Thomas L. Friedman’s phenomenal number-one bestseller The World Is Flat has helped millions of readers to see the world in a new way. In his new book, Friedman takes a fresh and provocative look at two of the biggest challenges we face today: the economy and the environment.

Michael Lewis has written from the perspective of a financial insider for more than 20 years. His first book, Liar's Poker, was a warts-and-all account of Wall Street culture in the 1980s, when Lewis worked at the investment bank Salomon Brothers.

Naisbitt collaborates with his wife and turns his focus to our competitor to the east. Why has China succeeded while many democratically governed states have failed to make economic progress?

Blink is about the first two seconds of looking--the decisive glance that knows in an instant. Gladwell, the best-selling author of The Tipping Point, campaigns for snap judgments and mind reading with a gift for translating research into splendid storytelling.

Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid by C K Prahlad Listen to the podcast now: Book Summary: Five years ago, C.K. Prahalad’s The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid showed companies how they could reignite profits and growth by serving the world’s five billion poorest people. Hundreds of firms have successfully taken that path–building large, profitable businesses that are reducing poverty and eliminating human misery at the same time. Now, Prahalad has updated his extraordinary book to reflect the lessons of the past five years: business-building strategies, techniques, and innovations proven to work in emerging markets. The fortune at the bottom of the pyramid: doing well by doing good or doing good by doing well! Our Cocktail Party Statements: Aaron:  Innovation & entrepreneurship Karin: Fighting poverty with profits Phil: Solution is not traditional aid but entrepreneurship Our Cocktail Party Index: What’s this? Explanation of the CPI. Share and Enjoy:

Blue Ocean Strategy by Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne Listen to the podcast now: Book Summary: Kim and Mauborgne’s blue ocean metaphor elegantly summarizes their vision of the kind of expanding, competitor-free markets that innovative companies can navigate. Unlike “red oceans,” which are well explored and crowded with competitors, “blue oceans” represent “untapped market space” and the “opportunity for highly profitable growth.”. They present the tools and frameworks they’ve developed specifically for the task of analyzing blue oceans. Our Cocktail Party Statements: Aaron: True strategy is not about engaging in a bloody competition but creating a new customer in uncharted territory Karin: Be different Phil: Avoid conflict at all costs Our Cocktail Party Index: What’s this? Explanation of the CPI. Share and Enjoy: