Edited by Margie Kelley

Rethinking Investing: A Very Short Guide to Very Long-Term Investing
By Charles D. Ellis (MBA 1963)
Wiley
In just 10 short, accessible, and inviting chapters, Rethinking Investing: A Very Short Book on Very Long-Term Investing presents straightforward steps that ordinary people can take to better invest their money. This book dispels myths about the value of investment managers, highlights emotional tendencies that can cloud our financial judgment, explains why index funds are a savvy choice, and reveals secrets like why it’s better to wait until age 70 to receive Social Security benefits―along with the calculations that make this decision crystal-clear. Author and renowned investor Charley Ellis shows you how to set yourself up for investment success by creating an optimal nest-egg withdrawal strategy to ensure you never run out of money; maximizing returns through tactics like reducing your tax bill and making full use of diversified investment vehicles; and using a safe, passive investment strategy.

Stolen Memories: A Journey Through Alzheimer’s
By Maria L. Ellis (OPM 32, 2003)
Independently Published
Stolen Memories: A Journey Through Alzheimer’s is a deeply moving and insightful exploration of one of the most challenging diseases of our time. Combining personal narratives, practical guidance, and cutting-edge research, author Maria Ellis offers readers a comprehensive and compassionate understanding of Alzheimer’s disease—from its emotional toll to its scientific frontiers. More than just a reflection on the challenges, Stolen Memories provides actionable strategies and hope. Readers will find practical tools for caregiving, including emotional support frameworks and communication techniques; a thoughtful exploration of ethical and legal dilemmas, especially in the age of AI and technological interventions; insight into groundbreaking medical advancements; and guidance for navigating the grief, confusion, and resilience that accompany this journey. Written with heart and expertise, this book empowers readers to become advocates for change, fostering a culture of understanding and compassion while shining a light on the innovations that promise a brighter future.

Last Call for Bud Light: The Fall and Future of America’s Favorite Beer
By Anson Frericks (MBA 2011)
Threshold Editions
Anson Frericks, a former president at Anheuser-Busch—formerly the home of America’s most popular brewery—watched as the company unraveled at the hands of globe-trotting financiers and progressive middle management. Rather than pursue shareholder profits, Anheuser-Busch suddenly became focused on stakeholder capitalism and the vague mandates of environment, social, and governance (ESG). This culminated in the shocking evaporation of $30 billion in market cap after an advertising campaign starring political activist Dylan Mulvaney. Anheuser-Busch’s evolution and its subsequent fallout is brought to light as never before with this ultimate insider’s look. Last Call for Bud Light is the unforgettable story of the downfall and future of an American icon.

The Battle for Boston: How Mayor Ray Flynn and Community Organizers Fought Racism and Downtown Power Brokers
By Don Gillis (PMD 66, 1993)
Fordham University Press
The Battle for Boston captures the remarkable era under Mayor Ray Flynn, whose election in 1983 marked the beginning of a profound shift in the city’s political and social landscape. Don Gillis, a Flynn senior advisor, chronicles the inspiring journey of a city that dared to challenge the entrenched power brokers―including developers, landlords, and banking industry leaders―through powerful grassroots campaigns. Gillis provides a vivid portrayal of the political dynamics and the coalition of community organiz­ers, neighborhood leaders, and residents that played a pivotal role in rejecting the business-backed growth machine and the city’s historically divisive racial politics. This book charts the strategic battles fought within the corridors of power and on the streets and highlights the substantial impact these movements had on the city’s governance and power dynamics. The Battle for Boston poses a critical inquiry: Can cities truly embrace progressivism and gov­ern effectively in the twenty-first century? This qualitative narrative study is a testament to the possibility of such governance, driven by the indomitable spirit of those who strive for a fair and equitable society.

The FUSE Pathway: How to Find and Lead a Fulfilling Life
By Paul Kirby (MBA 1978)
Greenleaf Book Group
Fusioneering: the art of forging multiple passions into a unique pathway for a fulfilling life, one that is aligned with your true purpose. The process begins with identifying your passions. What inspires you? What lights you up? What do you love to do? You then combine those passions into a personal vision. Being a fusioneer requires following your heart and pursuing what lights a fire within you. Artist and engineer Paul Kirby guides you through his proprietary FUSE method: Find your passions, upgrade your skills, start fusing, and continually evolve. He illustrates key principles using examples from his own journey creating Dulcinea, a highly specialized robot, and stories of famous innovators like Hedy Lamarr. You will assess your interests and uncover your core purpose through introspective, self-exploratory exercises, then craft a personalized vision and learn how to execute it. For those who feel stuck, stifled, or bored with the traditional path, The FUSE Pathway promises a road map to design a life filled with creativity, purpose, and joy, to continually evolve, and live in fulfillment throughout your entire journey.

