have found the book to be very helpful in preparing information for students about how to be financially fit. Baker uses really practical examples of how we can save money in every aspect of our lives. I have definately picked up some tips that I can use, on everything from mutual funds to decorating my apartment for less... I highly recommend this book. It's a fun, easy read.

This book is just jam-packed full of cost saving gems!! In fact, I have saved countless dollars through better management of my money through tips I learned in this book. Perhaps the best thing about this book were all the great tips for getting both summer employment and grant money. Lastly, unlike so many other money saving books I have attempted to plod through, I really found The Debt Free Grad fun to read. If I enjoyed my course work reading as much as this book, I would be an English major instead!

Here's a book I wish someone gave me before I started College!

I was given this book as a gift and expected it to be a little difficult to read as it appeared to be a 'money' book. So I put it off a few weeks. Once I started reading, I was hooked. It's practical, comical and actually leaves you feeling excited about saving money, still enjoying the college experience but graduating with little to no debt. I believe that if I read this before I starting college, I would have had little problem graduating debt free. Some of the ideas are very unique and even discuss summer jobs, great tips on buying course books and housing. Other ideas are necessities every college student should know now, but also for life and in any career, such as some of the cost-cutting ideas and optimal ways to pay off any debt that may remain. The Debt Free Grad should be required reading for every college student!

Were you turned down for a loan, a salary hike, or a promotion? Don't worry. This book has lots of simple techniques to be adopted to turn a NO situation into a YES situation. Most of the examples/content was fettered to career and financial situations. However, some of the techniques can be applied to other situations as well.

If you are a gobbler, it would be hard to make most out of the book. Most of the concepts were conveyed through real life stories. If you miss the stories, you may miss important concepts.

In essence, you can use the simple checklist proposed by the authors to approach all problems - determine the problem, handle one problem at a time, focus on the facts, become an expert, create an environment of trust & turn NO into YES.

The size of the font in this text could have been bigger. Overall, I liked this book very much. I am now exhilarated to read "Die Broke" also :)

The book gives you straight answers on how to face challenges, financial and otherwise, that come your way in life: on the job and at home. I liked the examples the authors used; they were vivid and real. Bottom line is solve the problems you face and take responsibility for your actions.

Recommend this book in conjunction with another book on self direction and leadership I use called: "The Leader's Guide: 15 Essential Skills."

Turning No into Yes : Six Steps to Solving Your Financial Problems (So You Can Stop Worrying)
by Stephen M. Pollan, Mark Levine

This book demonstrates to the reader how you can look beyond your cash flow problem to the underlying issues, and then gives sound advice and principles in how to deal with those underlying issues.

In every case the path from no to yes is similar:
1. Determine your problem. Is the loan delayed because the banker doesn't like you, or because your income statement doesn't show enough in the asset column?

2. Make sure your dealing with one problem at a time. Don't try to rework your marketing at the same time that you trim your staff.

3. Focus on facts, Make sure that your own fears and worries aren't blinding you to the way things really are.

4. Become an expert. Immerse yourself in your problem; assemble all of the information you need to understand your needs and wants, as well as those of your opposite number.

5. Create an environment of trust; and, if you need to, Turn NO Into YES.

Now that you know the secrets to the authors principle, you should invest in this book and read hundreds of scenarios , ahowing how this technique can be applied in your life, and eventually become a piece of your self-worth fabric.

This book is like having a motivator, coach, and strategist at your home all of the time.

Highly recommend this book, and suggest you put it in your financial literacy library today!

I bought this book because I was familiar with the authors (I had read their books Die Broke and Live Rich which helped me very much). In the first part of the book, They explain the six step-approach to solve financial problems.I was really looking for a book like this one. We face many kinds of money problems every day. In the past I bought books about logical decision making and none is more useful and well thought than this one. Parts 2,3,4,and 5 give examples on how to use the method. I recommend to read these parts; they can be consulted in the future if are not needed at this time. Also by reading them, the whole concept is better understood and practically the six steps are memorized. Please do not think that you need to behave robot-like and use the entire six steps every time you face a problem. In my opinion,this book teaches that We need to approach every financial problem as much rationally as We can.And The more We try to do it the better We are going to become at it.

The book was top shelf and much cheaper than the bookstore. Delivery was prompt as promised. I've recommended your site to other students!

This book has everything you need to know! It is clear, easy to read, and easy to understand. Great Case Studies and online supplemental material. If you are in the field, get it today!

This is wonderful text providing a comprehensive overview of almost all areas of employment law as they relate to human resources. As an employment lawyer and HR professional, I particularly like the comprehensive suggestions and practical advice (best practices) contained in each chapter. The cases, which are the most relevant seminal cases, explain the material and balance the material nicely. The book will definitely be a keeper.

I had purchased this book for a masters level class I was in. It is incredibly comprehensive and will be your one-stop source for employment law as it relates to Human Resource practices.

