The Personal MBA

The conceit of this book is that the highly condensed information within will supplant a formal MBA program. To the contrary, it is best suited as a primer for those considering a business degree. With 226 single-page entries covering everything from profit margin to counterparty risk, this book reads like a wordy page-a-day calendar. A reader who stays engaged through the end would not be ready for the executive suite but would probably find business school an appealing prospect. That's not to imply the text is dry. Kaufman, who bills himself as an independent business educator, provides explanations that are clear, concise, and very readable. He also uses easily relatable, everyday examples to illustrate the various principles discussed. The span of topics is too broad for a layperson, but no individual subject is delved into deeply enough for a practitioner.