Discover New Releases Audiobooks in Business, Commerce & Economy

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Bad Paper

Subtitle: Chasing Debt from Wall Street to the Underworld

Author: Jake Halpern

Narrator: Qarie Marshall

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-28-14

Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 73 votes

Genres: Business, Commerce & Economy

Publisher's Summary:

Jake Halpern introduces us to a former banking executive and a former armed robber who become partners and go in quest of "paper" - the uncollected debts that are sold off by banks for pennies on the dollar. As Halpern shows, the world of consumer debt collection is a wild and unregulated shadow land, where operators may misrepresent a debtor's situation, make illegal threats, and even lay claim to debts that are not theirs to collect in the first place. Halpern follows his collectors as they intimidate competitors with weapons, manage high-pressure call centers, and scheme new ways to benefit from American's debt-industrial complex. He also explores the history of collection agencies and reveals the human cost of a system that leaves hardworking Americans with little opportunity to retire their debts in a reasonable way.

Members Reviews:

An Examination of Bad Debts; its Buyers & Sellers

Id be a bum on the street with a tin cup if the markets were efficient.

Jake Halpern, Bad Paper: Chasing Debt from Wall Street to the Underworld

New New Journalism about the financial/debt markets is "So HOT right now".

I went into this book thinking it was going to be a bad copy of a Michael Lewis book. Anyway, a friend of mine recommended this highly. She also has a great book out about debt and the poor (How the Other Half Banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and the Threat to Democracy), so I overcame my reluctance and read 'Bad Paper'. IT stunned me. A lot of the basics I understood before, but Halpern was able to add detail and texture to the industry and the players. It reads like Dante's Inferno. First Circle (Banks?), Second Circle (Hedge Funds/Debt Buyers?), Third Circle (Fresh Debt Brokers?), Fourth Circle (Large, more reputable Debt Collectors?), Fifth Circle (Mom & Pop Debt Collectors?), 6th Circle (Older/Crap/Bad Paper Brokers?), 7th Circle (White Dope Peddlers?), 8th Circle (Thieves?), Lawyers (9th Circle). I guess it holds up.

Anyway, the book was tighter than I imagined it was going to be. It was measured, well-documented, and its methodology was documented and obvious. Jake Halpern wasn't venturing too far out with his recommendation or his observations. He played a very close narrative game, and it worked well of this book. Sometimes, you don't have to cook the story too much, the story is already there -- waiting to be eaten. Jake Halern did a good balance of being in the story and getting the hell out of the way.

So, next on my list (after I recover from the emotional toil of this book) is Mehrsa Baradaran's book (How the Other Half Banks) and Jayne Meyer's Dark Money.

Gripping Story

Any additional comments?

The gritty, often shady, business of buying, selling, and collecting debt is told in this closeup view of some people in the industry. Strongly recommended!

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Bitcoin

Subtitle: The Future Of Money?

Author: Dominic Frisby

Narrator: Dominic Frisby

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-24-14

Publisher: Unbound

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 36 votes

Genres: Business, Commerce & Economy

Publisher's Summary:

In 2008, while the world was busy panicking about the global financial crisis, a computer programmer going by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto posted a message on an out-of-the-way mailing list. 'I've been working on a new electronic cash system,' he said. Nobody seemed to care. It might make sense to get some just in case it catches on, he suggested.

How right he was. What he had programmed would become the worlds most famous alternative currency Bitcoin. It would catch the zeitgeist in a way only two people foresaw. A cult of devotees was inspired economists, anarchists, speculators, computer coders, libertarians, criminals, entrepreneurs. Early adopters would become multi-millionaires.

Now the suggestion is that Bitcoin will do to banking and finance what email did to the postal service and what the internet did to publishing: destroy old monopolies, creating new opportunities for the masses. Some even suggest that the technology behind Bitcoin known as the block chain will reform our Western systems of democracy, giving us the revolution so many are clamouring for.

In this gripping book, Dominic Frisby tells the amazing story of Bitcoin. He solves the mystery surrounding the identity of Bitcoins secretive creator. He shows how Bitcoin is going to change the world. And, perhaps most of all, he does something nobody else has hitherto been able to do: he explains in laymans language how the bally thing works.

