● Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI
Carissa Véliz
Review via The Wall Street Journal
Oil and gas prices have been so erratic lately that the time-honored roller-coaster metaphor now looks sedate. Yet none of the price shifts have been in response to actual supply. Instead, the market has been making bets on what it thinks the consequences of the Middle East war will be.
Traders rely on prediction in the most unpredictable of circumstances. Energy markets are far from unique, as Carissa Véliz, a professor at Oxford University’s Institute for Ethics in AI, shows in “Prophecy.” Her sweeping account of prediction across history demonstrates why we would do well to approach most forecasts with the skepticism we now show to prophets.
● Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed
Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff
Review via The New York Times
“Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed” begins with a simple proposition. We live in a bewildering moment defined by a bewildering man: Elon Musk.
Not that the book’s authors, Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff, believe there’s much to be gained by peering into Musk’s soul. Muskism, like Fordism, is not an individual but a system. Henry Ford was the industrialist who pioneered the use of the assembly line and the $5-a-day wage. Fordism characterized the form of 20th-century capitalism that paired “mass production with mass consumption.” Musk is the entrepreneur who sells electric cars and satellite service (among other things). Muskism characterizes a new, technologically driven political economy that dismantles state institutions with one hand while promoting self-reliance, or the fantasy of it, with the other.
● Capitalism For All: Inclusive Economics and the Future-Proofing of America
John Hope Bryant
Summary via publisher (Wiley)
Capitalism For All: Inclusive Economics and the Future-Proofing of America by John Hope Bryant presents a revolutionary framework for rebuilding American prosperity through economic inclusion rather than division. As the founder and CEO of Operation HOPE, America’s first non-profit social investment banking organization, and a former vice-chairman of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy, Bryant brings decades of frontline experience empowering underserved communities. This book addresses America’s growing economic inequality and social fragmentation by demonstrating how inclusive capitalism – not exclusionary policies – can restore the middle class, revitalize the American Dream, and maintain our position as the world’s leading economy.
● How to Get a Return on Failure: Fail Smarter―Return Stronger
John C. Maxwell
Summary via publisher (Forbes Books)
How to Get a Return on Failure by John C. Maxwell is a transformative guide for leaders, professionals, and personal growth seekers ready to change their relationship with failure. Drawing from decades of leadership experience, Maxwell reframes failure not as a dead end but as a critical investment in future success. The book addresses the emotional weight of failure and replaces fear with strategy, helping readers overcome self-doubt, regret, and perfectionism. Instead of being defined by what went wrong, Maxwell invites readers to lead with purpose shaped by what they’ve learned.
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