Books in the Smart Summaries series

So much to read, so little time? This brief overview of The Signal and the Noise tells you what you need to know—before or after you read Nate Silver’s book.Crafted and edited with care, Worth Books set the standard for quality and give you the tools you need to be a well-informed reader.This short summary and analysis of The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver includes: Historical contextChapter-by-chapter summariesImportant quotesFascinating triviaGlossary of termsSupporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work About The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver: Drawing on groundbreaking research, The Signal and the Noise, written by the founder and editor-in-chief of FiveThirtyEight.com, examines how data has been used in prediction and forecasting, and how to find the true signals—the points that indicate that something will happen—amidst noisy and distracting data. Addressing different fields of forecasting and predictions—from politics to earthquakes to poker—Silver explores the reasons why some things are easier to forecast, like the weather, while others are so difficult, such as terrorism. From one of the country’s smartest thinkers. The Signal and the Noise provides vital insights into how to think about probability and predictions on the economy, climate change, sports, and other subjects that impact our lives. The summary and analysis in this book are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of nonfiction.

So much to read, so little time? This brief overview of Helter Skelter tells you what you need to know—before or after you read Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Genry’s book.Crafted and edited with care, Worth Books set the standard for quality and give you the tools you need to be a well-informed reader. This summary of Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi with Curt Gentry includes: Historical contextSection-by-section overviewsDetailed timeline of eventsAnalysis of the main charactersFascinating triviaGlossary of termsSupporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work About Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry’s Helter Skelter: In the bestselling true crime book Helter Skelter, lead prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi provides a meticulously detailed account of the murders committed by the Manson family and their trial—one of the most sensational criminal cases of the century. From the police investigation of the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca and Sharon Tate, to the arrests, the courtroom antics, and the personalities and motivations of Charles Manson and his followers, Helter Skelter offers a haunting look into the horrific repercussions of cult mentality on a violent rampage. The summary and analysis in this book are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of nonfiction.

So much to read, so little time? This brief overview of 1984 tells you what you need to know—before or after you read George Orwell’s book. Crafted and edited with care, Worth Books set the standard for quality and give you the tools you need to be a well-informed reader. This short summary and analysis of 1984 includes:Historical contextChapter-by-chapter overviewsCharacter analysisImportant quotesFascinating triviaGlossary of termsSupporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work About 1984 by George Orwell: George Orwell’s classic novel 1984 is a cautionary tale about a dystopian society under the crushing and watchful eye of a tyrannical regime led by Big Brother. The dark story revolves around Winston Smith, an everyman who is tired of the government’s lies and relentless persecution of people who dare think for themselves. He manages to find the strength to stand up to a totalitarian system and, in the process, finds love and affection in a world where both have been deemed obsolete. Originally published in 1949, Orwell’s 1984 is a masterpiece of modern fiction and one of the most enduring and influential books of the twentieth century. The summary and analysis in this book are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of fiction.

So much to read, so little time? This brief overview of Thank You for Your Service tells you what you need to know--before or after you read David Finkel's book. Crafted and edited with care, Worth Books set the standard for quality and give you the tools you need to be a well-informed reader. This short summary and analysis of Thank You for Your Service includes: Historical contextChapter-by-chapter overviewsProfiles of the main charactersImportant quotesFascinating triviaGlossary of termsSupporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work About Thank You for Your Service by David Finkel: Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Finkel's Thank You for Your Service is an intimate and powerful account of the lives of Iraq veterans after they return home. Having depicted life on the front lines in Baghdad in his first book, Finkel follows the struggle of the same soldiers' return to civilian life. He exposes the hidden costs of war: the reality of living with post-traumatic stress disorder, the physical wounds and financial struggles of military personnel, and the spiraling suicide rate amongst veterans. Soldiers are plagued by nightmares, memory loss, violent impulses, and guilt over their dead comrades. Spouses and children are bewildered by the return of their loved ones, whose personalities have changed beyond all recognition. Finkel humanizes the aftermath of military life and makes a strong case for increased investment in veteran mental healthcare. Thank You for Your Service has received great critical acclaim and was among the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Economist's top 10 Books of the Year in 2013.the The summary and analysis in this book are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of nonfiction.

So much to read, so little time? Get the key points of The Lean Startup—the bestseller about creativity, efficiency, and building a sustainable business. Through successes and failures with tech companies, Eric Ries began to realize there was a better way to develop a startup. Using his experiences, as well as valuable lessons learned from other industries, Ries identifies the difficulties a startup faces and how to build a more efficient—and successful—business. In the end, all of his advice comes down to saving the most important resource of all: time. This summary of that bestselling business book covers such topics as: How to shorten project-development cyclesValidated learning and rapid scientific experimentationMeasuring progress accuratelyIdentifying your customers’ desiresHow to adapt to changing circumstances quickly With chapter-by-chapter overviews, definitions of key terms, context and analysis, important quotes, and other features, this summary and analysis of The Lean Startup is intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of nonfiction.

So much to read, so little time? This brief overview of The Underground Railroad tells you what you need to know—before or after you read Colson Whitehead’s book. Crafted and edited with care, Worth Books set the standard for quality and give you the tools you need to be a well-informed reader. This short summary and analysis of The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead includes: Historical contextChapter-by-chapter summariesAnalysis of the main charactersThemes and symbolsImportant quotesFascinating triviaGlossary of termsSupporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work About The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead: Colson Whitehead’s National Book Award–winning The Underground Railroad is a bold, original, and unflinchingly brutal portrait of slavery during the darkest period in American history. On the cusp of womanhood, Cora is a runaway slave, pursued by her memories of abuse and abandonment, and by the implacable and notoriously cruel slave hunter known as Ridgeway. Her journey on the Underground Railroad—in Whitehead’s conceit, a literal, subterranean railway—propels her journey across a dangerous landscape in search of freedom. The summary and analysis in this book are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of fiction.

So much to read, so little time? This brief overview of The Euro tells you what you need to know—before or after you read Joseph E. Stiglitz’s book. Crafted and edited with care, Worth Books set the standard for quality and give you the tools you need to be a well-informed reader.This short summary and analysis of The Euro by Joseph E. Stiglitz includes: Historical contextChapter-by-chapter summariesProfiles of the main charactersImportant quotesFascinating triviaGlossary of termsSupporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work About The Euro by Joseph E. Stiglitz: In The Euro, Columbia Business School professor and Nobel Prize–winning economist author Joseph E. Stiglitz argues that the fundamental cause of the Eurozone’s recent economic difficulties was the creation of a single currency without the institutions to support it. The euro bound 19 countries with very different economies—and very different views about economics—together, but it did not include the institutions or rules to make such a union succeed. The results of this union are clear: although the United States has experienced growth since the financial crisis, Europe is stagnant and Eurozone unemployment remains over 10%. New York Times–bestselling author Joseph Stiglitz outlines three possible ways forward: fundamental reforms to the current system, an end to the single currency experiment, or a new system entirely. The Euro is required reading for all citizens of today’s globalized world. The summary and analysis in this book are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of nonfiction.