Michael Woodford

VINCENT VAN GOGH: A Vincent Van Gogh Biography Vincent Van Gogh is one of the world's most well-known and revered artists - few people in the Western world have not heard his name and most will recognise his face from one of his many self-portraits or the numerous artistic representations of him on screen. His red beard, prominent cheekbones and expressive eyes make him a face that few can forget. Many of his paintings are instantly recognisable and reproductions of his most famous works hang in public buildings, workplaces and homes all over the world; The Starry Night, Sunflowers, Portrait of Dr Gachet, Café Terrace at Night and the Wheatfields paintings are some of the most widely reproduced images in the world. In fact, Van Gogh regularly comes up at the top of lists of the most famous and important artists to have ever lived. Few artists who came after Van Gogh would fail to acknowledge the legacy of his work and the impact it had on the progression of art in the twentieth century, which he barely lived to see.

A Vincent Van Gogh Biography

Vincent Van Gogh

KATE MIDDLETON: The Commoner Who Would Be Queen In the lead up to the 20th anniversary of his mother's death, Prince Harry - brother in law to Kate Middleton - made some interesting observations about the monarchy. He firstly said that the younger generation of royals feel that it is their role to modernize the monarchy. In so doing, these royals believe, they will maintain its popularity and sustain its role for doing good. They consider that, by bringing the House of Windsor into line with 21st century thinking, attitudes and lifestyles, they will enhance their own standing. But not for selfish purposes, or for self-aggrandizement. No, for far more altruistic reasons. They feel that from a position of trust and popularity they can do more to support charities, help the poor and suffering and improve the world. These are noble aims, and are to be applauded. But Harry said another thing in the interview. In extending the idea of duty and responsibility to Great Britain, to the Commonwealth and, where possible, the world he recognized that one day one of the young royals would be monarch themselves. It was just that, none of them wanted to do it. They knew that they would have to, but just as hoovering the sitting room or putting out the bins has to be done but is not much fun, it is a necessary but unappealing job. We can wonder whether this thought was anywhere in the mind of Kate Middleton, Berkshire lass, when she agreed to marry Prince William? And one day become his queen. This is the true story of Kate Middleton, a Berkshire commoner who will one day ascend to the throne.

The Commoner Who Would Be Queen

Kate Middleton

Stephanie Schmitt-Grohé

Martín Uribe

An essential introduction to one of the most timely and important subjects in economics International Macroeconomics presents a rigorous and theoretically elegant treatment of real-world international macroeconomic problems, incorporating the latest economic research while maintaining a microfounded, optimizing, and dynamic general equilibrium approach. This one-of-a-kind textbook introduces a basic model and applies it to fundamental questions in international economics, including the determinants of the current account in small and large economies, processes of adjustment to shocks, the determinants of the real exchange rate, the role of fixed and flexible exchange rates in models with nominal rigidities, and interactions between monetary and fiscal policy. The book confronts theoretical predictions using actual data, highlighting both the power and limits of given theories and encouraging critical thinking. Provides a rigorous and elegant treatment of fundamental questions in international macroeconomicsBrings undergraduate and master’s instruction in line with modern economic researchFollows a microfounded, optimizing, and dynamic general equilibrium approachAddresses fundamental questions in international economics, such as the role of capital controls in the presence of financial frictions and balance-of-payments crisesUses real-world data to test the predictions of theoretical modelsFeatures a wealth of exercises at the end of each chapter that challenge students to hone their theoretical skills and scrutinize the empirical relevance of modelsAccompanied by a website with lecture slides for every chapter

A Modern Approach

International Macroeconomics

THE QUEEN: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - A Royal BiographyAt some point, when they reach their mid-sixties, most people will accept the ravages of later middle age and gracefully, often gratefully, ease themselves into retirement. Not so the Queen. At 91 years, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II continues to work hard at her numerous duties for the nation and Commonwealth.Having held the throne for 65 years, she continues to demonstrate her commitment to fulfilling her various roles - Head of State, figurehead of many charities, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, upholder of the faith for the Church of Scotland. She may now undertake far fewer trips abroad, but her activities within the United Kingdom remain considerable.During her reign, there have been highs and lows, but through the divorces, disasters and, sadly, deaths, as well as the joys and jubilees, the Queen has stood firm. With the support of her husband, Prince Phillip, children Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward, numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren she has remained an overwhelmingly popular monarch. How has she achieved this? What enabled her to overcome the tribulations of the '80s and '90s? And why does she remain loved and respected in the hearts of so many?

