Earlier this summer, BlackRock’s Chief Multi-Asset Strategist Isabelle Mateos y Lago shared a list of titles to consider adding to your summer reading list. If you’ve already finished reading those or just would like more recommendations, you’re in luck. My BlackRock Investment Institute colleagues and I recently discussed a few more books worth reading this season. Here they are in alphabetical order.

America’s War for the Greater Middle East: A Military History by Andrew J. Bacevich. This 2016 book, by a retired U.S. army colonel, examines what caused a shift in U.S. policy toward the Middle East since 1990 and provides “an interesting criticism” as one reader put it. If you’ve wondered about phrases like “open-ended war” or about if the U.S. is fighting in a “War for the Greater Middle East,” this may be a read for you.

The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. This read provides a history of the prison system and labor camps in the former Soviet Union over four decades. It may not be your typical beach read, but at least two of my colleagues recommend it.

How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization by Franklin Foer. This book, timely after the World Cup just captivated the world’s attention, showcases the global economy through the lens of soccer.

The Panic of 1907: Lessons Learned from the Market’s Perfect Storm by Robert F. Bruner and Sean D. Carr. This quick read from 2007 provides a useful history on the financial crisis that led to the founding of the Federal Reserve system.

Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World by Tim Marshall. This book, published in 2015, depicts in an easy-to-digest fashion how geography matters to economic development and national security.
Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson. This 2012 book, called a masterpiece by some of my colleagues, argues that political and economic institutions underlie nations’ economic success (or lack of success). It’s worth reading (or rereading) when contemplating the recent spread of populism.

Looking for more titles to consider?

Check out our post from earlier this summer with other recommendations for your summer reading list, as well as our holiday reading picks from last December and our previous reading lists from 2017, 2016 and 2015.

Jeffrey Rosenberg, Managing Director, is BlackRock’s Chief Investment Strategist for Fixed Income, and a regular contributor to The Blog.

Investing involves risks, including possible loss of principal. Fixed income risks include interest-rate and credit risk. Typically, when interest rates rise, there is a corresponding decline in bond values. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the bond issuer will not be able to make principal and interest payments. Non-investment-grade debt securities (high-yield/junk bonds) may be subject to greater market fluctuations, risk of default or loss of income and principal than higher-rated securities. International investing involves special risks including, but not limited to currency fluctuations, illiquidity and volatility. These risks may be heightened for investments in emerging markets. This material is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. The opinions expressed are as of August 2018 and may change as subsequent conditions vary. The information and opinions contained in this post are derived from proprietary and nonproprietary sources deemed by BlackRock to be reliable, are not necessarily all-inclusive and are not guaranteed as to accuracy. As such, no warranty of accuracy or reliability is given and no responsibility arising in any other way for errors and omissions (including responsibility to any person by reason of negligence) is accepted by BlackRock, its officers, employees or agents. This post may contain “forward-looking” information that is not purely historical in nature. Such information may include, among other things, projections and forecasts. There is no guarantee that any forecasts made will come to pass. Reliance upon information in this post is at the sole discretion of the reader. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Index performance is shown for illustrative purposes only. You cannot invest directly in an index. ©2018 BlackRock, Inc. All rights reserved. BLACKROCK is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc., or its subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. USR0818U-565757-1772808

BlackRock Blog