The financial crisis of 2008 and subsequent Great Recession demolished many cherished beliefs—most significantly, the theory that financial markets always get things right. Justin Fox's The Myth of the Rational Market explains where that idea came from, and where it went wrong. As much an intellectual whodunit as a cultural history of the perils and possibilities of risk, it also brings to life the people and ideas that forged modern finance and investing—from the formative days of Wall Street through the Great Depression and into the financial calamities of today. It's a tale featuring professors who made and lost fortunes, battled fiercely over ideas, beat the house at blackjack, wrote bestselling books, and played major roles on the world stage. It's also a story of free-market capitalism's war with itself.

Math and jargon make essential financial concepts seem intimidating, but that is simply because most books do not have the goal of being accessible to interested readers – this book does. In ten easy-to-read chapters, it explains all the essential financial tools and concepts, fully illustrated with real-world examples and Excel implementations.

Editor's Note: see a review at http://insight.iese.edu/doc.aspx?id=1209&ar=7&idioma=2

Most people believe that the best way to motivate is with rewards like money--the carrot-and-stick approach. That's a mistake, says Daniel H. Pink in Drive. In this provocative and persuasive new book, he asserts that the secret to high performance and satisfaction--at work, at school, and at home--is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.

Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation, Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does-and how that affects every aspect of life. He examines the three elements of true motivation--autonomy, mastery, and purpose--and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action in a unique book that will change how we think and transform how we live.

Beginning in 2005, Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson, managing directors at Foundry Group, wrote a long series of blog posts describing all the parts of a typical venture capital Term Sheet: a document which outlines key financial and other terms of a proposed investment. Since this time, they've seen the series used as the basis for a number of college courses, and have been thanked by thousands of people who have used the information to gain a better understanding of the venture capital field.

Drawn from the past work Feld and Mendelson have written about in their blog and augmented with newer material, Venture Capital Financings puts this discipline in perspective and lays out the strategies that allow entrepreneurs to excel in their start-up companies. Page by page, this book discusses all facets of the venture capital fundraising process. Along the way, Feld and Mendelson touch on everything from how valuations are set to what externalities venture capitalists face that factor into entrepreneurs' businesses.

-- Includes a breakdown analysis of the mechanics of a Term Sheet and the tactics needed to negotiate
-- Details the different stages of the venture capital process, from starting a venture and seeing it through to the later stages
-- Explores the entire venture capital ecosystem including those who invest in venture capitalist
-- Contain standard documents that are used in these transactions

The venture capital arena is a complex and competitive place, but with this book as your guide, you'll discover what it takes to make your way through it.

Editor's Note: Feld's blog is one of the few I read regularly...

In a world facing increasing complexity, ambiguity, and uncertainty, it is both good and necessary to be reminded of deeper truths and practical principles for creating lasting change. Winner of the Nautilus Award for Conscious Business and Leadership, this book is for leaders, groups, communities, and networks desiring to increase our human capacity for creativity, well being, and social change. The Power of Collective Wisdom is a foundational book for anyone exploring the higher potential of groups or wanting to find personal ways of being a better leader, organizer, or collaborator. Readers will be impressed by the depth of insight and accessible style that offers both inspiration and practical real world knowledge.

One of the biggest challenges for new managers is how to get the best out of each of their team members so they achieve superior results—and make you, the new manager, look good! In Bare Knuckle People Management authors Sean O’Neil and John Kulisek cut through the crap to show managers how to push their teams to success, not by following fluffy leadership training but by using the skills that got them promoted in the first place.

Forget kumbayas or one-minute managing. The best people managers know that approaches that work great with one employee will be lost on the next. With the same irreverent and straightforward style they use in their management training workshops, O'Neil and Kulisek describe the 16 basic worker types you must learn to recognize, from The Badass to The Burnout, and how to customize your leadership style for each type.

The authors encourage the readers to take pieces of what works from each of the sections and they also remind them to follow the gut instinct that got them to their new management position in the first place. Written in short, easily digestible sections, and both entertaining and insightful throughout, Bare Knuckle People Management is perfect for any manager pressed for time and in need of some straightforward advice.

What if almost everything you know about creating a culture of innovation is wrong? What if the way you are measuring innovation is choking it? What if your market research is asking all of the wrong questions?

It's time to innovate the way you innovate.
-- Hire people you don't like. Bring in the right mix of people to unleash your team's full potential.
-- Asking for ideas is a bad idea. Define challenges more clearly. If you ask better questions, you will get better answers.
--[Don't think outside the box; find a better box. Instead of giving your employees a blank slate, provide them with well-defined parameters that will increase their creative output.
-- Failure is always an option. Looking at innovation as a series of experiments allows you to redefine failure and learn from your results.