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: A Royal Biography

The Queen

John B. Taylor

Harald Uhlig

Annotation Part 6: Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy. 19. Asset prices, consumption, and the business cycle (J.Y. Campbell). 20. Human behavior and the efficiency of the financial system (R.J. Shiller). 21. The financial accelerator in a quantitative business cycle framework (B. Bernanke, M. Gertler and S. Gilchrist). Part 7: Monetary and Fiscal Policy. 22. Political economics and macroeconomic policy (T. Persson, G. Tabellini). 23. Issues in the design of monetary policy rules (B.T. McCallum). 24. Inflation stabilization and BOP crises in developing countries (G.A. Calvo, C.A. Vegh). 25. Government debt (D.W. Elmendorf, N.G. Mankiw). 26. Optimal fiscal and monetary policy (V.V. Chari, P.J. Kehoe).

Handbook of Macroeconomics

Anna Revell

TRUE APARTHEID: Nelson Mandela and Apartheid - 2 Books in 1 Featuring... *Nelson Mandela*Apartheid 2 Great Books in 1! Nelson Mandela There are 11 official languages in South Africa. It is among the most diverse nations in the world. The story of how this land was settled and claimed throughout the centuries is a vast and complicated study. Instead, the objective here is to consider the life of one of the most important South Africans to ever live. But his was a fame and influence that stretched much farther than his country's borders. South Africa needed a voice for the world to care, he was that voice. He was Nelson Mandela. So much has been written about his life and many more will write about his spirit, far into the future. The only hope of a simple biography, such as this one, is to scratch the surface of what made him important. Hopefully, along the way, we can find a small piece of his personality and the measure of the man. This is his story. Apartheid "No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite...for to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."- Nelson Mandela. Long Walk to Freedom Apartheid was the system of oppression and racial division that dominated South Africa for nearly half a century, starting in the early 1950's. The country, during that time, was controlled by the white minority that mainly consisted of people with British and Dutch ancestry. As racial tensions deepened over time, the fascistic National Party took hold of South African politics and began to take away voting power from Africans who were native to the area. By the time Apartheid was summoned into law, the country had become a dangerous hotbed of Civil War and racial violence. We know the story of Nelson Mandela because of the tremendous courage he, and others belonging to African political groups, showed during this time. Though there was never an actual war, Apartheid may be better understood as a series of guerilla-style conflicts that took place due to social slavery and disenfranchisement.

Nelson Mandela and Apartheid - 2 Books In 1

True Apartheid

Joseph E. Stiglitz

Roman Frydman

Philippe Aghion

Macroeconomics would not be what it is today without Edmund Phelps. This book assembles the field's leading figures to highlight the continuing influence of his ideas from the past four decades. Addressing the most important current debates in macroeconomic theory, it focuses on the rates at which new technologies arise and information about markets is dispersed, information imperfections, and the heterogeneity of beliefs as determinants of an economy's performance. The contributions, which represent a breadth of contemporary theoretical approaches, cover topics including the real effects of monetary disturbances, difficulties in expectations formation, structural factors in unemployment, and sources of technical progress. Based on an October 2001 conference honoring Phelps, this incomparable volume provides the most comprehensive and authoritative account in years of the present state of macroeconomics while also pointing to its future. The fifteen chapters are by the editors and by Daron Acemoglu, Jess Benhabib, Guillermo A. Calvo, Oya Celasun, Michael D. Goldberg, Bruce Greenwald, James J. Heckman, Bart Hobijn, Peter Howitt, Hehui Jin, Charles I. Jones, Michael Kumhof, Mordecai Kurz, David Laibson, Lars Ljungqvist, N. Gregory Mankiw, Dale T. Mortensen, Maurizio Motolese, Stephen Nickell, Luca Nunziata, Wolfgang Ochel, Christopher A. Pissarides, Glenda Quintini, Ricardo Reis, Andrea Repetto, Thomas J. Sargent, Jeremy Tobacman, and Gianluca Violante. Commenting are Olivier J. Blanchard, Jean-Paul Fitoussi, Mark Gertler, Robert E. Hall, Robert E. Lucas, Jr., David H. Papell, Robert A. Pollak, Robert M. Solow, Nancy L. Stokey, and Lars E. O. Svensson. Also included are reflections by Phelps, a preface by Paul A. Samuelson, and the editors' introduction.