There are lots of case studies and discussion questions should you feel the text doens't challenge you enough.

The only drawback is that the text is two-tone; it could have done with being a tad more colorful. Having said that, that's all that kept it from being five stars.

A solid, fluid look at experimental economics! In these turbulent times on Wall Street (and really in markets around the world) this proves to be a great source of how we've come to this point, but more importantly, where we can go from here.

Miller provides in-depth insight into past financial market events and by doing so sheds light on what might happen today on several fronts. Three examples: His discussion of the 1998 Long-Term Capital Management debacle is relevant for understanding current risks in hedge funds. His analysis of 1980s portfolio insurance should add to concerns about the proliferation of capital guaranteed notes. His take on market circuit breakers, which he describes as regulatory folly, raises the question of what would happen today if these were triggered.

While the book reviews a large and varied body of academic research, focusing heavily on the experimental economics that the author subscribes to, it offers practical conclusions that anybody interested in finance will find worthwhile. As a financial journalist, I found it very useful.

However, because it covers a lot of ground, readers may want to pick and choose what they want to read from the index. The chapter and section headings, while entertaining, are not good guides for this purpose.

But that's not my only reason for thinking this a great book.

Ross M. Miller makes three large claims here. I think he makes good on the first two. I'm not so sure about the third, but even there he makes a case that needs to be made.

First, he explains that one branch of economics has become an experimental science.

Second, he says that this variant of economics has produced important results - theorems disclosing how markets might best be structured or restructured, and how the privatization of now-public goods might be accomplished, in ways that could produce enormous productivity gains.

He more pessimistically claims though, thirdly, that these theorems probably won't produce such gains, because in doing so they would hurt politically powerful interests.

The idea of "experimental economics" is simple enough: a college professor need only ask his students to co-operate in a simple auction-based game, so that he (and they) can observe the process by which prices come into existence under simplified conditions. Once a body of observations has developed, he and other experimenters can vary the rules and conditions of the game and observe the effect the changes have upon the trading strategies of the players and the game outcomes.

It was at Harvard University, in the 1940s, that such experiments got their start, in the classroom of Professor Edward Chamberlain. In the decades since, a body of observations has developed that in some respects supports neoclassical economic theory, but that in one crucial respect calls for its modification. Neoclassical theory needs to be modified to account for the possibility of irrational price bubbles. What is of greater policy importance, though, is that post-Chamberlainian experiments have given us a good idea of how markets can be structured to prevent bubble formation.

About 1975, when Ross Miller and I were grad students in economics, there was a consensus "economic view of the world." Economists who had to deal with the real world -- policy makers and development types -- didn't really believe it, but the mainstream did. Not only believed it, but took it for granted.

That's not true today. The consensus is fragmenting. If you want to understand the underpinnings of this intellectual shift, read Ross's book. It's written clearly, even excitingly, with well-chosen examples. And it is written by a real economist, who's trying to understand what's right and what's wrong about how we think about the economic world.

Moore takes on the prosperity gospel/ Prayer of Jabez cult. He also addresses the fear mongering used to sell books and tapes with the Y2K "crisis" being a prime example. Moore says that clergy would typically define stewardship as giving 10% to ministry (although overall giving is more like 2%.) Moore takes no position on the doctrine of tithing but is more interested in how the other 90-98% of money is allocated. He advocates ethical investing in socially conscious mutual funds and saving in banks that serve under served communities. He mentions Shorebank in this regard. I learned from the book and will try to implement some of his approach.

It was a real treat to find Faithful Finances 101 recently.

I was a Baptist pastor for 17 years and am now an Investment Representative with Edward Jones. It is difficult to find responsible, wholistic, and positive investment advice from a Christian perspective.

I appreciate the clear and precise critique of popular economic and investment perspectives prevalent among many Christians today. It was especially helpful that Moore was willing to name those with whom he disagrees. Unfortunately, there is often no other way to encapsulate a differing viewpoint than to name the teacher of that viewpoint (for example, Larry Burkett). I know this can be perceived negatively, but it seems to me that when a person is so distinctly identified with a particular point of view, the use of the name speaks much more to the teaching than the person. The critique was far from personal and dealt constructively with ideas that are often presented as the "Christian" point of view.

I suspect Moore has received some criticism for his differing viewpoint and the method he used. Hopefully, his approach will be seen as a constructive and challenging voice in what it means to live as a responsible Christian steward. I certainly saw it as helpful. It is troubling that these days thoughtful debate is often taboo. Perhaps we will come to a place in the future where differing voices are seen as different facets of the diamond rather than heretical thoughts.

