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.

Tune into the news and you'll hear stories of wardisease, natural disasters, corruption, violence, poverty, crimenuclear proliferation, terrorism and political dysfunction inWashington. Polls show many believe the American dream isfading, our children face limited opportunities, and the country isdecidedly on the wrong track. Yet this dour perspective one recycled 24/7 by the national media - is a grossdistortion of the world we live in today.As national investment expert and bestselling author AlexanderGreen reveals in this engrossing and provocative new book, thehuman race has never had it so good. In the West today, wework shorter hours, have more purchasing power, enjoy goods andservices in almost limitless supply, and have more leisure timethan ever before. Living standards are the highest they haveever been. The human life span has nearly doubled over the pasthundred years. Literacy and education levels - evenI.Q.'s - are at all-time highs. Technology and medicineare revolutionizing our lives. All forms of pollution - withthe exception of greenhouse gases - are in decline.Access to the arts has never been greater. Crime is in along-term cycle of decline. And the risk of death by violencehas never been smaller for most of humanity.By almost every measure, our lives today are wealthy beyondmeasure. We are all heir to an embarrassment ofriches. Yet - thanks in large part the drumbeat ofnegative media coverage - most of us don't realizeit. Green compares the average citizen to "a lotterywinner whose ticket is lost in some upstairs drawer."The consequences of adopting the cynical but popular worldvieware many, including needless pessimism, missed investmentopportunities, and - surprisingly - even poorer health.Yet An Embarrassment of Riches provides a powerfulantidote.Green begins with a robust survey of the many ways our lives arebecoming longer, easier, safer, healthier and moreprosperous. He then embarks on a wide-ranging exploration ofthe 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 exceptionalismthe extraordinary power of economic freedom, the lifesaving role ofmedicine and technology, the life-extending benefits of optimismthe radical theology of Thomas Jefferson, the keys to civility andgreatness, the wisdom of Confucius and Aristotle, the ability ofbeauty to enrich our lives, and even one artist'sthought-provoking take on "how to defeat death."In An Embarrassment of Riches, New York Timesbestselling author Alexander Green offers a holistic approach towealth - and offers a welcome perspective that allows us tolive fuller, richer lives.

Preface ixIntroduction xiPART ONE: A WEALTH OF GRATITUDE 1A Message from the Land of the Unwell 3The Reason You Should Be Biased 7What We Live to Discover 11Like No Other Nation in the World 15How to Put a Touch of Glory in Your Life 19The Greatest Star of Them All 22The Man Who Invented Christmas 26Do You Know Where You Are? 29The Mind-Boggling Universe, Part II 32The Best That Has Been Thought and Said 35A Titan for Freedom and Prosperity 39The Great Key to Successful Living 43What You Can Learn from "The Gadfl y of Athens"46The True Rulers of the Planet 50Confessions of an Analog Man 54How to Be Miserable in One Easy Lesson 58For Music Lovers Only 61PART TWO: A WEALTH OF WISDOM 65Where Can Wisdom Be Found? 69Discovering a New Sense of the Sacred 73The Cash Value of the American Mind 76The Key to Civility ... and Greatness 79How to Defeat Death 83The Sage Who Spoke to Everyman 86The Greatest Best Seller of All Time 90The Pursuit of Moral Perfection 94How Apple Got Its Zen 97The Secret of "Big-Ass Salads" 101Take a Vacation Inside Your Head 107The Biggest Question of Them All 111A Requiem for an Atheist 115The Nation's Most Misunderstood Man 120Why Grant's Final Victory Was His Greatest 124The Other Freedom Document of 1776 129The Right Man at the Right Time 134The Most Powerful Thing You Can Do for Your Body 137The "Howling Atheist" Who Governed the Country143PART THREE: A WEALTH OF UNDERSTANDING 149Why You Love and Need the Rat Race 153How to Live the "Good Life" 156Nassim Nicholas Taleb ... and the Pursuit of Phronesis159The Gift a Man Gives Himself 162A Billionaire's Best Advice 165The Lost Art of Conversation 168A Visit Everyone Should Make 172The Man Who Made Dreams Come True 176How to Talk Politics without Committing Murder 180The True Secret of Success 184How to Be a Big Loser 188Three Words That Will Save Your Life 193Are You Awake? 196The One Factor That Changes Everything 200The Lies We Tell Ourselves 205How the First Americans Became Last 208The Top Five Regrets of the Dying 213A Short Lesson in Humility 217Afterword 219Further Reading 223About the Author 227Index 229