Written in 1937 when the Thurman W. Arnold was a law professor at Yale, the Folklore of Capitalism is a puckish but serious critique of what he saw as the myths of capitalism. Summing up his book in the Preface, the author said, "By the folklore of capitalism I mean those ideas about social organizations which are not regarded as folklore but accepted as fundamental principles of law and economics." The book, which satirizes many beliefs of American laissez-faire society, was a best-seller and brought Mr. Arnold national attention.

Stuart Chase in the Herald Tribune called this book about capitalism "the most realistic political treatise of the lot" and adds that "one must be tough and pitiless honesty and pitiless humanity." Some people may disagree with the fi rst assertion, but the second cannot be denied, for in this brilliant analysis of our social and economic structure Thurman Arnold pulls no punches. By "the folklore of capitalism" the author means those ideas about our social and political system that are not generally regarded as folklore but popularly and usually erroneously accepted as fundamental principles of law and economics. Th rough his searching scrutiny of this "folklore" about capitalism, Th urman Arnold presents a broad scale analysis of the ways in which America thinks and acts. Arnold is concerned with the manner in which our system actually works rather than with the moral principles that are claimed for it. With this purpose as a basis for his analysis, he exposes the virtues and absurdities, the basic facts and inconsistent gospels of American capitalism. He accomplishes all this with an irony and a sharp lucidity that are rare indeed in the treating of such serious topics.

"Monsters of the Market" investigates modern capitalism through the prism of the body panics it arouses. Examining "Frankenstein," Marx s "Capital" and zombie fables from sub-Saharan Africa, it offers a novel account of the cultural and corporeal economy of global capitalism.

The works of Edward Sapir (1884 - 1939) continue to provide inspiration to all interested in the study of human language. Since most of his published works are relatively inaccessible, and valuable unpublished material has been found, the preparation of a complete edition of all his published and unpublished works was long overdue. The wide range of Sapir's scholarship as well as the amount of work necessary to put the unpublished manuscripts into publishable form pose unique challenges for the editors. Many scholars from a variety of fields as well as American Indian language specialists are providing significant assistance in the making of this multi-volume series.

The financial crisis that began in 2008 and its lingering aftermath have caused many intellectuals and politicians to question the virtues of capitalist systems. The 19 original essays in this handbook, written by leading scholars from Asia, North America, and Europe, analyze both the strengths and weaknesses of capitalist systems. The volume opens with essays on the historical and legal origins of capitalism. These are followed by chapters describing the nature, institutions, and advantages of capitalism: entrepreneurship, innovation, property rights, contracts, capital markets, and the modern corporation. The next set of chapters discusses the problems that can arise in capitalist systems including monopoly, principal agent problems, financial bubbles, excessive managerial compensation, and empire building through wealth-destroying mergers. Two subsequent essays examine in detail the properties of the "Asian model" of capitalism as exemplified by Japan and South Korea, and capitalist systems where ownership and control are largely separated as in the United States and United Kingdom. The handbook concludes with an essay on capitalism in the 21st century by Nobel Prize winner Edmund Phelps.

The pursuit of health and wellness has become a fundamental and familiar part of everyday life in America. We are surrounded by an enticing world of products, practices, and promotions assuring health and happiness—cereal boxes claim that their contents can reduce the risk of heart disease, bars of aromatherapy soap seek to wash away our stresses, newspapers celebrate the wonders of the latest superfoods and herbal remedies. No longer confined to the domain of Western medicine, suggestions for healthy living often turn to alternatives originating in distant times and places, in cultures very different from our own. Diets from ancient or remote groups are presented as cures for everything from colds to cancer; exercise regimens based on Eastern philosophies are heralded as paths to physical health and spiritual wellbeing. In New Age Capitalism, Kimberly Lau examines the ideological work that has created this billion-dollar business and allowed "Eastern" and other non-Western traditions to be coopted by Western capitalism. Extending the orientalist logic to the business of health and wellness, American companies have created a lucrative and competitive market for their products, encouraging consumers to believe that they are making the right choices for personal as well as planetary health. In reality, alternative health practices have been commodified for an American public longing not only for health and wellness but also for authenticity, tradition, and a connection to the cultures of an imagined Edenic past. Although consumers might prefer to buy into "authentic" non-Western therapies, New Age Capitalism argues that the market economy makes this goal unattainable.