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Title: Zombie Banks

Subtitle: How Broken Banks and Debtor Nations Are Crippling the Global Economy

Author: Yalman Onaran

Narrator: Pete Larkin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-22-11

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 22 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

Publisher's Summary:

An in-depth look at the essential issues surrounding zombie institutions and their effect on the global economy. Zombie banking has become standard operating procedure for big debtor nations. They prop up failing institutions, print money, and avoid financial corrections. But in an attempt to prolong the inevitable, bigger problems are created. The approach used now has not, and will not, work. This timely book reveals why.

Zombie Banks tells the story of how debtor nations and failing institutions are damaging the long-term prospects of the global economy. Author Yalman Onaran, a veteran Bloomberg News reporter and financial banking-sector expert, examines exactly what a zombie bank is and why they are kept alive. He also discusses how they hurt economic recovery and what needs to be done in order to restore stability. Along the way, Onaran takes an honest look at how we arrived at this point and details the harsh realities that must be faced, and the serious steps that must be taken, in order to get things headed in the right direction.

While the short-term measures taken to stave off depression and rejuvenate economic growth may offer hope, they are unsustainable over the long term. Get a better look at what really lies ahead, and what it will take to improve our economic situation, with this book.

Critic Reviews:

"Read this book if you would like to understand why the road back to full employment will be so long and difficult. A brilliant and timely contribution; disturbing in every detail." (Simon Johnson, professor, MIT Sloan School of Management)

Members Reviews:

Boomerang covers this topic much better

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, I would recommend Boomerang by Michael Lewis which was much more engaging.

Would you be willing to try another book from Yalman Onaran? Why or why not?

Sure, why not.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

I have no strong feelings on the performance.

Was Zombie Banks worth the listening time?

Yes

Must read

This book is a must read to put the dots together as to the coming correction

The straight dope on the financial crisis

Would you listen to Zombie Banks again? Why?

This is by far the best overview and postmortem analysis of the financial crisis that I've ever read, and I've read about ten by now.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The author is not afraid to hand out blame. Names, actions, clashing motives and narrow business interests are revealed. It was not all just drunk frat-boys with financial power tools.That's a refreshing change from most other narratives.

Whats the most interesting tidbit youve picked up from this book?

The book makes clear how and why we failed in handling the financial crisis when it broke, the continuing consequences of this failed policy and what we can do to change it. A real nifty tidbit is the explanation on why the german banks acted particular crazy during the boom. Hint: Perverted incentives.

Any additional comments?

Great stuff. I'll have to read it again soon.

decent read

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Zombie banks was a good listen. It was full of interesting and relevant information. It starts off way too slow.

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Title: Exile on Wall Street

Subtitle: One Analyst's Fight to Save the Big Banks from Themselves

Author: Mike Mayo

Narrator: Dennis Holland

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-15-11

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 45 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

Publisher's Summary:

An insider points out the holes that still exist on Wall Street and in the banking system. Exile on Wall Street is a gripping listen for anyone with an interest in business and finance, U.S. capitalism, the future of banking, and the root causes of the financial meltdown.

Award-winning veteran sell side Wall Street analyst Mike Mayo writes about one of the biggest financial and political issues of our time - the role of finance and banks in the US. He has worked at six Wall Street firms, analyzing banks and protesting against bad practices for two decades. In Exile on Wall Street, Mayo:

While it provides an education, this is no textbook. It is an invaluable resource for finance practitioners and citizens alike.

Critic Reviews:

"Mike Mayo is an old-style bank analyst - thorough, independent, honest - who never pulls his punches, whatever icons, public or private, may be wounded." (Paul A. Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve)

"Mike Mayo is one of the best financial analysts on Wall Street. He brings clarity to a world full of uncertainty." Maria Bartiromo, host of The Wall Street Journal Report.

Members Reviews:

Self-absorbed, self-indulgent

This is the first audiobook (of dozens) I have bailed out on, mid-book. I expected to hear something useful about the craft of analyzing banks, the dynamics of their business situations, etc. About halfway through, what I HAVE heard is endless recitations of the author's resentments, outsider complex, self-justifications, and petty career moves. I KNOW many bank execs are willing to bend the truth as far as they feel they can get away with, in pursuit of their bonuses. So far I haven't heard one new bit of information. The worst business books drone on like extended resumes, and this is one of them. Assuming the content is true, I can respect the author as an honest guy with some backbone. That doesn't make him a good writer, storyteller or explainer. The narrator is good, at least.

Timely, informative, illuminating

Where does Exile on Wall Street rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

This was an easy listen and a great way to get some historical perspective and background on the banking crisis.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

"Okay, now I have a better sense of how the huge mess happened, and also why we have not really begun to clean it up yet."

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator was easy to follow; it's very easy to listen to this book.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Still Standing: Mike Mayo Survives Banks and Vampire Squid Attacks

Any additional comments?

Useful background in a coming-of-age context. Mayo's personal history merged with the sense of America in the 1980s and 1990s, explaining changes in banking and finance that happened during that period. Mayo comes across as a guy who honestly cared about the investors he was supposed to be advising.

