{"product_id":"an-embarrassment-of-riches-isbn-9781118608821","title":"An Embarrassment of Riches","description":"\u003cp\u003eTune into the news and you’ll hear stories of war, disease, natural disasters, corruption, violence, poverty, crime, nuclear proliferation, terrorism and political dysfunction in Washington.  Polls show many believe the American dream is fading, our children face limited opportunities, and the country is decidedly on the wrong track.  Yet this dour perspective – one recycled 24\/7 by the national media – is a gross distortion of the world we live in today. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs national investment expert and bestselling author Alexander Green reveals in this engrossing and provocative new book, the human race has never had it so good.  In the West today, we work shorter hours, have more purchasing power, enjoy goods and services in almost limitless supply, and have more leisure time than ever before.  Living standards are the highest they have ever been. The human life span has nearly doubled over the past hundred years.  Literacy and education levels – even I.Q.’s – are at all-time highs. Technology and medicine are revolutionizing our lives. All forms of pollution – with the exception of greenhouse gases – are in decline.  Access to the arts has never been greater.  Crime is in a long-term cycle of decline.  And the risk of death by violence has never been smaller for most of humanity.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy almost every measure, our lives today are wealthy beyond measure.  We are all heir to \u003ci\u003ean embarrassment of riches\u003c\/i\u003e.  Yet – thanks in large part the drumbeat of negative media coverage – most of us don’t realize it.  Green compares the average citizen to “a lottery winner whose ticket is lost in some upstairs drawer.”\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe consequences of adopting the cynical but popular worldview are many, including needless pessimism, missed investment opportunities, and – surprisingly – even poorer health. Yet \u003ci\u003eAn Embarrassment of Riches\u003c\/i\u003e provides a powerful antidote. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGreen begins with a robust survey of the many ways our lives are becoming longer, easier, safer, healthier and more prosperous.  He then embarks on a wide-ranging exploration of the ideas and the many men and women – both living and dead – that are still enriching our lives today.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAmong the many subjects explored are American exceptionalism, the extraordinary power of economic freedom, the lifesaving role of medicine and technology, the life-extending benefits of optimism, the radical theology of Thomas Jefferson, the keys to civility and greatness, the wisdom of Confucius and Aristotle, the ability of beauty to enrich our lives, and even one artist’s thought-provoking take on “how to defeat death.”\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eAn Embarrassment of Riches\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Alexander Green offers a holistic approach to wealth – and offers a welcome perspective that allows us to live fuller, richer lives. \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003ePreface ix\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction xi\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePART ONE: A WEALTH OF GRATITUDE 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Message from the Land of the Unwell 3\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Reason You Should Be Biased 7\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat We Live to Discover 11\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLike No Other Nation in the World 15\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Put a Touch of Glory in Your Life 19\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Greatest Star of Them All 22\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Man Who Invented Christmas 26\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDo You Know Where You Are? 29\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Mind-Boggling Universe, Part II 32\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Best That Has Been Thought and Said 35\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Titan for Freedom and Prosperity 39\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Great Key to Successful Living 43\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat You Can Learn from “The Gadfl y of Athens” 46\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe True Rulers of the Planet 50\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConfessions of an Analog Man 54\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Be Miserable in One Easy Lesson 58\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFor Music Lovers Only 61\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePART TWO: A WEALTH OF WISDOM 65\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhere Can Wisdom Be Found? 69\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDiscovering a New Sense of the Sacred 73\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Cash Value of the American Mind 76\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Key to Civility … and Greatness 79\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Defeat Death 83\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Sage Who Spoke to Everyman 86\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Greatest Best Seller of All Time 90\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Pursuit of Moral Perfection 94\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow Apple Got Its Zen 97\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Secret of “Big-Ass Salads” 101\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTake a Vacation Inside Your Head 107\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Biggest Question of Them All 111\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Requiem for an Atheist 115\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Nation’s Most Misunderstood Man 120\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhy Grant’s Final Victory Was His Greatest 124\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Other Freedom Document of 1776 129\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Right Man at the Right Time 134\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Most Powerful Thing You Can Do for Your Body 137\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe “Howling Atheist” Who Governed the Country 143\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePART THREE: A WEALTH OF UNDERSTANDING 149\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhy You Love and Need the Rat Race 153\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Live the “Good Life” 156\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNassim Nicholas Taleb … and the Pursuit of Phronesis 159\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Gift a Man Gives Himself 162\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Billionaire’s Best Advice 165\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Lost Art of Conversation 168\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Visit Everyone Should Make 172\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Man Who Made Dreams Come True 176\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Talk Politics without Committing Murder 180\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe True Secret of Success 184\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Be a Big Loser 188\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThree Words That Will Save Your Life 193\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAre You Awake? 