"Written with the young adult in mind, these two new business reference titles are designed to introduce readers to basic concepts in personal finance and economics. Each book is organized alphabetically by topic and includes a glossary, an index, photos, and many colorful charts, maps, and other descriptive graphics. Entries are written in clear, practical language and run between two and seven pages long, an appropriate length given the intended audience. Economic Literacy comprises 52 general entries, including Business cycles, Corporation, Globalization, Recession, and World Bank. Personal Finance includes 48 entries selected with the novice in mind, covering topics such as Budget, Credit, Debt, Inflation, and Savings and investment options.

Articles in both books were drawn from the 11-volume Business and Industry, which was published in 2004. For the single-volume versions, numerous tables, charts, and graphs were revised, and a number of articles were revised as well. In addition, all the bibliographies were replaced with lists of noncommercial Web sites and databases. Libraries already owning the larger set may not need to acquire these spin-offs, but they are a good cost-saving alternative for high-school and public libraries that want to provide introductory economics material."

"This is a timely reference of today’s economic news and current issues. It is set up as an encyclopedia that provides 52 concise, well-written articles clarifying the international stage of the world economy. It covers historical economic issues and continues through the economic downturn of 2008.

The alphabetic entries begin with "Arbitration" and end with "World Bank." The articles are short in length and are accompanied by black-and-white and color charts and graphs, photographs, maps, and sidebars of data. A bibliography of Website addresses end each article entry for further research. There is an alphabetic table of contents of the entries at the beginning of the book as well as an index at the end of the book. This is a good, inexpensive addition for public and small academic business and economic collections and can be recommended for both."

"This book is for the non-expert reader who needs information on particular financial topics such as mutual funds, taxation, and venture capital. This reader will also find articles on more general financial topics, including recession, innovation, copyright, distribution channels, and economies of scale. The 48 articles are arranged alphabetically and range in length from 2 to 5 pages. Most of the articles include a photograph to highlight an aspect of the article and they have tables and graphs to help explain or highlight a particular aspect of the articles. A few of the tables that were included are a little dated and more recent tables should have been located. At the end of each article the reader will find one or two Internet sources that have been carefully selected for further information. All articles are easy to understand and have been signed by the contributor of the article. A two-page glossary of terms and a three-page index can be found at the back of the book. The book provides helpful information to people who are not familiar with either finances or business operations and would be a useful addition to both public and high school libraries."

"These volumes address rapidly changing global economies and financial institutions crucial to students’ understanding of current events and the ability to manage their own money. Both are comprised of approximately 50 A-to-Z articles ranging in length from two to four pages. Economic Literacy provides clearly outlined historical perspectives on international trade, socialism, and tariffs, balanced with newsworthy items. For example, the entry on business ethics describes Bernard Madoff’s financial fraud and, in the entry on corporate governance, there is a discussion of the hot-button issue of CEO compensation. Articles on globalization, service economy, and sustainable development look toward future developments and include links to organizations, reports, inflation calculators, and more. Personal Finance focuses on what readers will encounter in their daily lives, such as debit cards, credit history, job search, pricing, consumer protection, and interest rates. An entry on bundling goods and services looks at its pros and cons and includes a diagram of a computer connection and repair service. The numerous graphs, flow charts, maps, political cartoons, and tables help make sense of complicated concepts. For example, an illustration of a patent application clearly shows the importance of technical drawings, and a mock-up of a credit report has an explanation of each part. Links to financial forums such as Motley Fool’s Web site and organizations such as the Better Business Bureau are appended. Both volumes are invaluable to economics and business curricula and will aid general readers in developing key financial literacies."