We’re comfortable with big questions and important conversations.

The Analects, Confucius. Over 2,000 years old and still startlingly current, this collection of dialogues between the great sage and his disciples covers lots of ground, much of which revolves around what it means to live a moral life.

A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens. A story so classic it introduced a new word for miserly — “Scrooge” — Dickens spins the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge who, after encounters with his former business partner and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, turns at last into a decent fellow.

The Way to Wealth, Benjamin Franklin. An essay, published in 1758, compiling Franklin’s wit & wisdom on work, spending, saving, as originally published in Poor Richard’s Almanac.

Oeconomicus, Xenophon. Straight out of 4th century BCE Greece, Xenophon was an Athenian landowner, war veteran, and friend of Socrates who wrote one of the first advice manuals on household finance and management.

Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers), Compilation. An ancient rabbinic text, compiled over centuries over 1,500 years ago, Pirkei Avot contains a series of pithy ethical principles for everyday life.

Nagara Sutta, The Buddha. In this teaching, the Buddha provides his students with instruction on the Noble Eightfold Path, which includes “moral virtues” like “right speech, right action, and right livelihood.”

The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Adam Smith. Written in 1759, this book by the Scottish philosopher and economist laid out his vision of the role that virtue and ethics play in everyday life — importantly, in the context of the marketplace. This book provided the foundation for Smith’s later work, including Wealth of Nations, written in 1776.

“The British economist’s vision of our financial future. Intriguing food for thought on work and leisure”, John Maynard Keynes.

The Long Loneliness, Dorothy Day. The autobiography of homegrown American saint Dorothy Day, who committed her life to creating community and serving the poor.

It’s important to note that virtually every sacred scripture, across the world’s varied religious and spiritual traditions, has something illuminating to say about wealth, work, and how to lead a good life in the here-and-now. These works include, but are not limited to, Tankah: the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, The Qur’an, the Mahabharata, the Suttas of the Buddha, and many others.

The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money, Ron Lieber. New York Times “Your Money” columnist Ron Lieber’s seminal book, based on research with families and leading researchers and practitioners, is both instruction manual and manifesto. In it, he spotlights the relationship between our money and our values, and the importance of open, routine communication around money between parents and children.

The Blessings of a Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children, Wendy Mogel. An ingenious, insightful roadmap of parenting, using teachings from Jewish tradition as the sourcebook.

Raised Healthy, Wealthy & Wise, Coventry Edwards-Pitt. A thoughtful compilation of insights culled from “successful and grounded inheritors on how they got that way,” this book is both warm-hearted and thoughtful.

Raising Financially Fit Kids, Joline Godfrey. Filled with helpful tips gleaned from Godfrey’s years of work with families, this book offers a deep dive into how to embed financial stewardship in the life of families.

Make Your Kid a Money Genius (Even If You’re Not), Beth Kobliner. A valuable guide for parents of kids aged 6-23 from a leading personal finance journalist and member of President Obama’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans.

How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success, Julie Lythcott-Haims. Important guidance from author and former dean of freshman at Stanford University on the dangers of “overparenting,” and how to raise grounded, resilient kids.

The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids, Madeline Levine, Ph.D. An illuminating book from Levine, a psychologist, focusing on the complex relationship between affluence, contemporary parenting culture, achievement, and authenticity.

Enough, John C. Bogle. A thoughtful series of reflections about money, values, and living a good life, by the creator of the first index mutual fund and late founder of the Vanguard Mutual Fund Group.

Wealth in Families, Charles Collier. A rare combination of searching and practical, this book by the former senior philanthropic advisor at Harvard explores how wealth affects families, their values, and their giving.

Generation Impact, Sharna Goldseker and Michael Moody. An anecdote-rich overview of the changing currents in Next Gen philanthropy.

Seven Stages of Money Maturity, George Kinder. A searching financial memoir that combined Buddhist teaching, self-reflection, and investment insight.

Strangers in Paradise: How Families Adapt to Wealth Across Generations, James Grubman. A unique perspective, drawn from the author’s experience, of the ways in which the adaptation to new wealth is like the immigrant experience.

Discovery Joy in Work, Shundrawn A. Thomas. An insightful recent book by business executive Thomas that combines concrete advice and purpose-driven guidance around the meaning of work.

The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap, Mehrsa Baradaran. Deeply researched, this account of the historical and policy sources of the U.S. racial wealth gap is illuminating and eye-opening.

Coming Soon