For some reason, so many people forget how consistently wrong some of these negative Christians perspectives have been through the years. I suppose anything could happen in the future--as the old saying goes, "even a broken clock is right twice a day." But there is biblical wisdom that speaks to a different reality consistent with the investment market--one that is full of long term hope and possibility. The chapter on the 'Creativity of the Patriarchs' sent my mind thinking of the multitude of biblical examples concerning the responsible creation of wealth and stewardship in the world. Abraham diversified. Jeremiah bought on the worst day of the market. Solomon expanded boundaries. Nehemiah built an incredible organization and navigated challenging circumstances through creative leadership. Paul was an entrepreneurial businessman while doing ministry. Jesus taught that responsible investing is tantamount to kingdom living, and showed that self giving is the ultimate investment. There are many more but time does not permit.

We live in an incredibly challenging environment to live as responsible stewards in the world. There seems to be an exceedingly thin slice somewhere between negative Christian voices and a hostile, unethical world where Moore's wholistic Christian voice for responsible stewardship can navigate.

I have read many books on finances that you would find on the shelves of Christian bookstores. Some are biblical and give good advice. Many feed greed and fear motives and do little to help people integrate financial concepts into their daily lives. Gary's book does an excellent job at two things:

1. Accurately describing a biblical worldview of money. As he so often points out in this book, Christians have been told to give 10% to their local church. But few have been trained how to be a good steward of all the money, talent, time and health that God blesses us with.

2. Challenging conventional ideas in the "Christian" media that feed on fears- Y2K for example- or greeds- the give/ to get mentality that many unbiblical ministers promote. Gary does a terrific job of presenting a balanced and passionate way to live and think about money that is honoring to Christ.

I consider it sad when many in the church recommend books such as Rich Dad/ Poor Dad- a worldview that is not even remotely biblical. I would love to see every concerned Christian read, meditate on, and implement the ideas that Gary presents in this book. Every disciple of Christ that is interested in growing in the understanding of stewardship should buy and read this book.

Ashley Hodge, CFP
Dallas, Texas

Thinking evangelical Christians should find this book helpful. So would any other thinking person. Gary Moore brings his personal experiences, profound wisdom, and deep spirituality together to strip away the smoke and mirrors that all too often confuse people both spiritually and financially. He never promises riches. He does provide a firm, spiritually-oriented foundation that should help most people do very constructive things for others and themselves with their financial resources.

Some of what he has to say is the insight he has gained as a financial advisor and student of theology. Some is time-honored common sense. Sadly, as he reveals, too often religious and other leaders have advocated other paths, and the results may have been painful for those who took their advice.
Virtually anyone, from the wealthiest to those with very modest incomes, can find something in this volume which will be helpful and not difficult to follow. Moore empowers by giving the reader possibilities into what he or she may personally do to be a responsible steward, and his approaches literally work around the world. If you want to strengthen or renew your hope in your faith, yourself, and your world then "Faithful Finances 101" is an excellent place to start.

The book is like new and I like its loose pages. It is easy to study and I do not have to carry it with me at class. It is heavy!

Fantastic book. I took Financial Accounting, BUS210 at Stony Brook in 2008. This text made it easy, interesting and effective. The stories and snippets are truly engaging, the sample financial statements are meaningful, and the layout is easy to read.
I regret selling this book at the end of the semester. I'll wait for the price to go down and I'm going to buy it back!

The loose leaf documents were in very good condition. It has the same information as the hard cover book. I placed the loose papers in a binder and its just as effective as the hard cover book. If your looking to save money, this product is worth it.

I took, maybe, nine units of accounting in college. It isn't my favorite subject. If my work involved numbers, I'd rather be in finance which is forward-looking (as opposed to accounting which is backward-looking since it reviews historical performance).

To my pleasant surprise, this book made learning (or re-learning) accounting quite enjoyable. The authors are respected instructors and their expertise is evident in the book's instructional design.

Be sure to utilize the online component of the book. It uses Flash animation and features chapter reviews, quizzes, tutorials, flash cards, et al. The online component complements the written text very well.

If you look for a comprehensive book about financial crises this is it! Everything you need to know, and I think it also looks great! ;)

I guess, this books is pretty much complete. :) It is very nice too read, very interesting and I can tell you, once you start it, you don't want to stop. It starts with the financial crash in 1929 and explains every major crisis, such as the .com bouble, and many more. It also gives you a lot of background knowledge and puts you in the middle of the current disussion. I really like it! I think, everybody should have one! We should make it a schoolbook. There is so much we can learn from this crisis and past crises.

The book explaines everything you need to know about financial crises. It can easily serve as a textbook in universities but is also very interesting to read on a long flight. After reading this book, you are an expert for financial and global crisis. Really, very nice book, very educating, interesting and comprehensive.

Very educating, comprehensive and interesting book. I don't think that Porter left anything out that lead to the current financial crisis and past crises. What I especially enjoyed are the discussions that get introcudeced after the crises are explained in detail. If everybody would have read this book, we would not have slided into this big crisis.
Really, a great and comprehensive book! Suitable for every collage class in finance and economics.