Always have Enough by Maria Melchor

ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH by Maria Melchor, founder of FirstGenLiving, covers “How to Build Wealth When You Don't Come from Money.”  Melchor writes in a very accessible, understandable tone and offers numerous insights, including a 6-Week Kickstart Plan, to her readers. She focuses on habits to develop like savings goals and smart borrowing. I found this book to be quite helpful, especially for younger people who are struggling to understand the world of finance. Melchor writes about the AHEM (Always have Enough Money) system and encourages budgeting and planning. She frequently references her own experience as an immigrant and writes with empathy for those who are seeking to balance their personal needs and those of cultural, familial obligations. This text is designed to improve understanding and encourage reflection; for example, several chapters include homework exercises (e.g., creating a financial toolbox with simple steps related to banking and credit cards or strengthening one’s safety net). It might take someone who is less familiar with the system longer than her six-week program goal, but the checklists are very useful and a great first step towards more financial stability. 

The Time Tax by Annie Lowrey

THE TIME TAX by Annie Lowrey is subtitled “How the Government Wastes Our Time—and How to Fix It.” I think the colorful cover alone, plus the general annoyance about red tape will prompt readers to pick up this text. However, it has also been the subject of reviews at The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly (“Equal parts distressing and galvanizing, it’s a trenchant case for reform”), and, amongst others, Ron Charles (formerly with The Washington Post) in his Substack newsletter. Lowrey (a journalist at The Atlantic) argues persuasively that change is needed and her voice is a call to action: “Americans should be mad about the time tax. They should be angry about how unfair and how unnecessary it is. They should be furious at how it increases inequality, wastes money, diminishes public health, erodes political participation, degrades civic trust, and allows politicians to hide their policy goals behind reams of paperwork, …. We deserve better than the DMV. We deserve the services this country is capable of. We deserve to get our time back.”

Surely, we can all agree, for example, that “Enrollment forms are written in impenetrable High Bureaucratese and are loaded up with fine print.” Plus, we often have to repeat the effort annually (like requesting a mail-in ballot in Texas, even if it is based on age). Lowrey’s statistics are astounding, too; she references a report by The American Action Forum which estimates that filling out various government forms takes about the equivalent of six workdays per person, or roughly 12 billion hours a year. Lowrey also cites how the time tax falls disproportionately on the poor and people of color. Sadly, her examples, such as those across four types of administrative costs go on and on and on:

(1)   Learning or research costs (e.g., or varied impact of the 2022 Supreme Court decision regarding Roe v. Wade)

(2)   Compliance costs (time to actually fill out forms like Louisiana’s application for SNAP which asks about baptismal certificates and income from 24 possible sources)

(3)   Redemption costs (time and effort to exercise a benefit or use a right) and

(4)   Psychological costs – emotional burdens like waiting for your spouse to join you in the USA; these may be particularly high for people who are already ill, disabled, or traumatized and trying to navigate the system.

Read Lowrey’s book to learn more about this topic and about her thoughts on reform. THE TIME TAX is very well-researched. Notes comprise at least twenty-five percent of the text.

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

THE CALAMITY CLUB by Kathryn Stockett (The Help) is set in 1930s Oxford, Mississippi and the beginning is quite disheartening as Stockett describes life in an orphanage for Margot Louise (Meg) LeFleur, an eleven-year-old whose asides to the reader are reminiscent of those from Alan Bradley’s Flavia de Luce. Meg is intelligent, but scarred by being abandoned by her mother, called Charlie. And Meg struggles to cope with the abusive treatment at the orphanage. Things are a bit brighter (literally) when she meets Birdie Calhoun, poor sister to Francis Tartt, one of the local volunteers. Birdie is in town in hopes of much needed funds from her sister and the wealthier family into which she married. Sadly, it is the Depression Era, and no one is spared the ravages of poverty; that means Birdie eventually meets Charlie and, in an act of desperation, the two form a business venture. A LibraryReads Selection, THE CALAMITY CLUB is a tale of betrayal and also of loyalty; of strict social standards and also of acceptance due mainly to necessity; of sexual mores and women’s health. Book clubs will find much to discuss from this lengthy (656 pages) historical fiction novel which does drag in parts. Readers will develop affection and concern for Meg as well as Birdie - who is an especially likeable character - but their circumstances and the “calamities” they face are not.

