1. Reminiscences of a Stock Operator, Edwin Lefèvre
First published in 1923, this contains timeless advice on the markets: "Fate does not always let you fix the tuition fee. She delivers the educational wallop and presents her own bill."
Wiley, £13.99
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2. The Rise and Fall..., Gerald Ratner
His jewellery might have been “crap”, but his book isn’t. This slim volume of memoirs is extremely readable – not least for the perverse relish with which he dishes the dirt on himself.
Capstone, £18.99
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3. Capitalism Unleashed, Andrew Glyn
The antidote to capitalism, written by one of its best critics, who just happened to be a Marxist. This will stop any managerial capitalist from feeling too smug about the system.
Oxford University Press, £9.99
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4. Liar’s Poker, Michael Lewis
First published in 1989, these revelatory tales of Wall Street and the author’s colourful career at Salomon Brothers still have the power to unsettle the reader. A modern classic.
Hodder, £8.99
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5. What Management Is, Joan Magretta
A series of managerial amuse-bouches, this takes organisations such as Toyota, GE, Nasa and even the New York Police Department to illustrate best, and worst, practice unpretentiously.
Profile, £9.99
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6. Hotel Babylon, Imogen Edwards-Jones & Anonymous
A sexy business book? Yes, indeed. This earthily details each and every scam perpetrated by hotels on their customers – and vice versa. Almost as much fun as an “extra pillow”.
Corgi, £7.99
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7. The Age of Turbulence, Alan Greenspan
Central bankers are not businessmen but their decisions have more influence on firms than those of their top executives. The Fed’s former chairman tells you how their minds work.
Allen Lane, £25
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8. Competitive Advantage, Michael E Porter
Not one for the beach. Required reading for most MBAs, but contains sections with titles such as “Coordinate offensive and defensive strategies against multipoint competitors”.
Free Press, £16.99
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9. The Black Swan, Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Taleb is the sort of chap you might buy drinks for, in return for being told how to make randomness – the black swan you meet when you thought all were white – into your friend.
Penguin, £8.99
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10. End of the Road, Chris Brady & Andrew Lorenz
No other M&A “case study” is more educative in demonstrating the importance of brand than the BMW-Rover debacle. Narrated superbly well by Brady and Lorenz.
Prentice Hall, £12.99
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13 March 2008, Chosen by Sean O'Grady