196\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe One Factor That Changes Everything 200\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Lies We Tell Ourselves 205\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow the First Americans Became Last 208\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Top Five Regrets of the Dying 213\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Short Lesson in Humility 217\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfterword 219\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurther Reading 223\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAbout the Author 227\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndex 229\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eALEXANDER GREEN\u003c\/b\u003e is the Chief Investment Strategist of The Oxford Club and the author of three national bestsellers: \u003ci\u003eThe Gone Fishin' Portfolio,\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Secret of Shelter Island\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eBeyond Wealth\u003c\/i\u003e. He has been featured on \u003ci\u003eOprah\u003c\/i\u003e \u0026amp; \u003ci\u003eFriends\u003c\/i\u003e, Fox News, \u003ci\u003eThe O'Reilly Factor\u003c\/i\u003e, CNBC, MSNBC, and C-SPAN and has been profiled in the \u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBusinessWeek\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eForbes\u003c\/i\u003e, and many other publications. He currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, and Winter Springs, Florida, with his wife Karen and their children, Hannah and David.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eTune into the news and you'll hear stories of war, disease, natural disasters, corruption, violence, poverty, crime, nuclear proliferation, terrorism and political dysfunction in Washington. Polls show many believe the American dream is fading, our children face limited opportunities, and the country is decidedly on the wrong track. Yet this dour perspective—one recycled 24\/7 by the national media—is a gross distortion of the world we live in today.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs national investment expert and bestselling author Alexander Green reveals in this engrossing and provocative new book, the human race has never had it so good. In the West today, we work shorter hours, have more purchasing power, enjoy goods and services in almost limitless supply, and have more leisure time than ever before. Living standards are the highest they have ever been. The human life span has nearly doubled over the past hundred years. Literacy and education levels—even I.Q.s—are at all-time highs. Technology and medicine are revolutionizing our lives. All forms of pollution—with the exception of greenhouse gases—are in decline. Access to the arts has never been greater. Crime is in a long-term cycle of decline. And the risk of death by violence has never been smaller for most of humanity.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy almost every measure, our lives today are wealthy beyond measure. We are all heir to an embarrassment of riches. Yet—thanks in large part to the drumbeat of negative media coverage—most of us don't realize it. Green compares the average citizen to \"a lottery winner whose ticket is lost in some upstairs drawer.\"\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe consequences of adopting the cynical but popular worldview are many, including needless pessimism, missed investment opportunities, and—surprisingly—even poorer health. Yet \u003ci\u003eAn Embarrassment of Riches\u003c\/i\u003e provides a powerful antidote.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGreen begins with a robust survey of the many ways our lives are becoming longer, easier, safer, healthier, and more prosperous. He then embarks on a wide-ranging exploration of the ideas and the many men and women—both living and dead—enriching our lives today.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAmong the many subjects explored are American exceptionalism, the extraordinary power of economic freedom, the lifesaving role of medicine and technology, the life-extending benefits of optimism, the radical theology of Thomas Jefferson, the keys to civility and greatness, the wisdom of Confucius and Aristotle, the ability of beauty to enrich our lives, and even one artist's thought-provoking take on \"how to defeat death.\"\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eAn Embarrassment of Riches\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Alexander Green offers a holistic approach to wealth—and offers a welcome perspective that allows us to live fuller, richer lives.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eAn Embarrassment of Riches\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"In \u003ci\u003eAn Embarrassment of Riches\u003c\/i\u003e, Alex Green reveals a decidedly different world than the one we get from the 24-hour news cycle. By virtually every measure of human well-being, we are living in the best of times. If you're concerned about the future, this is the case for rational optimism. Enthusiastically recommended.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Joel F. Wade,\u003c\/b\u003e PhD, author of \u003ci\u003eMastering Happiness\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"An unrepentant optimist, Alex Green here counters the emotional but nonfactual arguments of the doomsday pundits. The truth is we've never had it so good—and I believe the uplifting worldview, so eloquently expressed in these pages, will prevail.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Mark Skousen,\u003c\/b\u003e Editor of \u003ci\u003eForecasts\u003c\/i\u003e \u0026amp; \u003ci\u003eStrategies\u003c\/i\u003e, founder of FreedomFest and bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eInvesting in One Lesson\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Big Three in Economics\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Making of Modern Economics\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMaxims of Wall Street\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eAn Embarrassment of Riches\u003c\/i\u003e is a superb collection of essays that looks clearly at the challenge of finding meaning and perspective in our post-modern world. The insights here are not just thought-provoking but deeply inspiring.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Michael Masterson,\u003c\/b\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eAutomatic Wealth\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Reluctant Entrepreneur\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSeven Years to Seven Figures\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"In \u003ci\u003eAn Embarrassment of Riches\u003c\/i\u003e, Alex Green opens the door to a fuller, better way to think about wealth. Finally, someone is talking not just about quantity but about quality.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Bill Bonner,\u003c\/b\u003e founder of Agora Publishing and bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eFamily Fortunes\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe New Empire of Debt\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Idea of America\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"This book is a beacon. With each page, Alex reminds us—with characteristic insight and wit—that there is much to be thankful for, if we would only open our eyes and see.\"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Hal Movius,\u003c\/b\u003e founder and President of Movius Consulting and co-author of \u003ci\u003eBuilt to Win: Creating a World-Class Negotiating Organization\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47988722401509,"sku":"NP9781118608821","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781118608821.jpg?v=1761781332","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/an-embarrassment-of-riches-isbn-9781118608821","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}