Planet Money by Alex Mayyasi

PLANET MONEY by Alex Mayyasi and the Hosts of NPR's Planet Money calls itself “A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life.” This book takes an approach similar to the podcast and offers definition, description and discussion of economic concepts while using real life examples. Mayyasi starts out with an informative look at how food banks built a mechanism to better allocate donations. He later looks at topics like “How We All Get Richer, Forever,” “The Zoom Boom vs. Happy Hour,” or “The Labor of Finding Love.” His stories are memorable (e.g., the Mets and Bobby Bonilla Day to explain compound interest) and relatively easy to understand; as the authors say, “This book gathers the most useful and essential wisdom from our reporting and adds many freshly reported stories chosen to illuminate the most practical and powerful lessons in economics today.” PLANET MONEY received starred reviews from Booklist (“a welcome and in-demand addition to any library’s finance shelves”) and Library Journal. Sadly, graphics did not format well in the preview, but the book is well-researched, with Notes and an Index comprising at least fifteen percent of the text.

Genius at Scale by Hill, Tedards, and Wild

GENIUS AT SCALE by Linda A. Hill, Emily Tedards, and Jason Wild is an in-depth, thoughtful look at “How Great Leaders Drive Innovation.” The authors’ credentials are impressive: Hill is the Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School (HBS); Tedards is a graduate researcher in organizational behavior at HBS; and Wild is he former Global Vice President of CEO Co-Innovation and Customer Engagement at Microsoft. Together, they essentially use case studies and real-world examples to talk about Architects, Bridgers, and Catalysts effecting change in their organizations. Some of the companies and groups mentioned are P&G, Pfizer, Mastercard, Delta Airlines, as well as food organizations in Africa and Italy and the Sampark Foundation which promoted educational advancements in India.  

GENIUS AT SCALE is very accessible, with differently sized helpful headers, a conversational tone, and a focus on individuals and their stories. Much of this necessitates a new way of thinking, like Mastercard’s emphasis on a Framework to Grow, Diversify and Build in the “World Beyond Cash” or P&G’s increasing recognition that “the product economy was shifting to an experience economy.” The authors note that “as much as leaders would like to plan their way to innovation, their job as architects is to help their teams and organizations act their way instead,” referencing a vivid descriptor from previous research: “it's like shifting from leading an orchestra to a jazz ensemble: while their sheet music provides some guardrails, the musicians have to improvise, listen, and adapt to each other as they perform.” Another chapter looks at the establishment of the Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi, stressing the importance of continuous learning and adapting to local practices, needing “to create an environment where all caregivers could be ‘contemplative and creative rather than reactive problem solvers’.” While reading, I found many insightful comments like when the Sampark leadership opined “If you launch a decision as an initiative, people wait for it to fail. If you launch it as an experiment -- indicating that you will reverse it if it doesn't go right -- people participate in shaping it. They own it.” The authors and those they studied repeatedly point out how critical it is to have a “foundation of shared purposes and values -- a sense of community." GENIUS AT SCALE is clearly extensively researched with notes comprising at least ten percent of the book; there's also a helpful index and the online bibliography contains a list of over 700 books and articles.  Highly recommended.