In Honor of Edmund S. Phelps

Knowledge, Information, and Expectations in Modern Macroeconomics

BARACK OBAMA: A Barack Obama Biography Barack Obama was born to a single mother and absent father in 1961. The America around him was still racially segregated and divided. Large parts of his childhood were spent in the care of his grandparents in Hawaii, his mother having left America for a new husband and job in Indonesia. Barack Obama, despite the disadvantages that life threw at him, worked hard and eventually enrolled to study law at Harvard University. After graduating with honours he settled in Chicago where he met Michelle Robinson. Like Barack Obama she was a young lawyer who was keen to address the racial disadvantages that were still present in American society. Following their marriage, and the arrival of two daughters, Barack Obama was elected as Illinois Senator and then as the 44th President of the United States of America. He became the first African American to hold this role. Obama used his position to push America into becoming a more equal and fairer society. Initiatives such as Obamacare and the repeal of the Don

Barack Obama: A Barack Obama Biography

NELSON MANDELA: LEGACY - A Nelson Mandela Biography Nelson Mandela is arguably the most important South African ever to have lived, and a true giant of the 20th century. His journey from humble beginnings to the highest office is an inspiration to millions worldwide. His well-publicised oppression at the hands of the authorities was the making of his legendary status. But perhaps his biggest achievement came in reshaping South Africa as a truly rainbow nation, overcoming, at least in part, the artificial barriers of the past. This Nelson Mandela biography looks at his life, his struggles and his rise to power, marking the life of a true icon of our time.

A Nelson Mandela Biography

Nelson Mandela: Legacy

The former CEO and president of Olympus who discovered a massive accounting fraud orchestrated by other top executives shares his story of becoming the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower ever.

Inside the Olympus Scandal: How I Went from CEO to Whistleblower

Exposure

The Genius of ALBERT EINSTEIN - An Albert Einstein BiographyAlbert Einstein is the most recognizable face of science. The man who created the theory of relativity, alongside so many other breakthroughs in the world of physics, though, was so much more than just a scientist. A philosopher, musician, humanitarian. A pacifist. Einstein was never a man to back down in a fight, and never one to accept the words of authority if they were unjustified, or harmful to others. The kindly, white haired old man, was a flawed genius. A man who possessed excellence in science, a deep love for humanity, struggled in his personal life. This is the story of Albert Einstein, the greatest intellect of the twentieth century, perhaps of all time.

An Albert Einstein Biography

The Genius of ALBERT EINSTEIN

GENIUS MINDS: Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking - 2 Books in 1!Featuring*Albert Einstein*Stephen Hawking 2 Great Books In 1! Albert Einstein Albert Einstein is the most recognizable face of science. The man who created the theory of relativity, alongside so many other breakthroughs in the world of physics, though, was so much more than just a scientist. A philosopher, musician, humanitarian. A pacifist. Einstein was never a man to back down in a fight, and never one to accept the words of authority if they were unjustified, or harmful to others. The kindly, white haired old man, was a flawed genius. A man who possessed excellence in science, a deep love for humanity, struggled in his personal life. This is the story of Albert Einstein, the greatest intellect of the twentieth century, perhaps of all time. Stephen Hawking Dennis William Sciama (1926 - 1999) was a don at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He was one of the most eminent physicists of his time. In 1963 he was informed that he was to receive a new pupil, a young man from Oxford who wished to undertake his doctoral thesis under his tutelage. There was nothing unusual in this. Mentoring new pupils was part and parcel of a university academic's life. However the new pupil seemed, on the face of it, unremarkable. In fact he had the reputation of a lazy and somewhat difficult student. In his written exam at Oxford he had achieved neither a first nor a second degree. A first would have entitled him to undertake postgraduate studies at Cambridge; a second at Oxford. He had to submit to an oral exam, an ordeal that terrified him but nevertheless impressed his examiners who remarked that they faced intelligence greater than there on. After a while Sciama also agreed that he was dealing with a highly potent intellect. This man was only 21 years old and moreover had just been given 2 years to live. His name was Stephen William Hawking. Since then, Stephen Hawking has gone on to become one of the most eminent scientists of his generation, internationally respected and famous for his work. This is his story.