The Big Print: What Happened to America and How Sound Money Will Fix It
By Lawrence Lepard (MBA 1983)
Amazon
Most Americans—and people worldwide—understand that despite our remarkable technological advances, something is deeply wrong with the direction of our country and world. A principal underlying cause, according to The Big Print, is that money is broken. Through his own story and tracing the history of how we find ourselves in this condition, author Lawrence Lepard explains in layman’s terms what happened, why it is wrong, and how we can fix it. This book addresses the pressing issues of inflation and wealth inequality and points out that we do not need to suffer with these ills. It is a call to action for people of all ages and political persuasions. Sound money and personal freedoms are what built the America that, post-World War II, was widely admired and stood at the pinnacle of the world. We have drifted away from the principles that got us there. The book also discusses today’s investment climate, the threats that savers face, and the likely path of markets over the next decade. There is a warning here. There will be winners and losers. The monetary transition engulfing us will create enormous changes, but we have many reasons for optimism. New technological developments and trends are taking us to a much better world.

Certainty: How Great Bosses Can Change Minds and Drive Innovation
By Mike Mears (MBA 1975)
Fast Company Press
Our Stone Age brains are hardwired for survival and programmed to fear the unknown, yet the work world demands constant innovation. The enemy of better leadership is uncertainty deeply buried in the minds of your workforce. In Certainty, Mears offers the answer: understand human nature. Work with it rather than pushing against it. Mears draws on neuroscience and psychology—plus compelling stories from his career—to offer practical leadership advice, including: entertaining, science-backed explanations of how our primitive brains are colliding with the demands of the modern workplace; new feedback, change management, and delegation tools to build an environment of certainty rather than of fear; fresh insights to overcome innate change resistance in yourself and others; and time-saving ideas to empower yourself while empowering your employees. With Mears’s guidance, you can identify the limitations and strengths of the human mind and create a dynamic and innovative workplace.

A Shot of Hope: Stories of Quiet Resilience
By John Travers (MBA 2002)
Orpen Press
John Travers uses the lens of his medical training to examine the ability of humanity—from the backstreets of Kolkata, through a hospital in Ghana, to the busiest emergency department in the world, a women’s prison, and a clinic serving the homeless of Dublin—to thrive, despite all challenges thrown our way. Resilience may live in the simplest of acts and words, a persistent belief in the power of humanity. All of us have the power to find strength at life’s most vulnerable moments. Sometimes we forget this. Travers reminds us of one of our greatest gifts. A Shot of Hope covers more than 10 years in the life of a medical doctor as he spends time training in specialities as diverse as obstetrics, psychiatry and emergency medicine, and working across Europe, Africa, and Asia, dealing with everything from homelessness to COVID-19. This beautifully written book will enrapture all readers with an interest in what it truly means to be human.

Women’s Crusader: Catharine Beecher’s Untold Story
By R. Lee Wilson (MBA 1978)
Glanderston House
Catharine (Kate) Beecher was a crusader for women’s education, bestselling author, and unique feminist thinker in the 19th century. Yet many today have never even heard of her. Kate’s fame was eclipsed by that of her younger sister, abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe. Women’s Crusader reveals the untold tale of romance and grief that launched Kate on a new path as an advocate for American women. Biographer R. Lee Wilson combed through unpublished letters, manuscripts, and diary entries to discover the secrets of Kate and Alexander Fisher, an unlikely couple. Kate was a fun-loving extrovert, while Alexander was an introverted math prodigy and brilliant Yale professor. But they were brought together by a piece of her published poetry and their joint love for music. After a tragic shipwreck tore them apart, Kate’s life dramatically shifted focus. She waged a battle against misogyny to help provide women with the education they deserved. Compelling and meticulously researched, Women’s Crusader is the inspiring turning-point story of an important, yet little-known, woman in US history.

After the Idea: What It Really Takes to Create and Scale a Startup
By Julia Austin, Senior Lecturer
Basic Venture
So you want to start a company. Or you were crazy enough to join a startup. You had a great idea, you built a prototype, and maybe you even raised some money. Now what?

Julia Austin is here to answer that big question. She has both experienced and observed that the differentiator between the startups that succeed and those that fail is operational excellence. A lot of entrepreneurs are great at the idea part but do not anticipate the details required to actually run and scale a new venture. Drawing on Austin’s extensive experience at renowned startups like Akamai, VMware, and DigitalOcean and the hundreds of founders and startups she has educated, coached, and advised, After the Idea is full of time-tested strategies to help founders, investors, and employees navigate the operational challenges of startup ventures, including customer development, scalability, process optimization, team management, and more. This accessible set of techniques is for anyone determined to turn a great idea into a solid success.

