Matthew Bishop, Author, Philanthrocapitalism; U.S. Business Editor and New York Bureau Chief of The Economist : “I’m reading The Facebook Effect, by David Kirkpatrick; Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, by Mario Vargas Llosa; and Showing Up For Life by Bill Gates Senior. I am enjoying all of them immensely, but the Gates book most of all – not just because it helps to understand better Gates Junior, but because it serves up lots of practical wisdom about how to live an effective life, from someone who was clearly a big person in his various communities long before his son made his billions.”

Greg Belinfanti, Managing Director, One Equity Partners; Board of Directors, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): “The Great Bridge, by David McCullough. I used to run over the Brooklyn Bridge late at night to maintain my sanity when I used to live in Brooklyn after law school and was studying for the Bar. That’s when I started marveling at the architecture and just how amazing the Brooklyn Bridge is. I had finished reading about 100 pages of The Great Bridge when it was trapped in my office at Lehman Brothers in the wake of 9/11. We just moved back to Brooklyn this summer and I’ve been running over the Bridge again. Naturally, I thought of the book I never finished and am even more amazed by the Bridge than ever before!”

“The Big Short, by Michael Lewis. It’s one of those books you have to be able to say you’ve read – everybody’s talking about. Perfect for a cocktail party or cautionary tales for a Board meeting. A must read for any investment professional who is frustrated by markets and at times thinks the world has gone insane. A true testament that logic, common sense and hard work will ultimately pay huge dividends even when the world seems crazy and the cards seemed inexplicably stacked against you.”

“The Other Wes Moore, by Wes Moore. I saw a blurb on The Other Wes Moore in The New York Times and thought that it was such an amazing coincidence that I needed to know more. There is a reggae song called “Circumstances,” that has always stuck with me. One of the verses says ‘Circumstances made me what I am.’ I’ve never been really sure if that is 100% true. The Other Wes Moore is one of those cautionary tales about how the decisions one makes impact the circumstances in which one finds oneself. Those of us who make the right decisions should always remember, ‘Therefore but for the grace of God go I.'”

George L. Majoros, Jr., President and Chief Operating Officer, Wasserstein & Co. ; Board of Directors, Case Western Reserve University: “When China Rules the World: The End of the Western World and the Birth of a New World Order, by Martin Jacques. The title provides a great summary of the book, which is a fascinating yet troubling description of the global transformation resulting from China’s inevitable emerging and accelerating global hegemony. The Chinese people, economically, militarily and culturally are ascending, and we in the West ignore this global shift at our peril. We are seemingly blissfully unaware of the changes occurring before our eyes, but will surely all be impacted in the coming years.”

“Bottlemania, by Elizabeth Royte. Through specific local stories, the book sets forth challenges we will all face due to the shortage and problems of providing sufficient clean drinking water to our growing population. Despite the anti-corporate undertone, the book raises compelling issues that inevitably will define our and our children’s future. As my firm is currently raising capital to make investments in the water services and products sector, the book was especially timely and compelling.”