Genius Minds: Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking - 2 Books in 1!

Stephen Hawking - A Stephen Hawking Biography: The Greatest Scientist of Our TimeDennis William Sciama (1926 - 1999) was a don at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He was one of the most eminent physicists of his time. In 1963 he was informed that he was to receive a new pupil, a young man from Oxford who wished to undertake his doctoral thesis under his tutelage. There was nothing unusual in this. Mentoring new pupils was part and parcel of a university academic's life. However the new pupil seemed, on the face of it, unremarkable. In fact he had the reputation of a lazy and somewhat difficult student. In his written exam at Oxford he had achieved neither a first nor a second degree. A first would have entitled him to undertake postgraduate studies at Cambridge; a second at Oxford. He had to submit to an oral exam, an ordeal that terrified him but nevertheless impressed his examiners who remarked that they faced intelligence greater than there on. After a while Sciama also agreed that he was dealing with a highly potent intellect. This man was only 21 years old and moreover had just been given 2 years to live. His name was Stephen William Hawking. Since then, Stephen Hawking has gone on to become one of the most eminent scientists of his generation, internationally respected and famous for his work. This is his story.

A Stephen Hawking Biography: The Greatest Scientist of Our Time

Stephen Hawking

“It was no comfort to know that I was making history, for the forced removal of a company president is almost unheard of in Japan. I rose quietly, left the room, and holding my head high, walked back to my office. My main goal was to escape as quickly as pos­sible. The board had seemed scared—why else would they have acted the way they did. But just what were they scared of?” When Michael Woodford was made president of Olympus—the company to which he had dedi­cated thirty years of his career—he became the first Westerner ever to climb the ranks of one of Japan’s corporate giants. Some wondered at the appointment—how could a gaijin who didn’t even speak Japanese understand how to run a Japanese company? But within months Wood­ford had gained the confidence of most of his colleagues and shareholders. Unfortunately, soon after, his dream job turned into a nightmare. The trouble began when Woodford learned about a series of bizarre mergers and aquisi­tions deals totaling $1.7 billion—a scandal that threatened to bring down the entire company if exposed. He turned to his fellow executives— including the chairman who had promoted him Tsuyoshi Kikukawa—for answers. But instead of being heralded as a hero for trying to save the company, Woodford was met with vague responses and hostility—a clear sign of a cover up. Undeterred, he demanded to be made CEO so he could have more leverage with his board and continue to search for the truth. Then, just weeks after being granted the top title, he was fired in a boardroom coup that shocked Japan and the business world at large. Worried his for­mer bosses might try to silence him, Woodford immediately fled the country in fear of his life and went straight to the press—making him the first CEO of a global multinational to blow the whistle on his own company. Following his dismissal, Woodford faced months of agonizing pressure that at times threatened his health and his family life. But instead of suc­cumbing he persisted, and eventually the men who had ousted him were held to account. Now, Woodford recounts his almost unbelievable true story—from the e-mail that first alerted him to the scandal, to the terrifying rumors of involve­ment with the Japanese mafia, to the stream of fruitless denials that continued to emanate from Olympus in an effort to cover up the scandal. He also paints a devastating portrait of corporate Japan—an insular, hierarchy-driven culture that prefers maintaining the status quo to exposing ugly truths. The result is a deeply personal memoir that reads like a thriller narrative. As Woodford puts it, “I thought I was going to run a health-care and consumer electronics company, but found I had walked into a John Grisham novel.”

Michael Woodford

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