Podcasts from Book Review

For those contemplating investing in the stock market or who want to increase their knowledge, Rodney Hobson's primer Shares Made Simple is out in a heavily-revised third edition. Talking to Simon Rose, Rodney explains why cash is actually riskier than the stock market over the long term. He emphasises the importance of dividends, points out that stock market investing has never been simpler than it is now and explains why he prefers investing directly rather than through funds.

Capitalism has rarely been less popular. In his new book, Redeeming Capitalism, Kenneth Barnes discusses the moral failings that need to be tackled if the system - which has been a force for much good - is to survive. In a conversation with Share Radio's Simon Rose touching on debt, conspicuous consumption and the changed nature of work, Kenneth Barnes suggests how capitalism can once more become our servant, not our master.

In the financial crash and subsequent financial scandals, The Big Four accountancy firms have largely escaped censure. In a fascinating new book, Bean Counters: The Triumph of the Accountants and How They Broke Capitalism, investigative journalist Richard Brooks highlights how far the global giants have moved from traditional auditing and exposes their conflicts of interests and inadequacies which, he says, pose a considerable threat to financial stability.

Entrepreneurial champion Jim Duffy discusses his book "Create Special: Think And Act Like An Entrepreneur To Change Your Life". Jim argues you can train your mind for success not only in entrepreneurship, but your life as a whole.

Anders Indset discusses his wide-ranging book Wild Knowledge: Outthink the Revolution, examining the future of work, social media and AI and why business needs more philosophers.

Nearly a decade ago the world's biggest banks were brought to their knees. And with each new victim of the financial crisis, it quickly became clear how ignorant regulators had been about the activities of those in the City. But, whilst we have pulled back from the brink, the financial system hasn't become any less mystifying. For those not in the monetary policy bubble, the idea that central bankers can conjure funds for quantitative easing seemingly out of thin air is purely mindboggling. So, money still makes the world go round - but what actually is it? Where does it come from - and who's in charge of creating it? I'm now joined by Ann Pettifor, director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics and author of 'The Production of Money: How to Break the Power of Bankers', which is published by Verso Books and retails for £12.99.

The world holds its breath as American voters hit the ballot box today for the 2016 US presidential election. Not only could the international community be dealing with a populist President in the shape of Donald Trump - his victory will heighten wariness of populism stirring elsewhere in the world. So, how should we understand the movement that propelled Mr. Trump? Is it something to welcome or to fear? Jan-Werner Muller is Professor of Politics at Princeton University and author of 'What is Populism?', a book that attempts to extract the core of the populist ideology. Share Radio's Alex Clark spoke to Professor Muller. 'What is Populism?' is published by Penn Press and retails for £13.00.

When does the irrational exuberance of markets lead to asset price bubbles? A question pondered by Dr. Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, in December 1996. But the phrase "irrational exuberance" - a polite way of warning that the markets were in danger of overheating - turned out to rather be prescient. This was after all the dotcom era when anything with dotcom behind its name - no matter how flawed the business plan - was a licence to print money. When the tech bubble eventually burst investors took heavy losses while Greenspan looked for a way through the morass. The markets gradually picked up, money flowed in and the public felt rich: Alan Greenspan had worked his magic and restored America's Feel Good factor. When he retired in 2006 he was lauded as a genius, a tough act to follow...yet when the global financial crisis erupted, the fault lines were traced back to him. The hero was now a villain! So why did it go wrong? Sebastian Mallaby is a journalist and author of the book 'The Man Who Knew: The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan'. He joined Share Radio's Juliette Foster in the studio.

Debt crises, high unemployment and now BREXIT...it hasn't been a great year for the European Union as it fights to hold together what's left of the bloc whilst retaining and building the credibility of the single currency. Can the Euro survive or is it hamstrung by Europe's competing visions of what the future is supposed to be? It all points to a philosophical difference between the founding countries of the single currency bloc, France and Germany. Can the differences be resolved or have events reached a point from which there is no turning back. Professor Harold James, is one of three authors of the new book, The Euro and the Battle of Ideas. Harold James now joined Juliette Foster in the studio.

Joining Steve Clarke in the studio is distinguished historian, Sir Richard J. Evans, to discuss his new book 'The Pursuit of Power: Europe, 1815-1914', out now and published by Allen Lane. There's been a flood of literature in the past couple of years associated with the anniversary of the first World War - but what was happening in Europe in the 100 years that led up to that? Themes explored within Sir Richard's new book and in the studio include rationalistic excess, scientific revolution, the inevitability of WW1 and the dramatic diplomatic ruptures that have permeated our past and present.