Don’t Buy the Bull: Dispelling Disastrous Investment Advice and Money-Myths in Our New Economy by Cassandra Toroian (Sterling & Ross, $19.95)
Investors need all of help they can get, especially during economic downturns like the present. Cassandra Torolan, founder of Bell Rock Capital and investment expert, dispels many of the investment and money myths that often prevent average Americans from reaching their goals. For example, she is convinced that the best strategy is not to panic or simply stay invested and stay the course. She points out that other investment misconceptions include the belief that real estate is a great place to invest but only if you can do so without going into debt.   She adds that all debt is not bad. She recommends never co-signing on a loan to help a friend and that borrowing using an adjustable rate loan can be beneficial under the right circumstances.  Her main advice is to be receptive to the new rules of the game. This under-friendly guide takes complex concepts and breaks them down so that they are more accessible. Her purpose in writing her new book is that she was tired of seeing everyday Americans lose their shirts, and sometimes their homes, all because they were following old myths and outdated advice of so-called “personal finance gurus.”

Jung the Mystic: The Esoteric Dimensions of Carl Jung’s Life and Teachings by Gary Lachman (Tarcher/Penguin, $24.95)
Gary Lachman, a member of the musical group “Blondie” as Gary Valentine, and who has written extensively on esoteric and occult themes, assesses the life of Carl Jung from the viewpoint of Western esoteric tradition, classifying him with figures like Emmanuel Swedenborg and G.I. Gurdjieff, and examining his life-long fascination with the supernatural and otherworldly aspects of human experience. Lachman delves into the details of Jung’s early life, documents his inner struggles, and places in content his various human relationships. The result is a highly readable work that is beautifully written, meticulously researched, and a refreshing new take on one of the greatest thinkers of our modern era.

Mom Still Likes You Best: The Unfinished Business Between Siblings by Jane Isay (Doubleday, $24.95)
Jane Isay, author of the previous bestseller, “Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents,” focuses on the often tricky bond between brothers and sisters while documenting how differences triggered by such things as family feuds, marriages, distance, and ancient history must be overcome if there is to be a healthy relationship. Based on scores of interviews, Isay addresses such issues as sibling rivalry, fights over power and money, and the role of parents in setting their children apart or together. With stories that range from the hilarious to the truly jarring, this is a thoughtful, hopeful book that is especially helpful for those trying to navigate the difficult waters of sibling relationships. The author is based in New York City, not far she claims, from her children and grandchildren.

The Ninth: Beethoven and the World in 1824 by Harvey Sachs (Random House, $26)
Ludwig van Beethoven introduced his Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, op 125, in Vienna during the spring of 1824. It was such a precedent-shattering composition, it has since become one of the most recognizable compositions in history. Harvey Sachs, writer and music historian, uses this incredible piece of music to view politics, aesthetics, and overall climate of the era to illustrate why and how this symphony set a standard for subsequent generations of creative artists, while its composer came to embody the Romantic cult of genius. Part cultural history, party music history, and part biography, this engaging book documents how Beethoven’s last symphony brought forth the power of the individual while celebrating the collective spirit of humanity. This is one of the better books this summer about both art and artistic achievement.

The Why of Work by Dave Ulrich, Ph.D, and Wendy Ulrich, Ph.D. (McGraw Hill, $27.95)
While the economy continues to struggle, the few people who have found jobs are returning to work but they have discovered that something is missing, namely the meaning of work. What can be done to get more meaning from work and what can managers do to make our work more meaningful are the focus of this new book based on extensive research and interviews by two people who are leaders in their field. Dave Ulrich, a professor of business at the Ross School ofd Business, University of Michigan, and co-founder of the RBL Group, and Wendy Ulrich, a practicing psychologist for more than two decades and founder of the Sixteen Stones Center for Growth in Utah, point out that work satisfaction yields real returns. For example, over a ten year period the “best companies to work for” have a 6.8% stock appreciation vs. 1.0 for the average firm. Only 13% of disengaged employees would recommend their company’s products ir services, compared with 78% of engaged employees. Since disengaged employees are ten times more likely to say they will leave their company within a year, it is important to turn around the trend. By following the principles and the step-by-step guidelines, checklists and questionnaires in this book, managers can achieve positive and enduring effects. Put another way, employees who are more competent, committed, and eager to contribute, help not just the company’s bottom line but even the best interests of the community and humanity at large.

Libertarianism: From A to Z by Jeffrey A. Miron (Basic Books, $24.95)
Jeffrey Miron, a senior lecturer and the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Harvard economic department, has bounced around on network TV as a talking head almost as frequently as Pat Buchanan. His new book is essentially a guidebook to his free-market philosophy as it applies to real-world issues. For example, Miron believes that Roe v. Wade should be overturned and the policy left up to the individual states. He thinks that central banks are unnecessary and only minimal government intervention such as establishing an approved form of payment for transactions that it must conduct be allowed. He is for no restriction of gun ownership, a federal end to anti-poverty programs, and a rethinking of the present “war on terror” which he says makes no sense. He adds that America should eliminate its support of Israel and terminate its presence in the Middle East. This provocative book is what the author states is a foundation for a true “third way” alternative to liberalism and conservatism.

The Rise and Fall of Bear Stearns by Alan C. Greenberg with Mark Singer. (Simon & Schuster, $26)
This is such an angry, vengeful book, there should be a warning to readers that it be handled with tongs. Alan C. Greenberg was the former CEO and chairman of the board of Bear Stearns, and currently vice chairman emeritus of JP Morgan Chase. In March of 2008, he called a meeting of the board to discuss selling the company he had worked for since 1949. In less than a week, he had seen the company’s value diminished by tens of billions of dollars and realized that the proud old company was on the verge of collapse. Greenberg points the finger of blame at those who helped bring this incredible institution to its knees. As might be expected, Greenberg writes with anger and he takes no prisoners. The book is co-written with Mark Singer, a staff writer for The New Yorker.

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