Critic Reviews:

"Bitcoin is one of the most important innovations of our time it will transform the way we do business. Dominic Frisby has written a great account. Read it and glimpse into the future" (Sir Richard Branson)

"The books outstanding, but the story it tells is even better." (Matt Ridley, The Times)

"In this highly readable yet technically accomplished book, Dominic Frisby makes crypto currencies crystal clear. Read it, or fail to understand possibly the most important financial innovation of our time." (Liam Halligan, Sunday Telegraph)

"Despite having an MSc in Computer Science and spending over ten years studying monetary theory, I ignored Bitcoin as hype for too long. You shouldnt. Read Dominics thrilling book and discover the next big thing." (Steve Baker, MP)

Members Reviews:

Life Changing

Thank you for this book. It is life changing! The book is very clear and succinct.

A Comprehensive Overview

Well researched and explained you will not be disappointed, objective accomplished . A meaningful overview. Russell

More speaking tour than a book

disappointed. not enough depth around the impact of the tech. would have been better as an 1 hr presentation than an entire book.

Easy to understand, yet technically spot on

very.good explanation of everything you need to consider about bitcoin. Easy for the non technical. But as a programmer it was still all I needed to understand the issues.

What a Bloody book.

I have never expectes such a great listening. This book gave me much better picture to where we realy are in terms of Digital Currency. I will be using many words from this book on my Crypto presentations. SN realy rocked that money boat. Thank You for Bitcoin.

Listen to this audiobook free with a 30-day trial. Go to http://hotaudiobook.com/free

Title: How to Speak Money

Subtitle: What the Money People Say - and What It Really Means

Author: John Lanchester

Narrator: Sean Pratt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-08-14

Publisher: Gildan Media, LLC

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 222 votes

Genres: Business, Commerce & Economy

Publisher's Summary:

To those who don't speak it, the language of money can seem impenetrable and its ideas too complex to grasp. How to Speak Money is acclaimed writer John Lanchester's entertaining and informative attempt to bridge the gap between the money people and the rest of us. With characteristic wit and candor ("wickedly funny" - Dwight Garner, New York Times), Lanchester shows how the world of finance and economics really works - from the terms and conditions of your personal checking account to the evasions of bankers appearing in front of Congress.

How to Speak Money reveals how the language of money is often a tool to conceal and mislead; he explains hundreds of common economic terms, from GDP to the IMF, amortization to securitization to collateralized debt obligation; and he argues that we all need to speak money lest those who do write the financial rules for themselves.

Critic Reviews:

"How finance really works - by the writer hailed for explain[ing] complex stuff in a down-to-earth and witty style" (Economist)

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Organizational Behavior: The Basics

Author: Trevor Clinger

Narrator: Jay Prichard

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-16-14

Publisher: Trevor Clinger

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: Business, Commerce & Economy

Publisher's Summary:

This final essay for an organizational behavior 300-level class explains the basic concepts involved with organizational behavior. Organizational behavior is extremely important to understand, because the behavior of a business's employees, customers, or suppliers can make or break the business. There are various main concepts that are important to identify when understanding an organization's behavior. This final class essay sums up every key aspect, and one of the key aspects is how an organization communicates. Providing goods and services is one thing, but those goods mean nothing if your organization's behavior is offensive or outright childish.

Members Reviews:

Finally something useful!

I was given this audiobook by the narrator Jay Prichard in exchange for honest review. I must say his professional presentation was right on mark with this informative businesses tool to be used without concern on company property would help to properly intergrade new blooming managers onsite to excell to new skill level.

I am in a management role in my employment and it is sometimes very hard to explain concepts to new managers/coaches. This is a quick easy tool that makes the information simple even retainable. The narrator made sure to keep this from being a monotone experience with voice pitch control and even souded excited about his work. I would love to see a series done like thisthis made affordable but they must use this narrator due to his quality performance. Well done!

18 minutes

Any additional comments?

I listened to this very short audiobook and learned somethings that I can use in everyday life. The narrator's voice is very pleasant to listen to.

18 Minutes Your Boss Should Hear

Any additional comments?

In just 18 minutes, you as a manager can learn some powerful nuggets for a happier and more productive workplace. Or, if you are someone who works under an ineffective manager, it will give you insight to the cause of their behavior, and how to be more successful within that work environment, which can set you on the road to be THEIR boss one day.

