A book that rewrites the history of American prosperity and inequality, Unequal Gains offers a radically new understanding of the economic evolution of the United States, providing a complete picture of the uneven progress of America from colonial times to today.

Arguing that the 1929 stock market crash was precipitated by rampant speculation in the stock market, Galbraith notes that the common denominator of all speculative episodes is the belief of participants that they can become rich without work. It was Galbraith's belief that a good knowledge of what happened in 1929 was the best safeguard against its recurrence.

In the 1940s Henry J. Kaiser was a household name, as familiar then as Warren Buffett is now. Henry J. Kaiser: Builder in the Modern American West is the first biography of this remarkable man, the prototypical “frontier” entrepreneur.

Discover how the U.S. shifted from stable institutions to frictionless transactions. Nicholas Lemann traces this seismic change through three pivotal figures: Adolf Berle, who championed corporate stability; Michael Jensen, who prioritized shareholder value; and Reid Hoffman, who envisions a future of networks.