An anthology Malcolm Gladwell has called "riveting and indispensable," "The Best Business Writing" is a far-ranging survey of business's dynamic relationship with politics, culture, and life. This year's selections include John Markoff ( "New York Times") on innovations in robot technology and the decline of the factory worker; Evgeny Morozov ( "New Republic") on the questionable value of the popular TED conference series and the idea industry behind it; Paul Kiel ( "ProPublica") on the ripple effects of the ongoing foreclosure crisis; and the infamous op-ed by Greg Smith, published in the "New York Times," announcing his break with Goldman Sachs over its trading practices and corrupt corporate ethos.

Jessica Pressler ( "New York") delves into the personal and professional rivalry between former spouses and fashion competitors Tory and Christopher Burch. Peter Whoriskey ( "Washington Post") exposes the human cost of promoting pharmaceuticals for off-label uses. Charles Duhigg and David Barboza ( "New York Times") investigate Apple's unethical labor practices in China. Max Abelson ( "Bloomberg") reports on Wall Street's amusing reaction to the diminishing annual bonus. Mina Kimes ( "Fortune") recounts the grisly story of a company's illegal testing -- and misuse -- of a medical device for profit, and Jeff Tietz ( "Rolling Stone") composes one of the most poignant and comprehensive portraits of the financial crisis's dissolution of the American middle class.

An award-winning journalist presents a tour-de-force analysis—drawing from history, economics, sociology, and popular culture—of the profound and transformative years of the early 2020s, both for individuals and for the global economy. We are living in a strange world—Salmon calls it “the New Not Normal.” The Phoenix Economy explores the ramifications of the pandemic years, many of which are surprisingly positive. In doing so, Salmon makes sense of one of the most disorienting and devastating events of our lifetimes. He examines the critical aspects of our lives that have been transformed in three parts: Time and Space, Mind and Body, and Business and Pleasure. Salmon’s keen observations, on everything from meme stocks to lobster rolls, are backed by a deep understanding of financial markets and the quirks of human behavior. His clear-eyed perspective on human and economic events, combined with his considerable analytical and observational skills, make The Phoenix Economy an insightful, fast-paced read. This book is essential for anyone wanting a better understanding of the near- and long-term effects of this new era and what they portend for our lives. It’s a penetrating insight into what happened—and, more important, what lies ahead.

* An anthology Malcolm Gladwell has called riveting and indispensable, The Best Business Writing is a far-ranging survey of business's dynamic relationship with politics, culture, and life. This year's selections include John Markoff ( New York Times) on innovations in robot technology and the decline of the factory worker; Evgeny Morozov ( New Republic) on the questionable value of the popular TED conference series and the idea industry behind it; Paul Kiel ( ProPublica) on the ripple effects of the ongoing foreclosure crisis; and the infamous op-ed by Greg Smith, published in the New York Times, announcing his break with Goldman Sachs over its trading practices and corrupt corporate ethos. Jessica Pressler ( New York) delves into the personal and professional rivalry between Tory and Christopher Burch, former spouses now competing to dominate the fashion world. Peter Whoriskey ( Washington Post) exposes the human cost of promoting pharmaceuticals off-label. Charles Duhigg and David Barboza ( New York Times) investigate Apple's unethical labor practices in China. Max Abelson ( Bloomberg) reports on Wall Street's amusing reaction to the diminishing annual bonus.Mina Kimes ( Fortune) recounts the grisly story of a company's illegal testing -- and misuse -- of a medical device for profit, and Jeff Tietz ( Rolling Stone) composes one of the most poignant and comprehensive portraits of the financial crisis's dissolution of the American middle class.