Wonderful book! Very informational!

I was very pleased with this audiobook purchase. This book really delivered all the information I was wanting to aquire about organizational behavior. It would also serve as a great beginner's guide for someone who would like to learn about organizational basics!

Well written, well narrated, 5 stars!!!

What about Jay Prichards performance did you like?

I liked how his voice made this book easy to understand.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, because organizational behavior is essential to know when running any type of business, especially one involved in mass manufacturing!

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis - A 30 Minute Summary

Author: Instaread Summaries

Narrator: Jason P. Hilton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-15-14

Publisher: Instaread Summaries

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Business, Commerce & Economy

Publisher's Summary:

With Instaread Summaries, you can get the summary of a book in 30 minutes or less. We read every chapter, summarize and analyze it for your convenience. This is an Instaread Summary of Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt by Michael Lewis.

Members Reviews:

understandable insight

the book summary is concise understandable and provides both definitions and insight into the high frequency trading subject

A Good Summary

A good summary and introduction to an important book. The narration is clear and pleasant.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Taking of Getty Oil

Subtitle: The Full Story of the Most Spectacular - and Catastrophic - Takeover of All

Author: Steve Coll

Narrator: Steven Cooper

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-10-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 68 votes

Genres: Business, Commerce & Economy

Publisher's Summary:

A true story of family, ambition, and greed in the most bitter and controversial takeover struggle in business history. The high-stakes fight between Texaco and Pennzoil to take over Getty Oil is a startling and intriguing case involving family infighting, courtroom drama, and corporate intrigue that ends in bankruptcy and the largest damages award in American history.

Members Reviews:

Incredible research

Extremely well researched. I could see where someone would say it's somewhat dry. The complete story of the biggest merger up till that time in the 80s and the lawsuits that followed and almost destroyed both companies involved in the lawsuit. The speaker has an awesome voice for movie previews or a murder mystery TV show but it's hard to follow the story through his voice. There are a couple times where the story and the speakers voice match tempo but it's not till late in the book and it's only long enough for you to realize how distracting it has been.

Sibling contention, intrique, courtroom drama

Steve Coil, a correspondent for the Washington Post has painstakingly reconstructed telephone conversations, meetings and written memoranda to set out the events leading to the litigation between Pennzoil and Texaco. Coil has maintained his reporters objectivity, not condemning anyone but staying neutral throughout the book. The book was originally published in 1987.

The first part of the book is about the Getty family and their inner fights. The middle of the book is about Getty oil and its corporate officers and board members and their relationship with Gordon Getty. The last part of the book is about the trial.

Three and a half years of haggling and infighting preceded the legal judgment. Gordon Getty, one of the J. Paul Gettys sons became sole trustee of the Sarah C. Getty Trust, which owned 40% of Getty Oils stock. Gordon Getty maneuvered for control of the company in opposition of the company management and his family. Pennzoil thought they did a takeover in January of 1984 in an agreement in principle to buy the bloc of Getty Stock, then the following week Texaco offered more money and bought the same stock.

On November 1985 a Houston court awarded a ten billion dollar judgment against Texaco to Pennzoil. It is the largest damages award yet made in an American business case.

The book by Coil reads like a novel with lots of drama, family conflicts and business fighting. I found the book most interesting. Steven Cooper narrated the book.

Masterful telling of a cautionary business tale by a masterful journalist.

Steve Coll is one of the great nonfiction writers of our day. The personalities described in this tome are complex and deep with the exception of the clearly shallow money grubbers and cheats.The story develops from the death of a trusted attorney to the feeding frenzy of the takeover craziness of the mid 80s by executives, investors, attorneys and bankers with varying degrees of integrity. There are no true heroes with plenty of greed; enough for extra helpings.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Secret Club That Runs the World

Subtitle: Inside the Fraternity of Commodities Traders

Author: Kate Kelly

Narrator: Teri Clark Linden

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-03-14

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 49 votes

Genres: Business, Commerce & Economy

Publisher's Summary:

When most people think of the drama of global finance, they think of stocks and bonds, venture capital, high-tech IPOs, and complex mortgage backed securities. But commodities? Crude oil and soybeans? Copper and wheat? What could be more boring?

