10 Links a Day: January Book Club

These days you have to be on top of everything going on with the economy to stay ahead of the crunch. Today's list has a mix of old and new books that will put all of the recent events into perspective and provide historical context. Let us know what you think of today's list by emailing us at 10linksaday@gmail.com. We love to hear from our readers.

Today's 10 Links a Day: Business Books that you cannot Miss

1. Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street by Michael Lewis

In fiction there was Bonfire of the Vanities; in reality, there is Liar's Poker--the fascinating insider's account of what really happens on Wall Street. This irreverent and hilarious birds-eye view of Wall Street's heyday will appeal to anyone intrigued by the allure of million dollar deals. Now in trade paper. First serial to Manhattan Inc.

2. The New Paradigm for Financial Markets: The Credit Crisis of 2008 and What It Means by George Soros

3. The Great Crash of 1929 by John Kenneth Galbraith

Of Galbraith's classic examination of the 1929 financial collapse, the Atlantic Monthly said:"Economic writings are seldom notable for their entertainment value, but this book is. Galbraith's prose has grace and wit, and he distills a good deal of sardonic fun from the whopping errors of the nation's oracles and the wondrous antics of the financial community." Now, with the stock market riding historic highs, the celebrated economist returns with new insights on the legacy of our past and the consequences of blind optimism and power plays within the financial community.

4. Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets by Nassim Nicholas Taeb

In this look at financial luck, hedge fund manager Taleb (Dynamic Hedging) addresses the apparently irrational movement of money markets around the world. Using his own investing experience and examples of others' successes and disappointments, he discusses theories like Monte Carlo math (easy; considered cheating by purists) and the concept of Russian roulette.

5. Capitalism Unleashed: Finance, Globalization, and Welfare by Andrew Glyn

"Capitalism Unleashed" is a brilliant book that should be read by everyone with a serious interest in the economic history of the past three decades and who wants to understand better the economic issues and dilemmas that will face us in the years ahead.

6. The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008 by Paul Krugman

In this new, greatly updated edition of The Return of Depression Economics, Krugman shows how the failure of regulation to keep pace with an increasingly out-of-control financial system set the United States, and the world as a whole, up for the greatest financial crisis since the 1930s. He also lays out the steps that must be taken to contain the crisis, and turn around a world economy sliding into a deep recession. Brilliantly crafted in Krugman's trademark style--lucid, lively, and supremely informed--this new edition of The Return of Depression Economics will become an instant cornerstone of the debate over how to respond to the crisis.

7. When Markets Collide: Investment Strategies for the Age of Global Economic Change by Mohamed El-Erian

When Markets Collide is a timely alert to the fundamental changes taking place in today's global economic and financial systems--and a call to action for investors who may fall victim to misinterpreting important signals. One of today's most respected names in finance, Mohamed El-Erian puts recent events in their proper context, giving you the tools that can help you interpret the markets, benefit from global economic change, and navigate the risks.

8. The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World by Niall Ferguson

9. Reminiscences of a Stock Operator (Wiley Investment Classics) by Edwin Lefèvre

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator is the thinly disguised biography of Jesse Livermore, a remarkable character who first started speculating in New England bucket shops at the turn of the century. Livermore, who was banned from these shady operations because of his winning ways, soon moved to Wall Street where he made and lost his fortune several times over. What makes this book so valuable are the observations that Lefèvre records about investing, speculating, and the nature of the market itself.

10. Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough, John Helyar

The leveraged buyout of the RJR Nabisco Corporation for $25 billion is a landmark in American business history, a story of avarice on an epic scale.