We interview a lot of authors on Marketplace. This year, we featured over 60 books about everything from architecture to the entertainment industry to Alan Greenspan. If you’re looking for some recommendations for holiday reading, we’ve got you covered:
If you like books about the movers and shakers of our economy, past and present:
“The Man Who Knew: The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan,” Sebastian Mallaby’s new book about former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan.
Also try:
- A new biography of George W. Bush from Jean Edward Smith, “Bush,” which includes quite a bit about the president’s often overlooked economic legacy.
- The latest from Yanis Varoufakis, former finance minister of Greece, “And The Weak Suffer What They Must?: Europe’s Crisis and America’s Economic Future.”
- Or, for another perspective of the European economic crisis, try Matthew Qvortrup’s “Angela Merkel: Europe’s Most Influential Leader“
If you want a deeper dive into economic issues and trends:
“The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation,” by Natalie Moore, a look at how racist housing policies of the past shape Chicago today.
Also try:
- Mohamed A. El-Erian’s book about the role that central banking plays in the global economy, “The Only Game in Town: Central Banks, Instability, and Avoiding the Next Collapse”
- Or if you want to know what the future will be like, try this one from Kevin Kelly, “The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future”
If you like getting an inside peek at the entertainment industry:
Bryan Cranston’s memoir, “A Life in Parts” chronicles his wandering path to film and television stardom.
Also try:
- Diane Guerrero’s personal account of being left alone in the U.S. at the age of 14 after her parents were deported, “In the Country We Love: My Family Divided.”
- Gerri Hirshey’s book about the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan who saved the magazine and revolutionized the industry, “Not Pretty Enough: The Unlikely Triumph of Helen Gurley Brown.”
- The one that every Hollywood insider flipped through to find his or her name, from James Andrew Miller, “Powerhouse: The Untold Story of Hollywood’s Creative Artists Agency.”
If coffee table books are more your style:
“One World Trade Center: Biography of the Building” by Judith Dupre
Also try:
- “Nasty Galaxy” by Sophia Amoruso, the founder of Nasty Gal. This is her second book. #Girlboss was her first.
- This one from YouTube personality and comedian Grace Helbig, “Grace & Style: The Art of Pretending You Have It.”
For more interviews with authors, check out our collection, The Big Book.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