Lucky by Design by Judd Kessler

LUCKY BY DESIGN by Judd Kessler is subtitled “The Hidden Economics You Need to Get More of What You Want.” Kessler, Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, expounds upon his research about markets and scarce resources. Kessler spoke recently about his new book at a Family Action Network event. There, he explored ideas like getting a reservation at a popular restaurant or being admitted to an elite college. He indicated that it often serves one best to initially “settle for silver” to achieve a desirable outcome. Later, he stressed the importance of personal networking and signaling to the other side of a labor market or to a potential romantic partner that one is sincerely interested. Similar ideas are outlined in this text where, according to the author, “each chapter will provide guidance about how to play in certain types of markets and will arm you with a set of strategies to increase your chances of getting more of what you want from them.” In LUCKY BY DESIGN Kessler looks first at what he calls the three Es (having rules that are equitable, efficient, and easy). He then devotes chapters to different types of market rules: first come, first served; using a lottery; ranking preferences and so forth. While the findings are not especially surprising, this is an accessible text filled with multiple, everyday examples (like allocating household chores), often involving Kessler’s three children or the university academic environment with which he is most familiar. There is an excellent summary and an audio excerpt (read by the author) at the Next Big Idea Club website.

The New Geography if Innovation by Mehran Gul

Named a Financial Times Best Book of the Year for 2025 and one of Forbes’ Best Business Books of 2025, THE NEW GEOGRAPHY OF INNOVATION by Mehran Gul was just published in the US. Gul writes about “The Global Contest for Breakthrough Technologies” by sharing anecdotes from eight countries across three regions: China, Singapore, and South Korea in Asia; Switzerland, Germany, and United Kingdom (London) in Europe; and Canada and Silicon Valley in North America. He bases his comments on extensive interviews with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and other researchers.  Gul’s emphasis on cultural and historic factors is particularly interesting and informative. Although he does not appear to argue for specific policies or an overarching theory, he does point to trends like increased efforts to bring products to market more quickly and, according to the Asian Review of Books, to “the various components necessary for large-scale, ongoing technical innovation: a government providing public goods like education and infrastructure, functioning capital markets, investors with a tolerance for failure, a culture that encourages start-ups, openness to immigration, and enough consumers to scale up.” The Wall Street Journal concludes its review by noting that THE NEW GEOGRAPHY OF INNOVATION is “a thoughtful discussion of how economic geography is changing. If you’re concerned that the U.S. is losing its capacity for innovation, Mr. Gul suggests, you shouldn’t worry. But if you’re concerned about maintaining U.S. technological dominance, maybe you should.”  This is an accessible read with a global perspective. 

Massively Better Healthcare by Halle Tecco

MASSIVELY BETTER HEALTHCARE by Halle Tecco is self-described as “The Innovator's Guide to Tackling Healthcare's Biggest Challenges.” Tecco, the founder of the venture fund Rock Health and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, has been a healthcare innovator herself, supporting and investing in numerous digital health companies. Her text is well-written and accessible and delivered in a logical manner. She begins with a section that describes US Healthcare, its costs and availability relative to other countries around the world, as well as describing the numerous stakeholders. This provides a strong basis for subsequent sections which deal with pathways to innovation and a checklist for evaluating new opportunities, and the four big lessons (“Work from the inside out, not the outside in; Align the margin and the mission; Be a good steward of health data; and Invest in evidence”) that she has learned from others in the field. Throughout, Tecco provides facts (“If the US healthcare system were a country, it would be the fourth-largest economy in the world.”), her own experiences (pricing for a prescription dermatological cream that went from $275 to $25 thanks to a pharmacist’s intervention), and tons of case studies (see graphic here).  Although MASSIVELY BETTER HEALTHCARE focuses on a particular sector, much of her framework could apply to innovators in other businesses.