Thats exactly what the elite commodity traders want you to think. They dont seek the media spotlight. They dont want to be as famous as Warren Buffett or Bill Gross. Their astonishing wealth was created in near-total obscurity, because they dwelled either in closely held private companies or deep within large banks and corporations, where commodity profits and losses werent broken out.

But if the individual participants in the great commodities boom of the 2000s went unnoticed, their impact did not. Over several years the size of the market exploded, and so did prices for raw materials - raising serious questions about whether the big traders were intentionally jacking up the cost of gasoline, food, and other essentials bought by ordinary people around the world. What was really driving all those price spikes?

Now Kate Kelly, the bestselling author of Street Fighters, takes us inside this secretive inner circle that controls so many things we all depend on. She gets closer than any previous reporter to understanding these whip-smart, aggressive, and often egomaniacal men (yes, they are nearly all men). They work hard, play hard, flaunt their wealth, and bet millions every day on a blend of facts, analysis, and pure gut instinct.

Drawing on her exclusive access to the secret club, and following the trail from New York to Houston, London, Dubai, and beyond, Kelly reveals the immense power in the hands of a few, and the so-far contentious efforts by the Obama administration to rein in the cowboys.

Members Reviews:

Narrator makes this a tough one

The narrator was terrible. I thought I was listening to the computerized text read program from the internet videos.

Book is pretty interesting though, just wish someone who was capable of portraying some sort of emotion was narrating.

Good

Remarkable how some were making money during what felt like an utter collapse of the U.S. banking industry in 2008.

Listen to this audiobook free with a 30-day trial. Go to http://hotaudiobook.com/free

Title: Smaller Faster Lighter Denser Cheaper

Subtitle: How Innovation Keeps Proving the Catastrophists Wrong

Author: Robert Bryce

Narrator: Steven Menasche

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-13-14

Publisher: Gildan Media, LLC

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 61 votes

Genres: Business, Commerce & Economy

Publisher's Summary:

In the face of todays environmental and economic challenges, doomsayers preach that the only way to stave off disaster is for humans to reverse course: To de-industrialize, re-localize, ban the use of modern energy sources, and forswear prosperity. But in this provocative and optimistic rebuke to the catastrophists, Robert Bryce shows how innovation and the inexorable human desire to make things Smaller Faster Lighter Denser Cheaper is providing consumers with Cheaper and more abundant energy, Faster computing, Lighter vehicles, and myriad other goods. That same desire is fostering unprecedented prosperity, greater liberty, and yes, better environmental protection.

Utilizing on-the-ground reporting from Ottawa to Panama City and Pittsburgh to Bakersfield, Bryce shows how we have, for centuries, been pushing for Smaller Faster solutions to our problems. From the vacuum tube, mass-produced fertilizer, and the printing press to mobile phones, nanotech, and advanced drill rigs, Bryce demonstrates how cutting-edge companies and breakthrough technologies have created a world in which people are living longer, freer, healthier, lives than at any time in human history.

The push toward Smaller Faster Lighter Denser Cheaper is happening across multiple sectors. Bryce profiles innovative individuals and companies, from long-established ones like Ford and Intel to upstarts like Aquion Energy and Khan Academy. And he zeroes in on the energy industry, proving that the future belongs to the high power density sources that can provide the enormous quantities of energy the world demands.

The tools we need to save the planet arent to be found in the technologies or lifestyles of the past. Nor must we sacrifice prosperity and human progress to ensure our survival. The catastrophists have been wrong since the days of Thomas Malthus. This is the time to embrace the innovators and businesses all over the world who are making things Smaller Faster Lighter Denser Cheaper.

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Purpose Economy

Subtitle: How Your Desire for Impact, Personal Growth and Community Is Changing the World

Author: Aaron Hurst

Narrator: Darryl Hughes Kurylo

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-08-14

Publisher: Elevate

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 38 votes

Genres: Business, Commerce & Economy

Publisher's Summary:

A series of shifts are happening in our economy: Millennials are trading in conventional career paths to launch tech start-ups, start small businesses that are rooted in local communities, or freelance their expertise. We are sharing everything, from bikes and cars, to extra rooms in our homes. We now create, buy and sell handcrafted products in our local communities with ease.

