An Embarrassment of Riches

Tune into the news and you'll hear stories of war,disease, natural disasters, corruption, violence, poverty, crime,nuclear 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 exceptionalism,the extraordinary power of economic freedom, the lifesaving role ofmedicine and technology, the life-extending benefits of optimism,the 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.