Book Bits: 11 April 2026

● Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life
Alex Mayyasi
Interview with author via WVPB radio
Q: Give me the 30 second version. What is the economy? Why should I care about it?
A: I mean, first I have to give my favorite joke is that economists say economics is what economists do, because there is this way that it’s a little bit nebulous, and that’s what we’re referring to. But I think one answer is that the economy is humanity’s greatest invention. The economy is all of us pursuing our interests and values, training with each other, interacting with each other, working together. Sometimes when we don’t even know it and we just find it absolutely fascinating to try to better understand and learn how it works and share that with other people.

● The Coffee Can Investor: A Stock-Picker’s Journey to Build Generational Wealth
Neeraj Khemlani
Summary via publisher (Columbia U. Press)
What would happen if you bought a handful of stocks and then left them alone for some time, like stashing valuables in a coffee can? If you picked the right ones, you might wake up one day with life-changing wealth. Neeraj Khemlani introduces readers to this investing philosophy through the eye-opening story of a portfolio manager who has put it into practice. Matt Ankrum researched 100-baggers—stocks that have multiplied in value a hundred times over multiple decades—looking for what they have in common. Drawing on these clues, he hunts down and buys shares in what he thinks are tomorrow’s breakout companies, planning to gift his children a coffee can portfolio that could someday be worth half a billion dollars.

● Financial Mathematics for Cryptocurrencies
Tom J. Espel
Summary via publisher (Wiley)
Financial Mathematics for Cryptocurrencies by Tom J. Espel combines two of today’s most dynamic fields – quantitative finance and cryptocurrencies – in a comprehensive guide that addresses the unique mathematical challenges faced by everyone involved in the crypto markets. Espel draws on his extensive experience in frontier assets to explain the analytical frameworks you’ll need to make informed investment decisions, identify pricing opportunities, and manage risk in this volatile asset class. The book adapts relevant quantitative finance methodologies specifically for digital assets, bridging the gap between traditional financial mathematics and the distinctive characteristics of blockchain-based instruments.

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