The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life
By Arthur C. Brooks, Professor of Management Practice, HBS
Harvard Business Review Press
Imagine if your life were a startup. How would you lead it and shape it to be most successful? That’s the question behind The Happiness Files, a rich selection of enlightening and instructive essays by Arthur C. Brooks, known worldwide for his inspiring yet practical wisdom and advice in his weekly column for The Atlantic and in his bestselling books, From Strength to Strength and Build the Life You Want (coauthored with Oprah Winfrey).

The simple answer, as Brooks explains, is to manage your life in a way that leads to truly valuable rewards: love, enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning—in other words, happiness. Building on his popular Harvard Business School course Leadership and Happiness, Brooks begins each essay with sharp observations and behavioral science research that shed light on how happiness really works, then offers experiential wisdom and practical advice. Beautifully written, the essays range from ancient philosophy to literature, pop culture, and the contemporary world of work. They explore topics and challenges such as “Procrastinate This, Not That,” “Why Success Can Feel So Bitter,” and “Five Pillars of a Good Life.” We all need more happiness in our work and in our lives. In The Happiness Files you’ll find enlightenment, inspiration, and useful guidance for leading a happier, more successful, and more fulfilling life and career.

How to Be Bold: The Surprising Science of Everyday Courage
By Ranjay Gulati, Professor of Business Administration, HBS
Harper Business
What leads people to speak truth to power, share bold new ideas, or put their lives on the line? Most of us chalk it up to personality, presuming that our heroes are naturally fearless. But what if courage isn’t simply a matter of personality? What if it’s something that any of us can develop? In How to Be Bold, Professor Ranjay Gulati offers a playbook for becoming bolder and braver than we ever thought possible. Rather than leaving brave deeds to mythological heroes and resigning ourselves to apathy or cowardice, we can train ourselves to step up and act in the face of uncertainty. The key, Gulati argues, is to adopt ways of thinking that allow us to neutralize or moderate our fears. By shifting how we see ourselves and the world, we can lower the odds that we’ll freeze up in the moment while also sustaining courage over prolonged periods. We also can inspire others around us to display what Gulati calls collective courage. Whether you’re a leader steering your organization through uncertainty, an activist standing up for your beliefs, or a young person simply looking to live your best, most fulfilling life, How to Be Bold gives you the science-based insight and strategies you need to take more action, do more good, and leave an inspiring legacy.

A Concise Business Guide to Climate Change: What Managers, Executives, and Students Need to Know
By Gunnar Trumbull, Philip Caldwell Professor of Business, HBS
Harvard Business Review Press
Climate has changed the game for business around the world. With climate-related disasters causing billions in damage and public pressure rising, over 100 nations have set 2050 net-zero carbon-emissions targets within the framework of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Thousands of companies have registered with the Carbon Disclosure Project. In a recent survey of large, global firms, one-third reported that climate change was already affecting their operations. Business leaders need help navigating this complex, fast-changing environment. In the flood of new policies and information, how can you tell what news matters, and its impact? Which arguments and reports are grounded in sound science and economics, and which are not? This indispensable guidebook by Professor Gunnar Trumbull answers this need. As managers around the world confront and educate themselves about how climate change is affecting their businesses, A Concise Business Guide to Climate Change provides a single, short, and accessible account of the information crucial to understanding and addressing these new challenges. What causes climate change? How do countries and companies measure their climate impact? What is the role of carbon markets? How are governments responding? What kind of corporate emissions targets make sense, and how can they be achieved? In crisp, reader-friendly, and data-rich chapters, this book presents the basic scientific, economic, policy, and accounting frameworks that managers need to answer these questions. Whether you read it from start to finish for a complete overview or use it as a reference when confronted with specific challenges, let this book be your go-to business guide for dealing with climate change.

Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier
By Matthew Weinzierl, Senior Associate Dean and Chair of the MBA Program, HBS; and Brendan Rosseau
Harvard Business Review Press
Space is a place of unparalleled possibility for humanity, and it’s undergoing a revolution. A wave of companies led by gutsy entrepreneurs are unlocking opportunities that fire the imagination and open new business models. No, it’s not hotels on Mars or day trips to orbit (yet), but it’s an awe-inspiring transformation driven by innovative technologies, creative approaches, hard work, and—for the first time—market forces. The space economy is just that—an economy—governed by the same laws of supply and demand that apply here on Earth. Authors Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau bring the revolution in space to life through players you know—like SpaceX and Blue Origin—and many you may not, like Astroscale, founded by a Japanese IT executive who quit his job to start a company to clean up space debris. They also offer fundamental tools from economics to understand how the market in space is forming, how it’s fast becoming a source of value for businesses across industries and for society, and how we can best ensure that its growth benefits us all. With clarity and rigor, Weinzierl and Rosseau get past the breathless hype to explain what’s real, what’s not, what comes next, and how you can be part of it.

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