I like the book.

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Title: Stuffed: An Insider's Look at Who's (Really) Making America Fat and How the Food Industry Can Fix It

Author: Hank Cardello, Doug Garr

Narrator: Walter Dixon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-09-11

Publisher: HarperCollins

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

Publisher's Summary:

For more than 30 years, Hank Cardello was an executive and adviser to some of the largest food and beverage corporations in the world. For more than 30 years, he watched as corporate profits - and America's waistlines - ballooned: fattening consumers meant fattening profits. Now, in this fascinating and timely book, Cardello offers a behind-the-scenes look at the business of food, providing an insider's account of food company practices, failed government regulations, and misleading media coverage that have combined to place us in the middle of a national obesity epidemic.

With insights culled from Cardello's time in the food industry, Stuffed explores how food companies have spent the last 50 years largely ignoring healthier fare in the name of their bottom lines while pushing consumers toward "convenience" food and supersize portions without considering the health consequences. From grocery aisles to restaurant booths to boardrooms, Cardello reveals the hidden forces that have long shaped your supermarket purchases and menu selections. He examines the black-and-white mind-set that has produced the carefully targeted marketing strategies that have maximized profits for the food industry and led to weight gain for you.

But Cardello makes clear that the food companies should not take all the blame. They are merely a cog in a larger system that's broken, and here Cardello illustrates how the government and the media have only made it harder for Americans to make nutritious choices.

Highlighting both bit players and high-profile voices of change, Cardello explains the fundamental risks to one-size-fits-all regulatory solutions and the bigger dangers posed by letting the food pundits confuse the health conversation.

More than simply a chronicle of how we got here, Stuffed also puts forth a groundbreaking blueprint for the future of the food industry. In debunking the common myth that "healthier" has to mean higher costs and unpalatable tastes, Cardello provides novel but concrete steps that food companies can take to fatten their profits and slim down their customers. In addition, he stresses the realistic role that consumers must play in America's new health equation, explaining that unless they demand healthier food with their wallets, America will continue to tip the scales for years to come.

Critic Reviews:

"Former food-industry executive and current anti-obesity advocate Cardello calls on his erstwhile colleagues to become custodians of their customers' well-being....the point zings home: The food industry knows how to sell; now it has to sell the right thing." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Anyone who is interested in their health and thinks they're educated about nutrition needs to read this book." (Bookbrowse.com)

Members Reviews:

In my opinion, its a choice.

Although I found this book really interesting, Mindless Eating remains at the top of my Food-Book heap; that book was great!

No one will argue that being informed on the topic of healthy eating wont help you make better choices.

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Title: VangoNotes for Principles of Economics, 8/e

Author: Karl E. Case, Ray C. Fair

Narrator: Stow Lovejoy, Alyson Silverman

Format: Original Recording

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-09-11

Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

Publisher's Summary:

Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from Principles of Economics, 8/e and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook:

©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

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Title: VangoNotes for Foundations of Economics, 3/e

Author: Robin Bade, Michael Parkin

Narrator: Brett Barry, Alyson Silverman

Format: Original Recording

Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-09-11

Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc.

Ratings: 2.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

Publisher's Summary:

Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from Foundations of Economics, 3/e and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook:

©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Members Reviews:

Incomplete, but very helpful.

These are notes after all; still I wish that audible provided actual audio textbooks. (You couldn't find an audio textbook this cheap.)

They were excellent supplemental materials though, and I did recommend them to other students in the same class. The examples and way of illustration were helpful. These notes, while incomplete did contribute to my success in the class.

There are review questions covering material seemingly absent from the summary sections, but the nature of the content lent to more studying in less time. Is that criticism or not?

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Title: VangoNotes for Principles of Macroeconomics, 8/e

Author: Karl E. Case, Ray C. Fair

Narrator: Stow Lovejoy, Alyson Silverman

Format: Original Recording

Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-09-11

Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

Publisher's Summary:

Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from Principles of Macroeconomics, 8/e and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook:

©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Members Reviews:

Excellent Macroeconomics Audiobook

This wasn't the textbook for my MBA Macroeconomics course, but the audiobook was an excellent accompaniment to my textbook. I was able to find matching chapters and learn the content quite easily.

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Title: VangoNotes for Economics

Subtitle: Principles, Applications, and Tools, 5/e

Author: Arthur O'Sullivan, Steven Sheffrin, Stephen Perez

Format: Original Recording

Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-25-11

Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc.

Ratings: 2.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

Publisher's Summary:

Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from Economics: Principles, Applications, and Tools, 5/e and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook:

©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

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Title: Essentials of Economics

Author: Glenn Hubbard, Anthony P. O'Brien

Narrator: Stow Lovejoy, Alyson Silverman

Format: Original Recording

Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-24-11

Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

Publisher's Summary:

Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from Essentials of Economics and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook:

©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

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Title: Come Home, America

Subtitle: The Rise and Fall (and Redeeming Promise) of Our Country

Author: William Greider

Narrator: Tony Craine

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-30-11

Publisher: Polity Audio LLC

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

Publisher's Summary:

The collapse of the economy in 2008 and the events which followed have exposed cracks in the foundation of our economic, cultural, and political values. There is a pervasive feeling in our country that democracy is broken. In Come Home, America William Greider suggests that it is time to quit pretending that it isn't so.

