An Embarrassment of Riches / Agora Series (PDF)

Tune into the news and you'll hear stories of war,
disease, natural disasters, corruption, violence, poverty, crime,
nuclear proliferation, terrorism and political dysfunction in
Washington. Polls show many believe the American dream is
fading, our children face limited opportunities, and the country is
decidedly on the wrong track. Yet this dour perspective
- one recycled 24/7 by the national media - is a gross
distortion of the world we live in today.

As national investment expert and bestselling author Alexander
Green reveals in this engrossing and provocative new book, the
human race has never had it so good. In the West today, we
work shorter hours, have more purchasing power, enjoy goods and
services in almost limitless supply, and have more leisure time
than ever before. Living standards are the highest they have
ever been. The human life span has nearly doubled over the past
hundred years. Literacy and education levels - even
I.Q.'s - are at all-time highs. Technology and medicine
are revolutionizing our lives. All forms of pollution - with
the exception of greenhouse gases - are in decline.
Access to the arts has never been greater. Crime is in a
long-term cycle of decline. And the risk of death by violence
has never been smaller for most of humanity.

By almost every measure, our lives today are wealthy beyond
measure. We are all heir to an embarrassment of
riches. Yet - thanks in large part the drumbeat of
negative media coverage - most of us don't realize
it. Green compares the average citizen to "a lottery
winner whose ticket is lost in some upstairs drawer."

The consequences of adopting the cynical but popular worldview
are many, including needless pessimism, missed investment
opportunities, and - surprisingly - even poorer health.
Yet An Embarrassment of Riches provides a powerful
antidote.

Green begins with a robust survey of the many ways our lives are
becoming longer, easier, safer, healthier and more
prosperous. He then embarks on a wide-ranging exploration of
the ideas and the many men and women - both living and dead
- that are still enriching our lives today.

Among the many subjects explored are American exceptionalism,
the extraordinary power of economic freedom, the lifesaving role of
medicine and technology, the life-extending benefits of optimism,
the radical theology of Thomas Jefferson, the keys to civility and
greatness, the wisdom of Confucius and Aristotle, the ability of
beauty to enrich our lives, and even one artist's
thought-provoking take on "how to defeat death."

In An Embarrassment of Riches, New York Times
bestselling author Alexander Green offers a holistic approach to
wealth - and offers a welcome perspective that allows us to
live fuller, richer lives.