Paper Girl by Beth Macy

Geraldine Brooks (Horse and Memorial Days) says, “If you want to know why our nation is so divided read Beth Macy's PAPER GIRL.” This new text is subtitled “A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America.” As such, it is extremely relevant today and while being very informative, is also a difficult read emotionally. Best-selling and award-winning author Macy (Dopesick) returned to Urbana, Ohio where she grew up and attended high school in order to document the changes in the past forty years. Macy returns to familiar themes about drug addiction, decline of unions (“One in three full-time workers carried union cards when I was coming of age, but now that number is one in ten”), and the lack of local journalism. Readers will empathize with a promising student who is motivated to overcome a dysfunctional family situation, but who struggles to attend college on a scholarship which doesn’t cover transport, room or board. Macy is a gifted writer who shares information about her community and her family in a straightforward, insightful manner. She asks, for example, how communities lose faith in their schools; pointing out “the more divided our education levels, the more divided our nation.” There is so much to consider that I read this book over several months. Macy writes, “The more time I spent back in my hometown, the more I recognized the unprecedented forces that were actively turning the community I loved into a poorer, sicker, angrier, and less educated place.” Still, like Robert Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett in Upswing, Macy is hopeful in this recent text (and in real life where she is running for Congress in the 2026 midterms). PAPER GIRL received a starred review from Publishers Weekly (“a welcome salve for a festering social wound. It’s a sobering journey into America’s splintered heartland”), is a Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and is one of Barack Obama's favorite books of 2025. 

Fly! by Steph Wagner

FLY! by Steph Wagner is subtitled “A Woman's Guide to Financial Freedom and Building a Life You Love.” Wagner has extensive experience in the financial sector, and she provides context by sharing her story “from private equity executive to stay-at-home mom, to single mother facing financial uncertainty, to successful businesswoman.” Wagner readily empathizes with her readers, saying, “If I, with my financial background, feel this lost and overwhelmed, how must women without that same knowledge feel when thrown into similar circumstances?” I found FLY! to be an excellent resource filled with numerous well-explained and action-oriented steps. For example, Wagner lists a series of questions to ask a potential financial advisor and also provides links to helpful websites. Wagner writes with a confident, but collegial tone. And she notes steps to take (have a will, a durable power of attorney, a healthcare power of attorney, and a medical directive, also known as a living will) and then provides definitions of each for her readers who may be less familiar with these documents. FLY! feels like a text which can be adapted to meet readers where they are – whether consulting an attorney at a major law firm or choosing a free online service – especially since she suggests evaluation criteria to use. This approach extends to a discussion and explanation of investment vehicles (Mutual Funds, EFTs, etc.) and other topics. The foreword provides my favorite description: “This book isn't just a guide. It's a road map. It's full of tangible steps, real life stories, and the kind of practical wisdom that makes you feel like you're having coffee with a really smart, really honest friend.”

The Pursuit of Liberty by Jeffrey Rosen

THE PURSUIT OF LIBERTY by Jeffrey Rosen describes “How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America.”  Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center and Professor of Law at The George Washington University Law School, has written numerous books about democracy and the Supreme Court (such as Conversations with RBG). In his latest, he explores close to 250 years of United States history to show the impact of the fundamental debate over the role of the federal government between Jefferson and Hamilton. The text which utilizes ten chronological chapters and a conclusion based on the present day is quite scholarly and assumes a strong knowledge of American history and its players. Full of details, this work is somewhat reminiscent of Richard Hofstadter’s dense commentary on American history which was often assigned as undergraduate reading fifty years ago. For those who are interested in learning more, Rosen will be speaking via Zoom on Monday, November 10 in a program sponsored by Family Action Network: more details here.