Members Reviews:

Good overview of our broken system

Excellent, although overly optimistic in his solutions to the dire state of our corporatocracy. His solutions require that citizens become much more open minded and knowledgeable about our broken political system, rather than just reacting emotionally to manipulative political propaganda and shallow patriotic and religious rhetoric. His fixes require that people shrug off the dogma imprinted on them in early childhood by their parental, religious, educational and media environments and actually critically review their ingrained beliefs, logically and less emotionally. This doesn't seem to be the trend lately, and corporations and the wealthy elite have been able to take advantage of that by employing massive campaign contributions and a "divide and conquer" social strategy. Overwhelmingly, people believe what they are predisposed to believe and react emotionally when that belief is threatened, even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Our opinions have been emotionally and manipulatively instilled in us from before we were old enough to reason and question, and few of us have been even partially capable of avoiding our ongoing programing. We are almost entirely a product of our ethnocentrism. But, maybe I'm overly pessimistic.

Required reading

This is required reading. Greider discusses many contemporary complex problems without bombarding the reader with details. He also offers optimism towards change using the daunting challenges faced by the Civil Rights movement as an example. Will comfortable consumers risk their lifestyles for change? I doubt it. Maybe if they lose their jobs.

Why no discussion on how health insurance paid by the employer enslaves the employee not to strike? IOW's Americans aren't in the streets because they won't risk their family's health coverage. This is criminal.

I did have a problem with Chapter 9 and his discussion on the military. He states the US has never wanted to be an empire without acknowledging the US National Interests that are behind most wars. This reader knows better. It is common sense to link the US military with US corporations such as the Iraq War to Haliburton, KPR, and Blackwater. War is big business. Seems purposely not included.

The discussion on debt and the Fed are essential. I would have liked debt to be explored in more depth.

I recommend this book highly. For the first time, I may buy more copies for friends.

Greider: Wake up, Americans

William Greider makes an effective case, based on years of experience and careful analysis, that the U.S. faces extremely difficult times ahead; we need to change our perceptions of who we are and what the role of America should be in a changing world. Gloomy though the worst-case scenario may be, Greider asserts that involvement by the people can ease the transition and improve the outcome.

Greider's credentials are formidable.

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Title: The Taste for Civilization

Subtitle: Food, Politics, and Civil Society

Author: Janet A. Flammang

Narrator: Pam Ward

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-15-10

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

Publisher's Summary:

From table talk to farmers' markets, analyzing the cultural politics of what and how we eat.

This book explores the idea that table activities - the mealtime rituals of food preparation, serving, and dining - lay the foundation for a proper education on the value of civility, the importance of the common good, and what it means to be a good citizen. The arts of conversation and diplomatic speech are learned and practiced at tables, and a political history of food practices recasts thoughtfulness and generosity as virtues that enhance civil society and democracy. In our industrialized and profit-centered culture, however, foodwork is devalued and civility is eroding.

Looking at the field of American civility, Janet A. Flammang addresses the gendered responsibilities for foodwork's civilizing functions and argues that any formulation of "civil society" must consider food practices and the household. To allow space for practicing civility, generosity, and thoughtfulness through everyday foodwork, Americans must challenge the norms of unbridled consumerism, work-life balance, and domesticity and caregiving. Connecting political theory with the quotidian activities of the dinner table, Flammang discusses practical ideas from the "delicious revolution" and Slow Food movement to illustrate how civic activities are linked to foodwork, and she points to farmers' markets and gardens in communities, schools, and jails as sites for strengthening civil society and degendering foodwork.

The book is published by University of Illinois press.

Critic Reviews:

"Eating is something we all have in common: it opens up both our senses and our consciences to our place in the world. Janet A. Flammang's The Taste for Civilization shows how the American family meal has been devalued from its role as a daily enactment of shared necessity and ritualized cooperation - and how important it is to restore the daily ritual of the table in our lives." (Alice Waters, founder, Chez Panisse)

Members Reviews:

Reads like a first draft PhD dissertation in need of editing

An intriguing thesis that unfortunately reads like a dissertation draft in need of structural reorganization and copyediting. At times, page after page is a rehearsal of research and insights by other scholars, whose original works are more interesting than their regurgitation by Flamming. At other times, individual paragraphs read like a series of non-sequitor sentences strung together in search of a topic. For a much better read along the same lines, stick to Rituals of the Table by Margaret Visser. Perhaps the bibliography is the book's highlight--too bad it's such a slog to get to it.

Food as a Foundation for Civil Society

In this wide-ranging discussion of the influence of the dining table in American civil and cultural life, political scientist Janet A. Flammang explores the complex relationships between cooking, eating, serving food, and sharing mealtimes--important rituals of a civil society that are in danger of erosion in contemporary industrialized society.

The Taste for Civilization is divided into five sections. Part One offers a close look at gendered (and devalued) foodwork and the difficulty of making time for it in most modern American families.