The Demographic Cliff: How to Survive and Prosper During the Great Deflation of 2014-2019

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"Talk about timing the market: Demographer Dent (The Great Depression Ahead: How to Prosper in the Crash Following the Greatest Boom in History, 2009, etc.) studies generational trends that suggest hard times are in store, particularly for younger people entering the workforce. Though the economy seems to be recovering, writes the author, this is a result of "endless government stimulus" that must come to an end. With the retirement of the baby boomer generation and the subsequent restrictions imposed on the economy by the fact that fewer workers will be replacing them, consumer spending will decline, since those workers will likely have less money to spend even as the boomers are in the "downward phase" in their own purchasing patterns. The "echo boomers," whose births are spread out from 1976 to 2007, will eventually replace the baby boomers, and they're significantly more numerous. Meanwhile, the Gen Xers--less than half the echo boomers' number--are going to have to pull a lot of weight. The near-term result? A "coma economy" such as Japan's. The good news, if it is in fact good news, is that China is not likely to overwhelm the West economically, since its demographic future is even more dire. The bad news for nativists is that in order to re-emerge economically, the United States will have to see a population growth to 420 million by 2060, and much of that will have to come from immigration, which is likely instead to slow in the coming "winter season." Dent closes by examining the place of social entitlements in a newly austere economic landscape; refreshingly, he urges that "there should be "a government-driven one-payer system for the most basic health care services for all," adding that the free market system is intended to benefit everyone, "not just the strongest." Provocative reading: a bad-case, if not worst-case, scenario that portends tough times ahead. Let's hope Dent is erring on the side of pessimism."  (Kirkus Reviews)

Angry White Men: American Masculinity at the End of an Era

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"A study of what Kimmel (Sociology and Gender Studies/Stony Brook Univ.; Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men, 2008, etc.) calls "aggrieved entitlement" and how it leads to the angry rhetoric and violence endemic to the United States today. The author is no stranger to thinking and writing about men in their cultural climate; in his latest book, he turns his gaze to the pervasive anger specifically white men experience. White men, he claims, have held the upper hand for so long that equalizing the playing field results in explosive rage over their situation rather than the quieter despair, anxiety and frustration that other men feel. "Theirs is the anger of the entitled: we are entitled to those jobs, those positions of unchallenged dominance," writes Kimmel. "And when we are told we are not going to get them, we get angry." From there, the author moves through manifestations of this rage, such as domestic violence, mass murder and involvement in white-supremacy activities. Kimmel's writing is open and engaging, reminiscent of a conversation with friends in a bar. This makes some of the disturbing content easier to digest and his arguments palatable even to those inclined to disagree with him. Though he admits his left-leaning bias, he writes, "I try to look into the hearts and minds of the American men with whom I most disagree politically....I do so not with contempt or pity, but with empathy and compassion." For the most part, the author succeeds, but he does himself a disservice by alienating readers, with an overwhelmingly liberal introduction and first chapter, who might otherwise see merit in his conclusion that these "angry white men have some justified grievances--even though they often aim their arrows at the wrong targets." Another worthwhile examination of important issues affecting men and, by extension, everyone else, from an author known for his insight into the subject."  (Kirkus Reviews)

Inequality for All (DVD)

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" A passionate argument on behalf of the middle class, INEQUALITY FOR ALL features Robert Reich--professor, best-selling author, and Clinton cabinet member--as he demonstrates how the widening income gap has a devastating impact on the American economy. The film is an intimate portrait of a man who's overcome a great deal of personal adversity and whose lifelong goal remains protecting those who are unable to protect themselves. Through his singular perspective, Reich explains how the massive consolidation of wealth by a precious few threatens the viability of the American workforce and the foundation of democracy itself. In this INCONVENIENT TRUTH for the economy, Reich uses humor and a wide array of facts to explain how the issue of economic inequality affects each and every one of us."  (Publisher Description)

Cut It Out: The C-Section Epidemic in America

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"Trinity College sociologist Morris combines a broad understanding of systemic, organizational problems and how they impact behavior with statistics and 130 interviews with maternity patients and birth professionals to examine the country's rising C-section rate and low rate of vaginal births after cesarian (VBAC) attempts. As Morris notes, C-sections increase the risk of maternal complications while not appearing to impact birth outcomes significantly. Challenging conventional wisdom, Morris's interviews reveal that some doctors feel their hands are tied by the legal system, for which a prompt C-section indicates that the hospital has fulfilled its responsibilities to the patient in the event of a lawsuit; hospital policies like constant fetal monitoring, which limits the movement a laboring mother needs to facilitate a vaginal birth, and the requirement that mothers who have already had cesarians cannot have vaginal births for subsequent children; and medical training that no longer teaches methods of delivering breech or multiple births vaginally. The author's suggestions include changing insurance rules to compensate women and children with poor birth outcomes independent of fault; encouraging the use of doulas, midwives, and out-of-hospital care; counting C-section rate as a hospital quality measure; and loosening policies that reduce physician choice. Morris's powerful book deserves the attention of policymakers"  (Publishers Weekly)

The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters

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"Fans of the lively, character-driven nonfiction of writers like Kurt Eichenwald and Ben Mezrich should welcome this book with open arms. It's a potentially dry story: a bunch of guys try to make a lot of money by hammering subterranean rock formations (shale, mostly) with liquid, breaking them up, allowing the trapped-in natural gas to come to the surface. This is hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as fracking, and, in Zuckerman's hands, the topic generates a surprisingly entertaining story about Big Men with Big Ideas, the highly competitive (and, in some cases, increasingly desperate) search for a new and potentially highly profitable source of energy. Zuckerman also explores the often passionate and outspoken opposition to the drilling procedure (for some, fracking doesn't just sound like a dirty word; it is one), although he doesn't come down on one side or the other. He shows us the beneficial side of fracking and the potentially environmentally disastrous side, and lets us find our own ground to stand on. A lively, exciting, and definitely thought-provoking book." (Booklist)

The Weight of the Nation ( 2012 ) ( HBO Documentaries )

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" Developed in partnership with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) at the National Academies of Science, in association with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and with support from Kaiser Permanente and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, The Weight of the Nation is one of the largest public health campaigns on obesity the nation has seen to date."   (Publisher Description)

The Bankers' New Clothes: Whats Wrong with Banking and What to Do about It

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"Recent worldwide banking crises have forced governments to bail out and subsidize large banks because of what Admati (economics, Stanford Graduate Sch. of Business) characterizes as an ill-informed public perception that the institutions were too big to fail. Other misconceptions about the banking industry are addressed here as well, especially the false assumption that there is a tradeoff between banks' capital requirements and growth and profit. This book takes readers inside the global banking industry, examines the intricacies of banking operations, and addresses the major problems, including the banking system's overall "fragility." Macro solutions are offered that, the author maintains, will make the infrastructure more stable. Especially interesting is the discussion of how the current system rewards rather than penalizes risky decision making by individual bankers. VERDICT This title is a must read for management and human resource professionals within the banking industry as well as government policymakers. With its clear explanations, many examples, and analogies, the book is accessible to readers who do not have business backgrounds and who want to better understand banking."  (Library Journal)