Epic Disruptions by Scott D. Anthony

EPIC DISRUPTIONS by Scott D. Anthony (Eat, Sleep, Innovate) highlights “11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World” and I think it would have been fascinating to be in the discussions of which 11 to choose. Anthony, a Clinical Professor of Strategy at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, studies the adaptive challenges of disruptive change while clearly recognizing the contributions of his mentor, Clay Christensen. In his latest book, Anthony looks at technologies like the printing press, the Model T, and Apple iPhone. He argues that “Disruption is an engine of progress. By making the complicated simple and the expensive affordable, it transforms how we work, play, live, and communicate.” A few examples he chose may not come readily to mind: Julia Child, disposable diapers, steel minimills; but he uses his case studies to answer basic questions (Who does it? Is it random? Is it accelerating? Is it a universal good?).  I liked his graphs and many corporate examples (e.g., Eastman Kodak, Sears, and McDonald’s) to further support his points (e.g., “innovation magic happens at intersections”). The conclusion section is especially thought-provoking as he looks briefly at newer technologies (additive technology, artificial intelligence, robotics) whose story is not yet complete. There, Anthony again weaves facts and examples while asking probing questions. Approximately fifteen percent of the text is devoted to Notes and a detailed Index. For stories of some innovations particular to Texas, see the recent Texas Monthly feature that appeared on PBS.

Having It All by Corinne Low

HAVING IT ALL by Corinne Low, an associate professor of business economics and public policy at the Wharton School, is subtitled “What Data Tells Us About Women's Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours.” In her Introduction, Low says, “I reject the premise that the barrier preventing women from living optimally - or even just happily - is our failure to try hard enough to have it all or do it all.” She further states, “Women today face unsustainable demands on our time and efforts largely because economic forces have created an environment where gender roles have converged in the workplace and yet have not converged at home.” Low’s research seems to back up the idea that although men think they are carrying their weight, they really aren’t. So, how does one shift that paradigm without creating resentment or greater chaos in a relationship? Low seems to argue to take time for yourself and put yourself first which, of course, is difficult (perhaps totally unrealistic) to do as a parent. She encourages readers to delve into identifying their personal utility function and to explore ways (e.g., car-pooling) to free up more time. Low is a strident voice for women and her writing is research-based (approximately fifteen percent of the text is devoted to Notes); it’s just unclear how viable her action steps (e.g., levelling up vs. leaning in) really are. Family Action Network (FAN) recently hosted Dr. Low to speak about HAVING IT ALL. Learn more here:

Human Nature by Kate Marvel

Does it seem lately that you are hearing frequently about extra high temperatures, heavy deluges, or strong storms?  How does that make you feel? In a new book called HUMAN NATURE author Kate Marvel devotes a chapter to each of nine emotions to explore both science and stories behind climate change. Marvel, a climate scientist and quoted in The Climate Book by Greta Thunberg, says that she wrote this book for three reasons: (1) to share some of the science behind climate change; (2) to explain how, with things changing so rapidly, it feels to do this science; and (3) to share the range of emotions she felt. Shifting between Greek myths and theoretical physics, Marvel looks at Wonder; Anger; Guilt; Fear; Grief; Surprise; Pride; Hope; and Love in a relatively accessible manner. She obviously cares. Her chapter on Hope acknowledges that we need to stop emitting the greenhouse gases that cause climate change by taking steps to “build renewable energy sources, transmission lines to carry that energy where needed, and batteries to store that energy, which would push aside fossil fuels. Stop heating and cooking with dirty fuels. Learn how to make cement and plastics and steel without spewing carbon dioxide. Replace gasoline cars with electric vehicles, public transportation, and walkable cities. Steward our land more wisely and eat fewer cows.” She admits that this will be difficult, but not impossible and that “renewables are already being deployed at rates forecasters never imagined.” The stories (e.g., transition from whale blubber to kerosene) are fascinating, emotion evoking, and clearly relevant today. Subtitled “Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet,” HUMAN NATURE was described in a Kirkus review as “A highly readable argument for tackling climate change that reckons with both cold hard facts and the human heart.” At least twenty-five percent of the book is devoted to Notes and an Index. 

