» Posted by Martin Weil on December 29, 2007

I don't have the time to read as much as I once did. But I can wholeheartedly recommend the following as the two books that left the deepest impression on me in 2007:

Prophet of Innovation is the biography of the great 20th century economist, Joseph Schumpeter. Overshadowed by his contemporary, John Maynard Keynes, Schumpeter was a bold thinker and fascinating man. A plus for me was the perspective the book offered on US and European history in the post-WWI period.

The Paradox of Choice (subtitle "Why More is Less") sounds at first like a throwback to the 1960's and the back-to-basics movement. It is anything but. Author and social scientist Barry Schwartz makes a powerful argument that individuals in our contemporary consumer society are increasingly dissatisfied with their lives due to an overabundance of options. His thesis has important investment as well as consumer and lifestyle implications.

» Posted by Martin Weil on December 27, 2007

Each year, MW Investment Strategy Group has made year-end contributions to a variety of charitable causes as part of a commitment to give something back to the community. In the past, we have contributed to America's Second Harvest, the American Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, and Habitat for Humanity among others.

While still personally supportive of these excellent organizations, this year I am using our entire company charitable budget - as well as the money saved by not sending out a holiday card in 2007 - to fund an account at Kiva, a US nonprofit that provides micro-loans to individual entrepreneurs in developing nations. If you are interested, you can view my portfolio of micro-loans to date here.

» Posted by Martin Weil on June 13, 2007

The Times(UK) has the list.

» Posted by Martin Weil on November 24, 2006

The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford is likely the first book ever to make the basic principles of economics not only understandable but even interesting to the average reader. For anyone with even a passing interest in how Starbucks can charge $3 and more for a coffee drink, or why the used car market is so challenging, or even why most African nations are desperately poor, Harford has the explanation.

Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert explores the myriad ways our mental faculties betray us, over and over again. One reviewer calls it "the only truly useful book on psychology I've ever read."