Some interesting ideas, somewhat dated. A curious mixture of pro- and anti- capitalism. ( )

This one started off as a history book became a political book and wound up as a lousy business book 3 stars ( )

This book, written in 2012, talks about the growing wealth and power of the top 1% of global wealth-holders. It's well written and easy to read, although if you are not at all familiar with financial markets, you may find yourself "googling" a few things. While a lot has been said and written about the super-rich since 2012, I still gained some insights from Ms. Freeland's book.

One such insight was the concept of the "working rich". In previous generations, wealth was largely inherited. More of today's millionaires have worked for their money. Not all of them have produced useful goods or provided needed services; most of them work in finance or banking and manage hedge funds -- but they do work under stressful conditions.

Second, I learned what a small, insulated group the top 1% are. They go to the same events and holiday spots, and speak largely to each other. The same can be said for many groups, but this is a group which includes many politicians and has influence over the lives many of us live. My biggest worry about income inequality has become that of governing both governments and industries from a narrow perspective -- something that can only exacerbate the problems.

At first, I was left wanting more analysis in the book, but upon reflection, I am happy that Ms. Freeland described the issues as well as she did, enabling readers to draw their own conclusions. ( )

Pretty good book but I honestly can't remember much about it so I guess that doesn't say much about it. It's just that it wasn't all that inciteful. It was dismal and depressing and basically true. Oh well. ( )

Tons of interesting information, along with a slew of interviews worth reading. My gripe is the lack of organization or overall analysis - there's no big takeaway, and very little in the means of concluding remarks. In the end, there's no real interpretation of the history and present activities of plutocrats. If this were sold only as a collection of facts, it would be a fantastic work - however, it appears to have strived for more. ( )