Homestand by Will Bardenwerper

HOMESTAND by Will Bardenwerper is all about “Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America.” Bardenwerper, a former soldier turned author and journalist, recounts (and deplores) the impact of the MLB’s decision in 2020 to close 42 minor league teams by focusing on the Batavia Muckdogs team and their fans. The western New York town first hosted a baseball team in 1897 and traditions run deep. In addition to highlighting the financials and greed driving this MLB decision, Bardenwerper profiles many local characters. He will bring smiles to reader faces as they learn about Batavia’s efforts to attract and support a collegiate team. Happily, this text evokes fond memories of small-town baseball and so much more; Robert Putnam (Bowling Alone) describes it as “a well-written paean to a sense of community that is now sadly in danger of being lost in America. Read HOMESTAND, and savor it while you still can.” HOMESTAND received a starred review from Library Journal which called this title a “must-purchase.” Have to add: GO, Cubbies, GO!!

The New Rules of Investing by Mark Haefele

THE NEW RULES OF INVESTING by Mark Haefele with Richard C. Morais is subtitled “Essential Wealth Strategies for Turbulent Times.” Haefele is the global chief investment Officer at UBS where he oversees the investment policy and strategy for around $4 trillion in invested assets at UBS. In this book, Haefele stresses that “we must all change our way of investing to meet the needs of our time.” Advocating greater risk tolerance, he argues not for managing investments, but for managing wealth, and allocating your wealth by looking at Liquidity, Longevity, and Legacy. He also highlights the increasingly important role of government and even talks about 5Ds of disruption (debt, deglobalization, demographics, digitalization, and decarbonization). Haefele does offer limited advice on specific topics, like this excerpt on cryptocurrency which was featured in Barron’s. However, it would appear difficult for anyone to predict future actions, much less all unintended consequences, of the current administration. Instead, much of his text is a push for the strategies associated with the “UBS Wealth Way,” often told through client stories. Haefele also provides a varied list of other “books that shaped my thinking” and a lengthy bibliography (almost fifteen percent of the text). THE NEW RULES OF INVESTING offers an easy read, packed with anecdotes, more of a mindset reset than an investment guide. Contemplating the questions it raises could be helpful for readers prior to talking with their own financial advisors.

New books: Social Security, Medicare, and Retirement

SOCIAL SECURITY 101 by Michele Cagan and Alfred Mill is the second edition of this self-proclaimed “Essential Primer on Government Retirement Aid.” Cagan is a CPA who writes often about finance investing and accounting and Mill has crafted several texts on finance and economics in this 101 series. They begin with some historical background and basics (e.g., getting a social security card; defining full retirement age). The next section looks at benefits – for individuals, children with disabilities, spouses and so forth. Later, timing of benefits is discussed as well as related issues about Medicare and retirement planning. Cagan and Mill offer numerous examples with specific amounts to help illustrate their points. This relatively short (240 pages) text provides an accessible overview and may serve as helpful prep before heading off to the Social Security office to review your own circumstances, an action highly recommended by the accountants, lawyers, and other advisors with whom I have consulted on this subject. Good luck getting an appointment, though; at latest check the wait was over 6 weeks.

GET WHAT'S YOURS FOR MEDICARE by Philip Moeller is subtitled “Maximize Your Coverage, Minimize Your Costs.” And although this is a revised and updated edition, it would still be difficult to cover this complex topic adequately in an up-to-date manner in a book. Better to consider this text as a very useful guide and to then turn to advisors who work regularly in this area. Granted, those individuals will tend to push people towards Advantage plans, but they can more thoroughly investigate individual situations and changing offerings. Also, get an idea yourself by using some of the online tools (e.g., comparing plans) available through Medicare.gov. Still, “boots on the ground” are quite helpful, be it friends and peers conducting their own investigations or nursing homes helping to publicize innovative, helpful plans for their residents. Moeller is a recognized authority in this area and has collaborated in the past with PBS NewsHour economics correspondent Paul Solman. 

Moeller recently was interviewed on Morningstar's Long View, a podcast co-hosed by Christine Benz who in turn has written a recent book titled How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement. She has a companion How to Retire podcast on morningstar.