In the thirty years after the Civil War, the United States blew by Great Britain to become the greatest economic power in world history. That is a well-known period in history, when titans like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and J.P. Morgan walked the earth.But as Charles R. Morris shows us, the platform for that spectacular growth spurt was built in the first half of the century. By the 1820s, America was already the world’s most productive manufacturer, and the most intensely commercialized society in history. The War of 1812 jumpstarted the great New England cotton mills, the iron centers in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, and the forges around the Great Lakes. In the decade after the War, the Midwest was opened by entrepreneurs. In this beautifully illustrated book, Morris paints a vivid panorama of a new nation buzzing with the work of creation. He also points out the parallels and differences in the nineteenth century American/British standoff and that between China and America today.

Three titans of finance predicted the current economic crisis several years ago, but their warnings went unheeded. A New York Times bestselling author distills the wisdom of all three.Throughout the violent financial disruptions of the past several years, three men have stood out as beacons of judgment and wisdom: Warren Buffett, George Soros, and Paul Volcker. Though their experiences and styles vary-Buffett is the canny stock-market investor, Soros the reader of shifting global tides in trade and currencies, Volcker the regulator and governor, sheriff and clean-up crew-they have very much in common.All three men have more than 50 years of deep involvement in markets. All are skeptical of Wall Street frenzies. They believe that markets tend to be right, but usually only over the medium term. Today, all three are key economic advisors to President Obama.With the benefit of his own deep understanding of markets and finance, Morris brilliantly analyzes the records of these men, distils their wisdom and experience, and argues for the importance of consistent values in navigating the treacherous terrain of today's globalized world.

Product Description: "Insightful and filled with verve…electrifying." ―Wall Street JournalHailed as "an astute book of enormous importance" (Sherwin Nuland), The Surgeons follows the team at one of the world's premier cardiac surgery and transplant centers...read more