CEO of Imperative Aaron Hurst argues in his latest book that while these developments seem unrelated at first, taken together they reveal a powerful pattern that points to purpose as the new driver of the American economy.

Like the Information Economy, which has driven innovation and economic growth until now, Hurst argues that our new economic era is driven by connecting people to their purpose. It's an economy where value lies in establishing purpose for employees and customers through serving needs greater than their own, enabling personal growth and building community. Based on interviews with thousands of entrepreneurs, Hurst shows this new era is already fueling demand for a whole host of products and services and transforming how Millennials view their careers. A new breed of startups like Etsy, Zaarly, Tough Mudder, Kickstarter, and Airbnb are finding new ways to create value by connecting us with our local communities. At the same time, companies like Tesla and Whole Foods are making the march from just appealing to affluent buyers to becoming mainstream brands. Hurst calls these companies, along with the pioneering entrepreneurs who founded them, the Purpose Economy's taste-makers.

This book is at once a personal memoir of Aaron Hurst's own awakening as a purpose driven entrepreneur, when he left a well-paying tech job in 2001 to launch Taproot, creating a pathway for millions of professionals and Fortune 500 companies to volunteer for nonprofits. It's also a blueprint for a new economic era that is transforming companies, markets and our careers to better serve people and the world.

Members Reviews:

Great content, could have used better narration

Informative, rousing and inspiring book for anyone looking to find and /or join purpose to career. Being a first-gen frustrated by having to figure out what, how & why on my own despite immigrant parents who, while educated, haven't successfully navigated the social terrain of their new country, it was tempting initially to view Hurst as 1% progeny set up from the beginning, preaching from an ivory tower, but the sincere mix of telling his story while providing insight on societal norms, relevant historical context & career development, won me over. I've been a fan of Imperative since its early start, but this was so much more. It's a great read - full of useful, applicable info if you're building a purpose business, or just trying to tweak your work to reflect greater purpose. It's not fluff, but it's not boring either; it's personable and current.

My main gripe is the narration- namely that the narrator just "changed" his voice to express different characters whether male or female, and he did so poorly. From "lowering" his voice (for males) or making it shrill (for women), bad accents and even auto tune, the narration was ineffective, distracting & annoying.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Antidote

Subtitle: Inside the World of New Pharma

Author: Barry Werth

Narrator: Sean Pratt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-25-14

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 45 votes

Genres: Business, Commerce & Economy

Publisher's Summary:

In 1989, the charismatic Joshua Boger left Merck, then America's most admired business, to found a drug company that would challenge industry giants and transform health care. Barry Werth described the company's tumultuous early days during the AIDS crisis in The Billion-Dollar Molecule, a celebrated classic of science and business journalism. Now he returns to tell a riveting story of Vertex's bold endurance and eventual success.

The $325-billion-a-year pharmaceutical business is America's toughest and one of its most profitable. It is riskier and more rigorous at just about every stage than any other business, from the towering biological uncertainties inherent in its mission to treat disease; to the 30-to-1 failure rate in bringing out a successful medicine even after a molecule clears all the hurdles to get to human testing; to the multibillion-dollar cost of ramping up a successful product; to operating in the world's most regulated industry, matched only by nuclear power.

Werth captures the full scope of Vertex's 25-year drive to deliver breakthrough medicines. At a time when America struggles to maintain its innovative edge, The Antidote is a powerful inside look at one of the most intriguing and important business stories of recent decades.

Critic Reviews:

"A revealing, readable book about 'some of competitive capitalism's most complicated science and most cutthroat marketing maneuvers.'" (Kirkus)

Members Reviews:

For me this was not interesting

Sorry for the harsh commentary.... It's like someone compiled all of their stock market announcements into a book, flavored with some irrelevant details about the employees... I was hoping to hear some insights about the pharma market. The book started well.

Creating Societal Value

Enjoyed listening to the inside stories about the challenges of creating life enhancing products for humanity. A+

Development of elegant new medicine

The author brings us inside the finance and science of the development of an entirely new concept in medicine. Vertex looks at chronic illness at the mechanism and focuses on fixing the problem rather than the symptoms. This is the 21st century in health care.