A Financial Times and Economist Best Book of the Year exploring world trade from Mesopotamia in 3,000 BC to modern globalization.How did trade evolve to the point where we don't think twice about biting into an apple from the other side of the world?In A Splendid Exchange, William J. Bernstein, bestselling author of The Birth of Plenty, traces the story of global commerce from its prehistoric origins to the myriad controv...

A "riveting and thoroughly researched" history of language technology's effect on society across millennia—from Sumerian syntax to social media hashtags (Phil Lapsley).Writing was born thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia. Spreading to Sumer, and then Egypt, this revolutionary tool allowed rulers to extend their control far and wide, giving rise to the world's first empires. When Phoenician traders took their alphabet to Greece, literacy's first boom led to the bi...

This "disturbing yet fascinating" exploration of mass mania through the ages explains the biological and psychological roots of irrationality ( Kirkus Reviews).From time immemorial, contagious narratives have spread through susceptible groups—with enormous, often disastrous, consequences. Inspired by Charles Mackay's nineteenth-century classic Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, neurologist and author William Bern...

A timeless approach to investing wisely over an investment lifetimeWith the current market maelstrom as a background, this timely guide describes just how to plan a lifetime of investing, in good times and bad, discussing stocks and bonds as well as the relationship between risk and return.Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, The Investor's Manifesto will help you understand the nuts and bolts of executing a lifetime investment plan,...

The classic guide to constructing a solid portfolio―without a financial advisor!First published two decades ago, The Four Pillars of Investing has been the go-to resource for an entire generation of investors. This updated edition of the investing classic provides the foundational knowledge you need to avoid the most common pitfalls and build a portfolio in today’s roller-coaster world of investing.Retired neurologist and master investor William J....

**Saving enough to retire comfortably, and then to make the money last, is far more difficult than you have been told.It won’t be enough to put a small chunk of each paycheck into your retirement plan and trust in the market. No, the 4% rule won’t save you. No, a diversified portfolio won’t be enough. Yes, you had better maximize your Social Security payout.**Retirement sets out the truth about what it takes to save for a comfortable retirement and the key mistakes...

John C. Bogle and William Bernstein define “enough” and suggest another golden rule: never confuse your self-worth with your net worth.Knowing Enough combines the penetrating insights into investing and life of John C. Bogle, the founder of Vanguard and the pioneer of index investing, and the priceless practical advice of William J. Bernstein, bestselling author of The Four Pillars of Investing and market historian. Their conversations were the ce...

"A gem from one of the most brilliant minds in personal finance."- Ben Stein, author, actor, TV personality, and New York Times columnistIn a financial world gone mad, you still need to manage your money, put your kids through college, and save for retirement. To the rescue comes Jonathan Clements with 21 easy-to-follow rules to help you secure your financial future. Clements has spent a quarter century demystifying Wall Street for ...

Michael Edleson first introduced his concept of value averaging to the world in an article written in 1988. He then wrote a book entitled Value Averaging in 1993, which has been nearly impossible to find—until now. With the reintroduction of Value Averaging, you now have access to a strategy that can help you accumulate wealth, increase your investment returns, and achieve your financial goals.

Inspired by Charles Mackay's 19th-century classic Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, Bernstein engages with mass delusion with the same curiosity and passion, but armed with the latest scientific research that explains the biological, evolutionary, and psychosocial roots of human irrationality. Bernstein tells the stories of dramatic religious and financial mania in western society over the last 500 years—from the Anabaptist Madness that afflicte...

The Ages of the Investor: A Critical Look at Lifecycle Investing is intended to be the first installment in the Investing for Adults series.Just as grownups do not believe in the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, or Santa Claus, "Investing adults" know that there is no such creature as the Stock-picking Fairy or the Market-timing Fairy. Further, there is no Risk Fairy who will write you cheap options that will protect your stock holdings against loss. Investi...

Adam Smith wrote that man has an intrinsic "propensity to truck, barter, and exchange one thing for another." But how did trade evolve to the point where we don't think twice about biting into an apple from the other side of the world?In A Splendid Exchange, William J. Bernstein tells the extraordinary story of global commerce from its prehistoric origins to the myriad controversies surrounding it today. He transports readers from ancient sailing ships that brought the sil...